F6F地獄貓,是二次世界大戰服役於美國海軍的艦載戰鬥機。F6F在外觀上與格魯曼為美國海軍設計的前代主力戰機F4F野貓式高度類似,故此也被戲稱為「野貓的大哥」(Wildcat's big brother)[3],然而F6F實為全新設計[4],較F4F更加先進。地獄貓研製初是與錢斯沃特研製的F4U海盜式戰鬥機爭奪海軍艦載機主角,F6F只是F4U的替代預案,但F4U服役後發現嚴重的艦載機落艦問題,到戰爭末期才完全解決著艦安全性問題,因此作為預案的地獄貓趁機逆勢而起,成為1943年後美軍艦載戰鬥機主力機種。字面的意思是來自地獄的貓,美國俚語則是壞女人(貓性)。
從1938年起,格魯曼就已經開始為F4F研發後續機種。雖然美軍下一代主力艦載機競標由錢斯沃特拿下,但格魯曼仍在1941年6月30日和美國海軍簽下XF6F-1樣機製造合同。XF6F-1為一架配備14汽缸R-2600發動機(輸出功率1,700匹馬力)搭配寇蒂斯製三葉電動螺旋槳、[9]繼承野貓架構的手搖式起落架,改良較為有限的野貓升級型;但日軍偷襲珍珠港後XF6F-1規格也隨之調整,里洛易·格魯曼率領他公司底下主設計工程主任比爾·舒溫德(Bill Schwendler)、杰克·斯沃巴尔(英语:Jake Swirbul)和美國海軍航空署(英语:Bureau of Aeronautics)(BuAer)聯繫,希望能取得更多F4F飛官實戰經驗回饋,[10]讓新飛機能夠符合作戰需求。[11]美國海軍在1942年4月22日安排後來的美軍海航王牌飛行員愛德華·歐海爾到格魯曼工廠和團隊工程師回饋F4F和零戰交火之經驗歸納。實戰情況顯示:縱使F4F結構上比零式戰鬥機更強,能夠承受更多攻擊,俯衝時的加速率亦較之為高(美軍飛行員往往依賴這優勢而俯衝改出,避開零戰的攻擊),但在機動性與操縱性能,以及爬升率上卻未有優勢。
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