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unless the F6F pilot's stupid enough to get into a slow turning fight it has to be the F6F...........
But if I could own either one today, it would be an original A6M2 with Sakae engine - so very rare.
Yes - that has been a problem for me - I was probably as big as one could be
and still fly the A-4. I am 6-1 and 220 pounds, so I would have to fly
the A6M with the canopy open!!! Oh Lord you know I would love to.
The first action Hellcats were involved with was on Aug. 28, 1943. VF 43 escorted bombers from Guadalcanal. The Hellcats are later based at Munda and in 3 weeks claim 21 Zeros shot down for the loss of 4 F6F-3s. Hellcats are credited with 5156 enemy airplanes downed in the Pacific. The British Hellcats in the Pacific add a further 47 aircraft destroyed. Hellcats in Europe claim 13 enemy AC. The total is 5216 in two years. Appox. 270 Hellcats are lost ACM. Ratio is 19:1.
I am sure one point that Mitsubishi A6M must be suprior than Hellcat, is the range longer aproxi to 300km. I still don't know why Zero take such long range than most of US fighter aeroplane.
The 300 miles is combat radius I am afraid but still is small deviation. I checked some detail, most of them denoted Mitsubishi Zero has almost over 2000km range.The Zero had a 300 mile advantage in range. It was built lighter. In the end it's advantage in range didn't matter...