The F6F Hellcat and A6M Zero were excellent fighter planes during World War II. However, the Hellcat had better armor and performance, while the Zero had greater agility and range.

Side-by-side comparison of the Grumman F6F Hellcat against the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen (Zero).

Robert Duncan, U.S. Navy ace who scored the first victory against a Zero by an F6F Hellcat. David McCampbell, top U.S. Navy ace of World War II with all of his 34 victories in the Hellcat.

Aug 11, 2025 · The Pacific skies once belonged to the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Fast, nimble, and deadly in the early days of World War II, it cut down Allied planes with ease. But by 1943, a …

Dec 24, 2025 · On June 19, 1944, Hellcats decimated Japanese aircraft, with the U.S. Navy losing only 15 planes in air-to-air combat against the Zero. This day, known as the Marianas …

Aug 19, 2021 · It's 1943 and the skies over the Pacific are filled with the infamous Japanese Zero fighter. They are decimating all American aircraft; no allied plane can match Japan's deadliest …

Feb 24, 2023 · The F6F achieved unparalleled combat success, ending the war with a final kill ratio of 19:1, while 307 navy Hellcat pilots became aces with five or more victories.