Assembled model 1/48 aircraft F6F-3 Hellcat - Late Version Hobby Boss 80359

Grumman F6 Hellcat - American single-engine half-body fighter of the Second World War with a low-lying wing. The F6 Hellcat was developed as a development of the successful F4F design. Its design was based on 18 months of F4F operation in the Pacific and numerous comments from Wildcat pilots. Structurally, the F6 Hellcat resembled its predecessor with one significant change. A low-lying wing system was used, which allowed the landing gear to be retracted into the lower centerplane, rather than into the fuselage. This increased the width of the track and stability in movement on the ground. Cabin armor was additionally used and ammunition was increased. The US Navy's evaluation of Grumman's proposal resulted in four prototypes being ordered in June 1941 - XF6F-1 to XF6F-4 - each with a different transmission. The flight of the XF6F-1 took place a year after the signing of the contract, but due to the urgent need to strengthen the "Wildcats" (F4F), the same airframe was equipped with the most powerful Pratt-Whitney R-2800-10 engines, thanks to which the aircraft made its next first flight. , this time as the XF6F-3. Even before this second flight took place, Grumman was tasked with putting the F6F-3 into production as the Hellcat. At this stage, the similarity of the F4F and the F6F led to a reduction in the period of application of the machine in serial production. The first flight of such a machine took place in late 1942, and delivery to the aircraft carrier "Essex" began in January 1943. In August of the same year, the VF-5 squadron from the aircraft carrier "Yorktown" was the first to use its "Hellcats" against the Japanese. The structure of the aircraft was completely metal, connected with safety rivets, and the wings were folded with ends to facilitate the hangar on the deck of the aircraft carrier. Standard armament consisted of six 12.7-mm machine guns mounted in the nose of the wing. The body and tail had a classic design, differing from the F4F only in dimensions. The three-point undercarriage was completely retracted using the hydraulic system, as was the hook for shortening the landing run. The spacious cockpit was raised high above the plane of the wings. The production of all versions of the F6 exceeded 12,200 copies, and its intensity was so high that it was possible to replace the F4Fs in use until now very quickly. Technical data (for the F6F-5 version): Maximum speed: 620 km/h, rate of climb: 14 m/s, practical ceiling 11,400 m, maximum range: 1,755 km, armament: stationary - six 12.7-mm Browning machine guns Outboard - up to 1800 kg of bombs or an additional fuel tank.

glue and paint are not included in the set