Greetings Folks, Homeward bound.... The Fighter Collections Grumman Hellcat F6F at last years Summer Show at Duxford, now left and by now living in the U.S. The Grumman F6F Hellcat design was greatly influenced by feedback from squadrons flying her direct ancestor, the F4F Wildcat, in the Pacific Theatre as well as input from studying European Theatre air combat reports. The Hellcat was ordered by the US Navy in June 1941, and less than a year later the prototype XF6F-1 flew. During prototype flight trials it was realised that a more powerful engine would give the Hellcat an edge in combat and so she was mated with a 2000hp Pratt & Whitney R2800-10 and subsequently re-designated the F6F-3. It was in this guise that she made her combat debut in August 1943.. The Hellcat must be considered one of the best carrier-borne aircraft of all time, with outstanding performance at any altitude. The type made its presence known by accounting for 75% of all US Naval aerial victories securing air supremacy across the Pacific Theatre. The Hellcat also holds the distinction of destroying more enemy aircraft, over 5000, than any other Allied aircraft. In addition to her US Naval service, the Hellcat also served with the US Marine Corps in the Pacific and with the British Fleet Air Arm in Europe where she was initially known as the Grumman Gannet Mk.I before reverting back to her American name in early 1943. The Fighter Collection’s Hellcat was the only example flying outside of America and is presented in the colours of US Navy Ace Lt Alex Vraciu who flew this particular aircraft. Vraciu finished the war as the US Navy’s fourth highest ace with 19 aerial victories, 9 of which whilst flying this particular aircraft when assigned to Navy Squadron VF-6 aboard USS Intrepid (CV-11). The Hellcat was built in late 1943 and issued directly to VF-6 where she amounted 115.7 flying hours before being transferred to the newly-formed VF-18 which was undergoing pre-deployment work up at Hilo in the Hawaiian Islands. A further 200 hours were clocked up with VF-18 being flown by a number of pilots who went on to become Aces, before being transferred to the Naval Air Technical Training College (NATTC) in Chicago during August 1944. It was whilst she was at the NATTC that she was re-united with Alex Vraciu during a War Bond fund raising tour of the Mid-West. Following a major rally in Chicago, she was left on show at a naval base in the city until being struck off charge when the NATTC closed. The Chicago vocational training school duly opened in its place and the Hellcat continued to serve as a training aid for the next 20 years. In 1988 the incomplete Hellcat became part of The Fighter Collection when Fighter Re-builders, also at Chino, were commissioned to continue the rebuild following which she was shipped to the UK where she arrived in August 1990. The Fighter Collection contacted Alex Vraciu, who confirmed its war record, provided details of her colour scheme and even lent owner, Stephen Grey, his original flying gloves for his first flight in the recently completed Hellcat. Alex was even able to reacquaint himself with his old mount when he traveled to Duxford. So here it is... Its last big hurrah! (In the U.K. anyway...) Enjoy Rob