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USN official A/c characteristics booklet for F6F-5 dated November '45* gave top speed as 378mph at combat power=WEP at 18,000ft. However, AFAIK 409mph at 21,600ft (presumably at WEP) was a real number obtained by a production F6F-5 in trials v a captured Zero Model 52 and F4U-1D (which topped out at 413mph at 20,400, much closer to the F4U-1D's official max of 409 at 19.9k ft, per ACP dated Jan '45). As with some Japanese fighters, USN fighter official top speeds may have been considerably conservative in some cases. I suppose zero-length rocket rails or other pertuberances fitted or not also affected these numbers.409 mph is very fast for a F6F-5 (for the USN the F-5 with racks go to 330 knts and for FAA go to 392 mph (probably w/o racks))
I kept looking in my files and found a document that I had forgotten about. It catagorises the different rolls the Hellcat performed and lists the performance expected in each: Combat, Long range fighter, bomber,...ect.
In the combat (interceptor/air superiority) column it list the F6F-5's performance as 358 mph/S.L., 409 mph/19,900 ft. and initial climb at 3,370 fpm.
The real suprise is in the foot notes: CLEAN CONDITION: Same as Combat Condition except pylons and Fuse drop tank rack removed: V-max/S.L. 366mph, V-max 417/20,000 (Combat Power).
This document is titled AIRPLANE CHARACTERISTICS PERFORMANCE, Bureau of Aeronautics. That's Navy Department Bureau of Aeronautics, Washington 25, D.C.
I almost forgot, horse power is listed: 2,250 hp/2,700 rpm/ S.L. and test weight is 12,175 lbs.
Hello
In early 1944, the 31st Fighter Group was converting from Spitfires to Mustangs. After some time for pilots to get familiar with the Mustang, an informal dogfight was conducted between the Spitfire Mk IX and the P-51B. The result- both pilots concluded that the Spitfire had won the fight. The IX could out climb, out accelerate and out maneuver the P-51. The Mustang could out dive and out run the Spit. Now, I would guess that the 2 pilots each were more familiar with the Spitfire than the Mustang, but at least in this case, the Spitfire won.
Eagledad
The above can be found in Flying American Combat Aircraft of WWII pg 315