The Grumman F6F Hellcat was the United States Navy’s main fighter during the Pacific War. It was powerful and rugged and could defeat almost any aircraft that Japanese air forces could send against it.

The Grumman F6F Hellcat was designed in the early months of the Pacific war to overcome the disadvantages that US Naval aircraft faced in the Mitsubishi A6M Zero.

The prototype first flew on 26 June 1942 and they began entering service in February 1943.

When production ended in November 1945 12,275 F6Fs had been made.

They were the main fighter used by the US Navy during the Pacific War and F6F pilots claimed 5,223 enemy kills.

They were quickly withdrawn from service at the end of the war but a number were later flown by French and Uruguayan navies.

This model represent a F6F-5 flying with the French Aeronavale in Indochina in 1951.

Eduard 1/72 kit with Berna decals completed by Leigh Edmonds in May 2019.