Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II. Designed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the United States Navy's dominant fighter in the second half of the Pacific War. In gaining that role, it prevailed over its faster competitor, the Vought F4U Corsair, which initially had problems with visibility and carrier landings.

This is an outstanding model, a period-manufactured factory model in a fantastic period “dome” display. The base of the dome measures roughly 11 x 16”, and is roughly 9½” tall. The display consists of a painted wooden base with a smaller dome on the interior, on which the model sits. There is then a much larger dome around the entire base, giving the “illusion” that the model is in flight.

The model has some heavy wear painted onto it, which appears to be period done to give it great flight wear. There are some scratches on the exterior dome but nothing too serious. The base has a small plaque to the front reading GRUMMAN HELLCAT.

A fantastic model, ready for further research and display.

Powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp, the same powerplant used for both the Corsair and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters, the F6F was an entirely new design, but it still resembled the Wildcat in many ways. Some military observers tagged the Hellcat as the "Wildcat's big brother".

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 air superiority over the Pacific theater. A total of 12,275 were built in just over two years.

Hellcats were credited with destroying a total of 5,223 enemy aircraft while in service with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. This was more than any other Allied naval aircraft.