The Hellcat achieved its remarkable speed by limiting its armor thickness to no more than 1 inch. Crews operating the Hellcat quickly capitalized on its speed to minimize the enemy's ability to penetrate its thin armor. Hellcats utilized their agility to flank and target the sides and rear of heavily armored German Tiger and Panther tanks.
While primarily deployed on the Western Front, the M18 Hellcat also saw combat in the Pacific and Italian theaters of World War II. The US military additionally supplied M18s to Chinese Nationalist forces fighting against the Japanese in the Pacific theater, where its capabilities often exceeded the needs posed by the lightly armored Japanese tanks, leading to its frequent deployment in fire support roles.
After the war, the Hellcat continued to serve with various nations and remains in use with the Venezuelan Army to this day!
