The Return of the Hellcat

 

 

 

So, what better way to spend a 30C Saturday than riding down to FHC at Paine Field to see the first public flight of FHC's Grumman F6F Hellcat, which has just gone through a 2-year restoration to flying condition!  In company with it's arch-nemesis from the Pacific, FHC's equally marvelous Mitsubishi Zero, the Hellcat put on a wonderful show for the crowd.  The Hellcat is one of only 6 flying Hellcats, out of over 12,000 that were built at a cost of $35,000 during the war.  This one is probably worth about $2M now!  The airport fire crew helped cool the spectators over on the museum side, but no such luck for those of us in the cheap (but superb view) seats!