Combat record
F6F Hellcat — Combat Record
WWII · United States · First flight 1942 · Retired · Combat-proven: air-to-air
The story behind the numbers
The Hellcat was designed with combat reports of the Zero on the drawing board, and it shows: bigger engine, armour everywhere, and just enough performance edge to dictate every fight. It destroyed 5,163 enemy aircraft by US Navy count — more than half of all American naval air-to-air victories of the war — for 270 lost in air combat, an unmatched 19:1 on official figures.
It made more aces (305) than any other American aircraft, including the Navy’s top scorer David McCampbell, who shot down nine aircraft in a single mission over Leyte. The Marianas Turkey Shoot of June 1944 — some 350 Japanese aircraft destroyed in a day for about 30 US losses — was the Hellcat’s definitive afternoon.
Campaign by campaign
| Years | Campaign | Operator | Victories | A2A losses | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943–45 | Pacific | USA (USN/USMC) | 5,163 credited | 270 | Made 305 aces — more than any other Allied aircraft. |
| 1944 | Marianas | USA (USN) | ~370 in days | ~30 | The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. |
| 1944–45 | Europe / Pacific | UK (FAA) | 52 | low | Even downed Bf 109s over Norway. |
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