F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat Aces of VF-2 (Aircraft of the Aces)

McKelvey Cleaver, Thomas/ Laurier, Jim (ILT)/ Postlethwaite, Mark (ILT)

Osprey Publishing（2015/02発売）

• 製本 Paperback:紙装版/ペーパーバック版／ページ数 96 p.
• 言語 ENG
• 商品コード 9781472805584
• DDC分類 940.54473

Full Description

An illustrated history of the pilots of VF-2 who had a spectacular scoring rate and fought in many of the major aerial campaigns of the Pacific War.

The first VF-2 was a prewar unit that had been dubbed the 'hottest outfit afloat' due to the skill of their non-commissioned pilots. This first unit only saw combat at the Battle of the Coral Sea, although VF-2 pilots flying Grumman F4F Wildcats were able to rack up 17 claims there during the bitter 48-hour period of fighting.

The second 'Fighting Two' was armed with the new Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat fighter. Arriving in Hawaii in October 1943, the squadron so impressed Cdr Edward H 'Butch' O'Hare, the Medal of Honor-winning first US Navy ace of World War 2, that he requested the squadron replace VF-6 in his CAG-6 aboard USS Enterprise. No unit US Navy unit created more aces than VF-2, whose pilots went into action over the Carolines, Marianas, Guam, Iwo Jima and the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

Using exquisite photographs and first-hand accounts from the elite fliers themselves, this volume tells the story of the ace pilots who comprised the original VF-2 and the second.

Contents

Introduction

CHAPTER ONE
19 JUNE 1944

CHAPTER TWO
THE 'FLYING CHIEFS'

CHAPTER THREE
'RAMSEY'S LAMBSIES'

CHAPTER FOUR
'THE RIPPERS'

CHAPTER FIVE
WESTPAC

CHAPTER SIX
'HEY RUBE!'

CHAPTER SEVEN
PACIFIC HIGH TIDE

Appendices
Colour plates
Commentary
Index