Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:58:10-2:58:48

What the Royal Navy wanted from the Hellcat

A Fleet Air Arm answer replaces a broad claim of dissatisfaction with a specific armament preference.

Aircraft ArmamentF6F HellcatFleet Air ArmLive Q&ANaval Aviation
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Question

What did the Royal Navy dislike about the Grumman Hellcat?

Short answer

The Fleet Air Arm generally liked the Hellcat; the main wish was for heavier cannon armament comparable to contemporary RAF fighters.

Notes

No major handling or performance complaint is identified. The Hellcat worked well in British service, but the Royal Navy would have welcomed cannon in place of, or alongside, its machine-gun battery. The preference also reflects inter-service comparison as RAF fighters moved toward heavier weapons.