Grumman’s F6F Hellcat was “just right” for young American naval aviators battling Zeros in the Pacific. Rarely has there been a combat aircraft so perfect for its time and place as the Hellcat. The F6F Hellcat would account for 4,497 of the 6,477 shoot-downs achieved by American carrier pilots during World War II. The F6F made its combat debut in September 1943, and was best known for its role as a rugged, well-designed carrier fighter, which was able to outperform the A6M Zero and help secure a