Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/32 PREMIUM COLLECTION Air Power Series HA0304 Grumman F6F-5N Hellcat BuNo 78669, Maj. Bruce Porter, CO VMF(N)-542 Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, May 1945

Features Optional see-through cowling Folding wings Rotating metal propeller Sliding canopy Interchangeable undercarriage Rolling wheels Removable center-line fuel tank 2 Bombs under fuselage, one on each side of fuel tank 6 Rockets, 3 under each wing Realistic looking pilot Dimensions Length - 12.4 in (315.5 mm) Open Wingspan - 16 in (410 mm) Width When Wings Folded - 6.6 in (168.8 mm) Height - 4.43 in (112.5 mm) Height To Top Of Folded Wings - 4.6 in (116.5 mm)

Weight - 2.8 lb (1.28 kg)

In 1942-43 the F4U program was bogged down with delays and the USN needed a top notched carrier-based fighter. The Grumman F6F-5 was exactly what they were looking for with the first production model flying in October 1942 and 12,274 Hellcats built by the end of the war. In terms of size, the Hellcat was the second largest single engine fighter of the war, being just slightly smaller than the Republic P-47 “Thunderbolt”.

In 1943 while flying with VMF-121 Major Bruce Porter shot down three Zeros. On May 22, 1945 Porter joined VMF(N)-542 on Okinawa as the new CO. His F6F-5N belonged to the former CO and wore a red heart and white “Millie Lou”. Porter replaced this with a bottle of Schenley’s whiskey and “Black Death” written in white above it on the lower right cowling. On June 15, 1945 Porter became an Ace when he downed a Kawasaki Ki-45 Nick and a G4M Betty bomber carrying a Baka Flying bomb.

Specifications (F6F-5): Engine: 2000hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial piston engine Weight: Empty 9150 lbs., Max Takeoff 15,410 lbs. Dimensions: Wing Span: 42ft. 10in. Length: 33ft. 7in. Height: 13ft. 6in. Performance: Maximum Speed at 23,500 ft: 380mph Cruising Speed at 6,000 ft: 168mph Ceiling: 37,300 ft Range: 1,530 miles with 150-gallon drop tank Armament: Six 12.7mm (0.5 inch) wing-mounted machine guns Two 1,000-lb bombs, or six 127mm (5-inch) rockets