Hellcat: The F6F in World War Two

by Barrett Tillman

Offers a detailed history of the design, development, operational activities, and military significance of the Grumman F6F, the U.S. Navy fighter that played such a strategic role in aerial combat over the Pacific

Genres: Aviation, Naval History, Military Fiction, History, World War II

265 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Born a fourth-generation Oregonian, descended from American pioneers, Revolutionary War Patriots, Pilgrims (e.g. Priscilla Alden) and Pocahontas, Tillman was raised on the family wheat and cattle ranch. His younger brothers include a breeder of exotic animals and a Rhodes Scholar. In high school he was an Eagle Scout[citation needed], won two state titles as a rudimental drummer, and was a champion speaker and debater. Tillman was first published in 1964 at age 15 and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Like his father, a Navy trained pilot in World War II, Tillman developed an early passion for aviation and learned to fly at age 16. Over the next several years he flew a variety of vintage and historic aircraft, including a pre-WW II Navy trainer and a restored dive-bomber. The latter became the subject of his first book, The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II, published in 1976. It established the format for many subsequent books, operational histories of U.S. Navy aircraft.

After college Tillman worked as a freelance writer until 1982 when he founded Champlin Fighter Museum Press in Mesa, Arizona, publishing out-of-print and new titles on military aviation.

In 1986 he moved to San Diego to become managing editor of The Hook, quarterly journal of the Tailhook Association. He remained in that position for three years before deciding to focus full time to writing fiction. His first novel was published in June 1990. Warriors[1] depicted a Mideast air war and became an immediate best seller when Iraq invaded Kuwait two months later.

Tillman's next two novels appeared in 1992: The Sixth Battle, (written with his brother John) which captured a wide following among computer war gamers; and Dauntless, intended as the first in a trilogy. It was followed by Hellcats, nominated as military novel of the year in 1996. He has also published original fiction in the Stephen Coonts anthologies, Combat and Victory.

Tillman remains active as a magazine writer. He is a regular contributor to The Hook, Flight Journal, and several firearms publications. He has also reported from Africa for Soldier of Fortune magazine.

Tillman is a former executive secretary of the American Fighter Aces Association.[2]

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett_...

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barrett Tillman has a very good series that is biographies or aircraft. The Hellcat is an edition of this "series" that includes the Corsair, the Wildcat and the Dauntless. His book starts with the need for a fighter to help replace the Wildcat. The Hellcat became the fighter replacement since the F4U Corsair was having teething issues in being produced. What Tillman does is weaves the technological history with the operational history. He follows the war through the narrow prism of the F6F's operational history and it becomes a telling of the war through the Hellcat's "eyes". The Hellcat is often overlooked by historians and with a 19 to 1 kill ratio and an escort history that only forty two bombers ever fell while being escorted by Hellcats is an enviable history worth telling. Thankfully Tillman does this masterfully.

[Jeffrey Struck · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hellcat was one of the most rugged planes used in combat next to the just as famous Corsair and line of Bombers especially the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24's.
Personally speaking, I hated it when the Jet Fighters came into existence,replacing those great fighters flown during WWll.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1979, 'Hellcat - The F6F in World War II' is a well illustrated account of the operational history of the amazing F6F Hellcat carrier fighter and in particular the impact it had on the outcome of the Pacific War against Japan. This is not a photo album - the text element dominates the book and this is a great thing as the writer is not only knowledgeable but also has an engaging style that makes the book a pleasure to read.

[Allan Harle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very thorough history of one of the less glamourous fighters of the second world war. An enjoyable read.

[Roger Custer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a reference book that gives a chronological history of battles in which the Hellcat fought. I was hoping for more narrative about the pilots but did not find it and ended up skimming.

[Darrel Bartell · Rating 4 out of 5]

very well researched book on the history of the Hellcat plane in WW2 Pacific carrier war against Japan