Originally posted by kozhedub
Why fly the F6 when the F4U series seems to be more capable in every area? Even the models seem newer and better done.
Why fly any plane in the game other than the La-7 when they seem more capable in every area?
The Hellcat proved to be the most successful aircraft in naval history, destroying 5,171 aircraft in service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.
The F6F accounted for 75% of all aerial victories recorded by the U.S. Navy in the Pacific.
Navy and Marine F6Fs flew 66,530 combat sorties (45% of all fighter sorties of the war) and destroyed 5,163 enemy aircraft (56% of all Naval/Marine air victories of the war) at a cost of 270 Hellcats (an overall kill-to-loss ratio of 19:1).
The aircraft performed well against the best Japanese opponents with a 13:1 kill ratio against Mitsubishi A6M, 9.5:1 against Nakajima Ki-84, 28:0 against Kawanishi N1K-J, and 3.7:1 against Mitsubishi J2M.
The F6F became the prime ace-maker aircraft in the American inventory, with 306 Hellcat aces.
In the ground attack role, Hellcats dropped 6,503 tons of bombs.
Hard to argue with that service record.
