Following the United States Navy's victory over the Japanese fleet at the Battle of Midway, the long, slow push back across the Pacific began. The Grumman F4F Wildcat was the Navy's first-line fighter through 1942, and it gave an excellent accounting of itself against the faster Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero. It wasn't until Grumman's F6F Hellcat arrived in the Pacific Theater in 1943 that Navy pilots had a fighter that out-performed the Zero. Powered by the mighty Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine of 2,000 hp, the Hellcat had a top speed of 380 mph. Armament consisted of six wing-mounted .50 caliber machine guns. The Hellcat, along with the Chance-Vought F4U Corsair, gave Naval pilots the high-performance planes they needed to get the job done! The caption between the two black and white photographs reads:
On The Flight Deck
At left, A Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat Fighter waits for take-off clearance aboard the USS Yorktown (the prop is condensing the humid air). The big Grumman, considered by many to be the best naval fighter of the Second World War, is from Fighting Squadron Five (VF-5). Yorktown's aircraft were attacking targets on the Marshall Islands in support of the Gilbert Island landings. November 20, 1943.
At right, the pilots of Fighting Squadron Sixteen (VF-16) on board the USS Lexington. The Squadron C.O. is Lt. Commander Paul Buie, 4th from left. VF-16 was supporting the Gilbert Island Landings, November to December 1943.
The finished piece measures 12 3/4" x 25 1/2". It is matted in blue-gray. The frame is Gunmetal (other colors are available. Contact us for info). Please see the "Frame Info" tab for complete information on how we frame our artwork. Item price includes ground shipping to the continental U.S.
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