"F6F Hellcat," is one of 20 short films in the series Chronicles of Courage: Stories of Wartime and Innovation. After years of destructive fighting in World War II, the U.S. Navy’s Fast Carrier Task Force is determined to defeat the Japanese military. Their fiercest weapon is the F6F Hellcat—an airplane designed with a unique folding wing called a STO-wing, allowing more planes to fit on an aircraft carrier and providing the U.S. with a stronger defense.

This inquiry lesson accompanies the video to enable students to explore various concepts related to the tactics pilots used to succeed against enemy aircraft:

• lift
• drag
• thrust
• weight
• maneuverability
• dive
• climb
• roll
• pitch
• yaw
• elevator
• rudder
• aircraft shape
• control surfaces
• ailerons
• flap
• camber

The lesson features a timeline with discussion questions, and hands-on activity, writing prompts, and more.