
The Hellcat was the firt U.S. Navy carrier-based fighter that could
defeat a Japanese A6M Zero fighter under virtually any conditions. It
appeared in the late summer of 1943 and was rumored to be designed from
a wrecked Zero that had crahsed in the South Pacific. The Hellcat's armament
could consist of .50 caliber machine guns, 5-inch rockets, and a 20mm cannon.
