11/26/2025
🚨 **NEW RELEASE: Grumman F6F Hellcat TransportTag** 🇺🇸
This rugged carrier‑borne fighter (F6F‑3 Hellcat BuNo 08974) was assigned to USS Saratoga (CV‑3) and lost over New Caledonia on 26 August 1943. Wreckage was located on Espiritu Santo and recovered in 1980, returned to the United States in 2019, and in 2025 we acquired a portion of the original vertical stabilizer up-cycled it into TransportTags.
The Hellcat’s combination of rugged construction, powerful R‑2800 radial, heavy armament, and pilot‑friendly handling produced an air‑to‑air record that surpassed even the F4U Corsair—the F6F is commonly credited with about 5,200+ enemy aircraft destroyed (often cited as ~5,223) versus roughly 270 air‑to‑air losses, a roughly 19:1 kill ratio; by comparison the F4U Corsair is commonly credited with ~2,100+ kills (often cited ~2,140) against roughly 189 air‑to‑air losses, roughly an 11:1 ratio. More importantly in the Pacific, the F6F effectively “turned the tables” on the Mitsubishi A6M Zero: superior armor and self‑sealing tanks, greater firepower, better high‑speed diving and roll characteristics, and evolving tactics allowed Hellcat pilots to exploit the Zero’s weaknesses and achieve decisive results.
As a result of decades in the elements and salvage, some tags will exhibit weathering, surface pitting, paint remnants, and bends—making each one a unique artifact of WW2 carrier‑borne combat history in the Pacific. That distinctive character adds authenticity and storytelling to your piece, honoring the F6F Hellcat and the legacy of USS Saratoga.
We will also be offering a Limited Recon Imagery Set again: 13x19 signed card art print + raw Hellcat fragment on PVC card.
Grab a piece of frontline pacific WW2 history — available Wednesday, November 26th at 3:00 PM CST — only at transporttags.com
