used the pseudonym: Head of War
lived in Europe for 8 years, proficient in German, and loves the history of World War II and modern warfare. Since 2000, he has published many original articles and translated many German movies and TV series in Chinese subtitles
Please pay attention to this headline account: The Twilight Research Society of Ragnarok, which will bring more little-known historical details in the future.
If you compare the model of the US military F4F-3 "Wild Cat" fighter model of various model manufacturers on the market, it is not difficult to find that a model with a tactical number of MF-1 and a record mark of the Rising Sun Flag is frequently seen on the paintings of various companies.
F4F-3 "Wild Cat Ace" produced by Hasegawa, Japan in 2002
2006 Chinese manufacturer's trumpeter's product
March 2008 trumpeter's export brand Hobby boss's product
at the end of November 2012, although the seal painting is not MF-1, the numbering plan is still given in the painting options.
so favored by many manufacturers, who is the owner of the wild cat who has been listed on the cover of the product homepage many times?
"wildcats" with barbed
This aircraft is . The 224th Fighter Squadron of the United States (VMF-224) was deployed at Henderson Airport in the Guadacanal Islands in the South Pacific in mid-October 1942. After returning to the United States, the base was repainted and repainted at the captain and the winner of the Medal of Honor, Major Robert Edward Galer, was not its landline, nor the current style of the US military at that time.
So the scene of the MF-1 fight against Japanese aircraft on the previous model manufacturers can be said to be a big mistake in .
has been replaced by the F4U-1 "Pirate" fighter since late August 1942 to mid-1943. Both the US Marine Corps and Navy Fighter Squadrons deployed in Guadalene have been using the F4F-4. The difference between
F4F-3 and F4F-4 is that the two main wings of the former are equipped with a total of 4 12.7 mm Browning M2 aviation machine guns and the main wing cannot be folded; the latter is increased to a total of 6 12.7 mm machine guns, and the main wings can be folded to increase the number of shipboards.
F4F-4
F4F-3 was replaced by F4F-4 as early as June 1942 when Midway Naval Battle . The 221st Marine Corps Fighter Squadron, which was stationed in Midway, continued to use it to partially replace the squadron's older F2A-3 "Buffalo" carrier-based fighter.
In addition, the Marine Corps fleet had followed the coating specifications formulated by the Beureau of Aeronautics on April 29, 1942, and canceled the squadron number and model codes in the original "Squadron number-type code-native number" code to avoid enemies, and only use the local number as identification. Therefore, the "MF" (Marine Fighter), which represents the Marine Fighter Squadron, no longer existed at that time.
The Japanese army occupied Guadalam, Tulagi and Florida Islands at the eastern end of the Solomon Islands in May 1942, threatening the supply link between the Allied forces and New Zealand and Australia through the South Pacific.
However, the Battle of Coral Sea in May and the Battle of Midway in June caused serious setbacks in the Japanese Navy and also opened up the opportunity for the Allied counterattack on the Pacific battlefield.
html In July, the Japanese army began to build an airport in Guadalam to strengthen the defense of the Rabaul base in New Britain Isle of New Guinea.
1942 On August 7, 1942, the Allied forces landed on Gua Island and Tulaji Island
1942, the Allied forces' first counterattack took the landing of the 1st Division of the United States Marine Corps on Gua Island and Tulaji Island as the clarion call, occupying the airport under construction by the Japanese army in Gua Island, renamed Henderson Airport to commemorate the US Marine Corps pilot Major Lofton Russell Henderson.
Major Henderson was the captain of the 241st Marine Reconnaissance Bombing Squadron (VMSB-241). During the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942, he led a group of Douglas SBD-2 "Defensible" reconnaissance/diving bombers to attack the Japanese "Flying Dragon" aircraft carrier. He hit the anti-aircraft artillery fire and then hit the enemy aircraft carrier and died.
After the 1st Marine Division landed on Guadalone, the first batch of aircraft were carried by the USS Long Island escort aircraft carrier (USS Long Island, CVE-1) on August 20, 1942, and took off from the aircraft carrier and entered Henderson Airport.
"Long Island"
This first wave of aircraft are 14 F4F-4s of the Marine Corps 223rd Fighter Squadron (VMF-223) led by Major John Lucien Smith and 12 SBD-3s of the Marine Corps 232nd Reconnaissance Bombing Squadron (VMSB-232) led by Major John Lucien Smith.
Major Smith
Marines Aircraft Group 23, the 224th Marines Fighter Squadron (VMF-224) and the 231st Marines Reconnaissance Bombing Squadron (VMSB-231) are carried on two aircraft transport ships, the USS Kitty Hawk (APV-1) and the USS Hammondsport (APV-2), and are still on their way to Guado.
"Kitty Eagle"
"Harmons Potter"
" From then on, the Japanese evacuated Guadalam in early February 1943, the fleets of the US Marine Corps, Army, Navy, and Royal New Zealand Air Force stationed at Henderson Airport in Guadalam are collectively called "Cactus Air" (Cactus Air) Force), and "Cactus" is the code name of the Allied forces against Guadalam.
1942 Henderson Airport
This temple is the headquarters of the Cactus Air Force, taken in October 1942
1942 August 21, 1942, the 223rd Squadron entered Hend The day after Sun Airport, Major Smith shot down a Mitsubishi A6M Zero ship battle. is the first result of the individual and the squadron. However, two F4F-4s were also damaged on the same day and returned to the field to make a landing loss.
August 22, the 67th Fighter Squadron of the 13th Air Force, the 347th Fighter Brigade of the US Army, equipped with the Bell P-400 "Air Cobra" fighter jet, was powered by Captain Dale Braunon (Dale Brannon led it to Henderson Airport.
P-400 is a P-39 export model (it was purchased by the Royal Air Force and transferred to the US military after the outbreak of the Pacific War). The 37 mm Browning M4 cannon equipped with the engine shaft was changed to a 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS. 404 cannon. However, the low mid- and high-altitude performance of this aircraft is not suitable for air combat.
P-400
August 24, 1942, Captain Marion Eugene of the 223rd Fighter Squadron Carl, with a career record of 18.5 aircraft) flew the F4F-4 aircraft with manufacturing serial number 02100 and tactical number 13, and shot down an zero battle , a Mitsubishi G4M type-one land attack aircraft and two Nakajima B5N 97 ship attack aircraft. The four results achieved on that day, plus a zero battle shot down by F4F-3 when he was previously affiliated with the 221st Squadron on June 4, became the first air combat ace pilot of the US Marine Corps.
On August 26, Captain Carl shot down two zero battles again. It is believed that one of them is the Tainan Airlines Air combat ace Sasui Ace Kanika Sasui Lieutenant (27 career record) landline.
Total Captain Carl shot down 15.5 aircraft during the nearly two months during the 223rd Squadron deployment in Guadalene (August 20 to October 12), second only to 19 aircraft from squadron leader Major Smith.
He was shot down on the 13th plane on September 9, and returned to the base on September 14 with assistance from local indigenous people. He had not encountered Japanese planes until September 27. Since then, the squadron leader Major Smith surpassed.
From August 30, the 223rd Squadron, after ten days of fierce air battle, only 5 still-flying F4F-4s remain. In the afternoon of the same day, the 224th Squadron led by Major Geller arrived at Henderson Airport and immediately started fighting the next day.
The 224th Squadron Captain Major Geller opened the first record on September 2 and shot down a Zero and a bomber again on September 5.On September 11, he shot down a Zero War and a bomber and obtained the qualification of an ace pilot in air combat. However, the landline at that time, the F4F-4 "Barbara Jane" (named after his dream lover from high school) made by serial number 02109, was also shot down. Major Geller swam ashore after landing hundreds of meters offshore.
On October 2, Major Geller shot down two zero-war aircraft, and his record reached 11, but the F4F-4 with the manufacturing serial number 029118 was shot down and forced to land on Tulaji Island. Colonel Geller shot down a total of 13 aircraft during his time in Guadalene, which is also his overall career record.
August 5, 1952 During the Korean War, Colonel Geller, who was the captain of the 12th Marine Corps Air Force, was shot down for the third time in the F4U-4B with manufacturing serial number 62994. Later, Sikorsky HO3S-1 helicopter served by the Marine Corps successfully rescued it in the Korean People's Army theater.
Geller obtained the qualification of a second lieutenant pilot in the United States Marine Corps in April 1937. On August 29, 1940, Captain Geller, who had just joined the 2nd Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF-2), flew the Grumman F3F-2 with manufacturing serial number 0976 and fuselage identification code 2-MF-16, landed on the USS Saratoga (CV-3) offshore of San Diego, California, and was rescued after landing on the USS Saratoga (CV-3) outside the sea.
This F3F-2 biplane carrier-based fighter was discovered on the seabed by a US submarine in June 1988 and was salvaged on April 5, 1991. After restoration, it was displayed at the San Diego Space Museum.
4 squadrons under the 23rd Marine Corps Air Brigade ended their deployment in Guadalone before October 16, 1942 and returned to the United States, and were replaced by other Marine Corps squadrons.
shot down 172 Japanese aircraft (111.5 aircraft of the 223rd Squadron and 60.5 aircraft of the 224th Squadron) in the past two months deployed in Guadalam (August 20 to October 16), and lost 22 pilots. From left to right, the 223rd Squadron Captain Major Smith, the 224th Squadron Captain Gale, and the 223rd Squadron Captain Carl, the second highest record in the 223rd Squadron.
During this period, the Cactus Air Force shot down a total of 244 Japanese aircraft and lost 55 pilots. On February 8, 1943, the unsustainable Japanese troops withdrew from Guadao. In total, between the end of August 1942 and early February 1943, 15 pilots from the Cactus Air Force were awarded the Medal of Honor . They are:
• Major John Smith, 223rd Squadron Captain: Guadalam/Total record of 19 (the second ace of F4F series fighter jets)
• Major Robert Geller, 224th Squadron Captain: Guadalam/Total record of 13
• Captain Joseph Jacob "Joe" Foss): Guadalam/Total record of 26 aircraft, the first ace of the US Marine Corps
• Lt. Col. Harold William Bauer, 212th Squadron Captain: Guadalam/Total record of 11 aircraft, after shooting down two aircraft on November 14, 1942, he was also shot down. He abandoned the plane and parachuted and disappeared after falling into the sea
• Lt. Jefferson Joseph DeBlanc of the 112th Squadron: Guadalam has 8 aircraft, and a total record of 9 aircraft
This is also the highest respect for the US Marine Corps pilots who lag behind zero war at the time, who was unable to reach supply and had poor living conditions at a disadvantage, but were able to make the Allies stand firm in Guadalam and turn the situation around the war with courage and tactics.
The first battle between the Japanese and American air force in Guadalam
On August 7, 1942, the Allied forces launched the first wave of counterattack on the Guadalcanal Islands on the first day of the first wave of counterattack on the Guadalcanal Islands, the Japanese Navy sent 27 Mitsubishi G4M type-one land attack aircraft to the Fourth Air Force from the Rabaul Base, and was guarded by 18 Tainan Navy Air Force Mitsubishi A6M type-zero ship warfare belonging to the Guadal Islands for a long time.
Four-autumn one-way land attack type
The second squadron, Yoshinomi Oki, flew Cao, the Zero War, was turned back after taking off due to a landing gear failure.The Japanese fleet was intercepted by 22 F4Fs of the U.S. Navy over Guadalone, namely 8 Navy 5 Fighter Squadron (VF-5) aboard the Saratoga and 14 Navy 6 Fighter Squadron (VF-6) aboard the Enterprise aircraft carrier.
Zero Fighter Group shot down 9 of them (5 squadron 5) and damaged 5. Later, Lieutenant Suzuichi's third squadron encountered six F4F-4s from the 6th Fighter Squadron on the return journey, shooting down two of them.
1941 In the Dutch East India, Sasuke Sumi stood in front of the falling US military P-40.
Lieutenant Suzui Lieutenant
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This battle Tainan Air Saburo Saburo Yifei Cao and Lieutenant James Julien Southernland, the 5th Fighter Squadron, were described in the 1953 biography of Sabui "Samurai!".
However, in this first air battle with F4F, Sakai only praised the enemy pilots for their skillful fighting skills, and did not forget to praise his tactics of attacking the enemy's belly from bottom to top and his own.
Sazuro Saburo landline
According to Sabui's description, during the entire process from the battle to the shooting down, Sabui continued to circulate and bit his tail and never fell at a disadvantage. The enemy pilot seemed to begging for mercy in the middle.
Lieutenant Sutherland's memories also mentioned that during the air battle, he tried his best to shrink within the range of the bulletproof steel plate behind the cockpit, and saved his life because the bulletproof steel plate resisted many 7.7 mm bullets.
No matter what, Lieutenant Sutherland shot down two styles of land attack on the same day, opening his first personal record, which is also the first air combat result of the Allied forces in the Battle of Guadal, .
Lieutenant Sutherland landline
Next, when he fought with the Tainan Air Zero fighter group, he first bit the second squadron, Yamazaki City, Langhei Nifeicao, but the machine gun was stuck in vain. Immediately afterwards, Kashimoto Yukijiji and Yafumichi Sanfeisho of Sakai's team were close to each other, but they only hit and lost, but failed to shoot down. It was not until Sakai joined the fight (the official record was shot down by Sakai, Hafumi and Yamazaki).
In addition to the F4F's strong body structure and crew protection, Lieutenant Sutherland's fighting skills can be seen from the achievements of these four Japanese pilots. All four are air combat ace pilots:
• Yamazaki City Ropei Nishibo Cao : His career record was 14, and he was killed on July 4, 1943.
• Jimoto Yuanji Second Flying Cao : 5 career record. On August 27, 1942, the Japanese army launched a "rabbi war" in an attempt to land at the two Allied airports at Milne Bay, the eastern end of New Guinea. At the beginning of the battle, he was hit by ground anti-aircraft artillery fire while shooting at the airport. He forced a landing on a shallow beach and swam ashore to seek assistance from the indigenous people. But on August 31, it was transferred to the Australian Army and became a prisoner of war.
The same team of Yamashita Sadao Ichiyuki and Ninomiya Kibayi Flying Army were raided by two Curtis Kitty Hawk fighters of the 75th Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force, both of which were killed.
August 5, 1944, Kashimoto committed suicide after failing to escape from the Australian Koala prisoner-of-war camp. At the same time, the Dragon Air Force Toyoshima Flying Force, who was captured on February 19, 1942, was also the one who committed suicide.
• Yu Fu Ichishi Sanfei Cao : Career record is 19. On September 13, 1942, in accordance with the combat plan, the Kawaguchi Detachment led by Major General Kiyoshi Kawaguchi, the Japanese Army, should have conquered and occupied Henderson Airport in Guadalam. To confirm the results, Tainan Air escorted two Nakajima J1N1-R Type 2 land reconnaissance aircraft (moonlight twin-engine night fighter derivatives) with nine zero battles, and broke into Henderson Airport at an ultra-low altitude for forced reconnaissance, and is expected to land at the airport after confirmation of occupation.
However, the Kawaguchi Detachment has postponed the capture of the airport by one day due to the blockade of the offensive. The uninformed Japanese fleet flew over the airport and was immediately intercepted by 28 US F4F-4s that had occupied a favorable position at high altitude patrols, resulting in four zero-fight shots and all pilots were killed.
Among them, Yu Teng was shot down by Elisha Terrill "Smokey" Stover of the 5th Navy Fighter Squadron and killed. At the same time, the ones who were killed were Takatsuka Inichichi Takatsuka.
The "Saratoga" carried by the 5th Navy Fighter Squadron was damaged by a torpedo on August 31, 1942. 24 F4Fs were transferred to Henderson Airport in Guadalam on September 11, and became a member of the Cactus Air Force. Only 5 aircraft remained when they evacuated from Guadalam in mid-October.
• Saku Saburo Ichifei : Career record is 69. After shooting down a solo SBD "Dreadless" carrier-based reconnaissance/dive bomber later that day, he was seriously injured by concentrated firearms of eight SBD formations deployed on the 6th Bomber Squadron (VB-6) on the aircraft carrier "Enterprise" in the airspace of Tulaji Island, but he was seriously injured, but he still flew with a broken plane for a long distance, miraculously survived.
And Yoshino Oki and Ichishiki Hatoshi are two wingman pilots who were killed by Lieutenant Sasui Juicyaka at Henderson Airport in Guado on August 26, 1942 by Captain Carl, the 223rd Marine Fighter Squadron, who was shot down with F4F-4.
Lieutenant Sutherland was shot down and was injured and parachuted (according to Sakai's description, he was paralyzed under a parachute and could not judge life and death), and landed in the Japanese-controlled area on the west side of Guadalam. Later, with the assistance of local indigenous teenagers, he was able to return to the US military front on foot a week later.
The manufacturing serial number 5192, fuselage tactical number F-12, fuselage wreckage, nicknamed "Junior", and the gun left on the plane were not discovered by American tourists until February 14, 1998.
The discovery of this wreckage confirmed that Lieutenant Sutherland did not use F4F-4 with manufacturing serial number 5133 as recorded in the navigation log of the "Saratoga" on the same day; the 12.7 mm machine gun ammunition still left in the ammunition confirmed that the machine was stuck at that time, not the ammunition was used out of use. At the same time, the gun left in the cockpit is consistent with his description of the parachuting process.
The 5th Fighter Squadron was also the only unit in the US Navy Fighter Squadron that maintained the aircraft code F in the fuselage tactical number, but the existing squadron number 5 had been cancelled.
Lieutenant Colonel Sutherland was transferred from the 83rd Fighter Squadron (deployed on the USS Essex) to the 23rd Fighter Squadron (deployed on the USS Langley) in April 1945. Just before and after his position transfer, he shot down two Japanese Army Kawasaki 61 Type 3 "Flying Swallow" fighters with the F6F-5 "Hellcat" fighter and one Navy zero battle with a total of 5 career records, becoming one of the ace pilots in air combat.
On October 12, 1949, F4U-4 fighter jet with manufacturing serial number 81973 failed to take off the aircraft carrier "Franklin D. Roosevelt".
