Collection: F6F Hellcat

The F6F Hellcat Collection honors one of the most important aircraft of World War II and a largely untold chapter of American naval aviation history. Inspired by the American Heritage Museum’s F6F-3N Hellcat, this collection highlights the aircraft that helped secure air superiority in the Pacific and pioneered the U.S. Navy’s night fighter capability.

In the early years of the war, Japanese night attacks posed a serious threat to U.S. naval forces. In response, naval officer Evan “Pete” Aurand worked with scientists at MIT to adapt the Hellcat into a true night fighter. Select F6F-3 aircraft were modified in secret with early airborne radar and new instrument panels, allowing pilots to intercept enemy aircraft in complete darkness. Squadrons like VF(N)-76 became pioneers of this new form of combat, flying from aircraft carriers and neutralizing night raiders that had previously gone unchallenged.

The museum’s Hellcat, Bureau Number 41476, entered service in January 1944 and deployed with Task Force 58, operating across multiple carriers during major Pacific campaigns. VF(N)-76 became the highest-scoring U.S. Navy night fighter squadron of the war, taking part in key battles such as the Battle of the Philippine Sea and attacks on Iwo Jima. Today, this aircraft is preserved and displayed at the American Heritage Museum as one of the most important surviving examples of early naval night fighters.

Each piece in the F6F Hellcat Collection draws from this remarkable story, combining authentic history with thoughtfully designed products that allow you to carry, wear, or display this legacy in everyday life.

Honor the aircraft. Remember the night fighters.