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| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: F4U Corsair vs Ki-84 “Frank” Edward M. Young, 2016-05-19 The Vought Corsair was the first American single-engined fighter to exceed 400 mph and establish dominance over the legendary Mitsubishi Type Zero-sen. The Ki-84 Hayate was introduced by the Japanese specifically to counter this growing American dominance of the skies over the Pacific. Built in greater numbers than any other late war Japanese fighter, nearly 3000 were completed between 1944 and 1945. This volume examines the clashes between the Corsair and Ki-84 in the closing stages of the war, revealing how Corsair pilots had to adapt their techniques and combat strategies to adapt to these newer types. It also reveals how the kill rate was largely driven by the reduced quality of fighter pilots after the high casualty rates inflicted on the Japanese air force during the air battles over the Solomon Islands. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: American Aces against the Kamikaze Edward M. Young, 2013-09-20 This illustrated history describes the clashes between the US against the hastily created Kamikaze units of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy Air Forces, some of the last large scale aerial engagements of the Pacific War. The Japanese High Command realised that the loss of Okinawa would give the Americans a base for the invasion of Japan. Its desperate response was to unleash the full force of the Special Attack Units, known in the west as the Kamikaze ('Divine Wind'). In a series of mass attacks in between April and June 1945, more than 900 Kamikaze aeroplanes were shot down. Conventional fighters and bombers accompanied the Special Attack Units as escorts, and to add their own weight to the attacks on the US fleet. In the air battles leading up to the invasion of Okinawa, as well as those that raged over the island in the three months that followed, the Japanese lost more than 7,000 aircraft both in the air and on the ground. In the course of the fighting, 67 Navy, 21 Marine, and three USAAF pilots became aces. As Edward M Young shows, in many ways it was an uneven combat and on numerous occasions following these uneven contests, American fighter pilots would return from combat having shot down up to six Japanese aeroplanes during a single mission. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: P-47D Thunderbolt vs Ki-43-II Oscar Michael John Claringbould, 2020-07-23 Although New Guinea's Thunderbolt pilots faced several different types of enemy aircraft in capricious tropical conditions, by far their most common adversary was the Nakajima Ki-43-II Hayabusa, codenamed 'Oscar' by the Allies. These two opposing fighters were the products of two radically different design philosophies. The Thunderbolt was heavy, fast and packed a massive punch thanks to its battery of eight 0.50-cal machine guns, while the 'Oscar' was the complete opposite in respect to fighter design philosophy – lightweight, nimble, manoeuvrable and lightly armed. It was, nonetheless, deadly in the hands of an experienced pilot. The Thunderbolt commenced operations in New Guinea with a series of bomber escort missions in mid-1943, and its firepower and superior speed soon saw Fifth Air Force fighter command deploying elite groups of P-47s to Wewak, on the northern coast. Flying from there, they would pick off unwary enemy aircraft during dedicated fighter patrols. The Thunderbolt pilots in New Guinea slowly wore down their Japanese counterparts by continual combat and deadly strafing attacks, but nevertheless, the Ki-43-II remained a worthy opponent deterrent up until Hollandia was abandoned by the IJAAF in April 1944. Fully illustrated throughout with artwork and rare photographs, this fascinating book examines these two vastly different fighters in the New Guinea theatre, and assesses the unique geographic conditions that shaped their deployment and effectiveness. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: F4F Wildcat vs A6M Zero-sen Edward M. Young, 2013-08-20 The Grumman F4F Wildcat and the Mitsubishi A6M Zero-sen were contemporaries, although designed to very different requirements. The Wildcat, ruggedly built to survive the rigors of carrier operations, was the best carrier fighter the US Navy had available when the USA entered World War II, and it remained the principal fighter for the US Navy and the US Marine Corps until 1942–43. With a speed greater than 300mph, exceptional manoeuvrability, long range, and an impressive armament the slick Zero-sen could out-perform any Allied fighter in 1941–42. The battles between the Wildcat and the Zero-sen during 1942 represent a classic duel in which pilots flying a nominally inferior fighter successfully developed air-combat tactics that negated the strengths of their opponent. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: You Suck at Racing Ian Korf, 2016-05-12 A lot of books on driving are written by professional racers who assume you too want to be a professional racer. Not this book. It's written by a hobbyist who suggests you keep your day job. Besides, it's much more fun being an enthusiastic amateur than a jaded professional (just ask someone in the sex industry). This book is designed to help the average driver make the transition from commuter to safe road racer in as few pages as possible. I wrote this book because it's what I would have wanted to read when I first became interested in track driving: succinct, nerdy, practical, and occasionally diverting. It is not intended as a definitive tome or a work of art. It's more like a sandwich: convenient and nourishing. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Dornier Do 335 Pfeil B Marek Ryś, 2022-03-31 The Dornier Do 335A did not meet all the Luftwaffe requirements. First, the cockpit armor was too weak, which excluded the machine from the role of a fighter intercepting heavily defended Allied bombers. Therefore, in the summer of 1944, a modified version of the Do 335--marked with the letter B-- was developed. The main difference was to be an armored pilot's cockpit with a new, easier to manufacture windscreen. The front wheel had larger tire. To be able to retract it without any changes in the landing gear bay construction, it was rotated around the leg axis by 45° during the retraction. The rest of the equipment and weapons were to be the same as in the case of the Do 335A-1. The developed version was designated Do 335B-1, but it was quickly abandoned in favor of heavily armed versions B-2 and B-3, known as Zerstörer. The prototypes of the version B-2 were Do 335M-13 and M-14 powered, like the A-1, by the DB 603E (front) and DB-603QE (rear) engines, but with significantly reinforced armament. The 15 mm MG 151/15 cannons above the engine were replaced with a 20 mm MG 151/20, and the wings were fitted with two 30 mm MK 103 cannons with 70 rounds per barrel. The same cannon fired through the propeller axis. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: The Vought F4U Corsair Martin W. Bowman, 2019-12-27 This fully illustrated history of the iconic American fighter plane examines its development and combat experience through WWII and beyond. First flown in 1940, the Vought F4U Corsair was the fastest fighter in the world and the fastest US aircraft of any description. Powered by a huge 18-cylinder Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp engine, the first Corsairs were capable of speeds up to 417 miles per hour. This figure would rise to nearly 450mph in later versions. The F4U entered service with the US Navy in September 1942 and over time was extensively used by the US Marines, Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Air Force. Famous squadrons that flew these planes—like VMF-214 'The Black Sheep' and VF-17 'Jolly Rogers'—maintained their superiority over the Japanese for the rest of the war. After the Second World War the Corsair was used with distinction by the French in Indo-China and again by the US Navy in Korea. Since then, Corsairs have remained a favorite among warbird enthusiasts the world over. This comprehensive book examines the engineering of the Corsairs alongside a detailed history of their development and usage in combat. Illustrated with scores of rare and previously unpublished photographs, Vought F4U Corsair is the perfect book for any fan of the 'bent wing bird'. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Informational Intelligence Summary , 1944 |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: F6F Hellcat vs A6M Zero-sen Edward M. Young, 2014-08-19 In the key Pacific War battles of the Marianas Turkey Shoot, Leyte Gulf, and in and around Japan itself (from late 1943 through to VJ-Day) the principal fighters involved were the F6F Hellcat and the A6M5/7 Zero-sen. The former was Grumman's successor to the pugnacious Wildcat, and its creation was shaped by the combat experiences of Naval Aviators flying the F4F against the A6M2/3 Zero-sen from late 1941. Blooded in combat against the Japanese in August 1943, the Hellcat went on to serve as the principal US Navy fighter on board carrier decks until war's end. Despite its lethality in the air when ranged against the best Japanese fighters, the Hellcat still retained docile handling qualities around the carrier deck. Naval Aviators flying the Hellcat claimed in excess of 5,000 kills in the Pacific, and more than 300 pilots achieved ace status on the type. The majority of these victories took the form of A6M5 Zero-sens, the most-produced model of the final Mitsubishi fighter - some 6000 were built from late 1943 through to war's end. The A6M5 reached front-line units just as the Hellcat was making its combat debut, the new version of the Zero-sen being based on the previous A6M3 model but with modified flaps and ailerons and thickened wing skinning. It was only meant to be an interim design pending the arrival of the A7M Reppu and J2M Raiden. However, terminal development problems with the former and technical issues with the latter meant that the A6M5, and re-engined limited run A6M7 (150 built), had to hold the line through to September 1945. By now badly outclassed by the Hellcat, literally thousands of Zero-sens fell victim to US Navy fighter squadrons in the final years of the war. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Me 262 vs P-51 Mustang Robert Forsyth, 2019-12-26 Arguably two of the finest fighters built during the course of World War II, the Me 262 and P-51 Mustang heralded new dawns in aircraft performance. Making its operational debut in the summer of 1944, and powered by the Jumo 004 jet engine, the Me 262 outclassed Allied planes in terms of speed and firepower ratio, offering a formidable punch with four 30 mm MK 108 nose-mounted cannons. However, in the P-51, fitted with the Rolls-Royce (Packard) Merlin engine and drop tanks, the USAAF finally had a fighter that had the 'legs' to escort its heavy bombers deep into Reich airspace and back. If flown to its strengths, the P-51 was more than capable of taking on the feared Me 262 on an equal footing, despite the differences in power and top speed. Indeed, the Mustang proved to be the Luftwaffe fighter arm's nemesis. When the P-51D sortied over Germany from the summer of 1944 onwards, it shredded through the ill-trained and depleted Gruppen of the Luftwaffe's defence wings. This book examines the two fighters in detail, exploring their history and development and containing accurate descriptions of the combats between the P-51 Mustang and the Me 262 in what were some of the most bitter and large-scale aerial actions fought over Europe in 1944–45. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Flying Colours William Green, Gordon Swanborough, 1997 Military aircraft have been variously daubed, cunningly camouflaged, boastfully personalized or otherwise extravagantly coloured since they first took to the air over 80 years ago. Flying Colours is a survey of this fascinating scene. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Japanese Aero-Engines 1910-1945 Mike Goodwin, 2017 In this book the authors have endeavored to remedy the notable lack of comprehensive coverage. The development of all the many engines produced by Japanese aero-engine manufacturing companies from 1912 to 1945 is explored in detail, including a full explanation of the different systems used to identify them. Furthermore, the developments are related to the aircraft in which the various engines were used, including prototypes, flying test-beds, and changes in the make or type of engine during an aircraft's operational service. In other words aircraft evolution in Japan is viewed in snapshots as it happened from the aero-engine aspect and not from the complete aircraft aspect as is featured in most publications. Unfortunately this approach necessitates numerous cross-references in the text where several different engines are associated with a particular aircraft, for which the authors can only apologize. Lastly, to illustrate the industrial background, the origin and development of each of the aero-engine manufacturing companies is also outlined briefly |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Genda's Blade Henry Sakaida, Koji Takaki, 2003 Captain Minoru Genda was the mastermind behind the raid on Pearl Harbor. He was commander of the 343 Kokutai-an elite unit of handpicked pilots chosen to fly Japan's newest and most advanced fighter, the Shiden-Kai (George), in the bitter defensive air battles over the Japanese homeland during the first half of 1945. The authors have spent years tracing and interviewing former pilots of both the 343 Kokutai and the American carrier and bomber groups that they encountered, to piece together this dramatic story and tell it largely from the personal perspective. The narrative is spiced with 300 remarkable photographs, most of which are published for the first time in an English language book. Accompanied by color artwork and written by acknowledged experts on Japanese military aviation, this book will be an essential requirement for any student of the Pacific air war. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: SBD Dauntless Vs A6M Zero-sen Donald Nijboer, 2021-10-26 The SBD Dauntless and Zero-sen are two of the most recognizable and iconic aircraft of World War 2 and this illustrated study describes the fighting capabilities of both aircraft when engaged in aerial combat. The SBD Dauntless dive-bomber was a key cog in the US Navy's aerial arsenal throughout the Pacific War. Although a product of aviation design in the mid to late 1930s, the type soldiered on even as more advanced aircraft were appearing from American factories as the war progressed. Despite its classification as a dive-bomber and rather dated appearance, the SBD Dauntless could more than handle its own against the feared A6M Zero-sen -- a regular opponent, especially during the first 18 months of the campaign in the Pacific. The SBD was credited with 138 victories in aerial combat (principally in 1942), 107 of which were fighters and the rest bombers. Seven SBD units claimed five or more aerial victories, with future ace Lt(jg) John Leppla of VS-2 being credited with four victories while flying from the carrier USS Lexington during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. The Zero-sen came to symbolize Japan's military prowess during the early stages of the war in the Pacific, and it quickly became the world's premier carrier-based fighter -- a title it would hold well into 1943. The psychological impact of the Zero-sen was so great that all Allied fighters were judged by the standards set by it. The aviators flying the A6M in 1941-42 were amongst the most experienced fighter pilots in the world, and they claimed a significant number of the SBDs destroyed while trying to defend their carriers from attack during the Battles of Coral Sea, Midway, and Santa Cruz in 1942. While one was a dive-bomber and the other a nimble fighter, both met in combat many times, with the Dauntless proving an elusive and deadly target thanks to the tenacity and skill of the pilots and gunners manning the Douglas aircraft. While the Zero-sen was credited with shooting down many SBDs, the rugged dive-bomber gave as good as it got and emerged, not surprisingly, victorious on many occasions. This book examines these aircraft in detail, exploring their history and development and contains accurate descriptions of the combats between the SBD Dauntless and Zero-sen throughout the first four carrier battles of 1942 and the Solomons Campaign. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: P-39/P-400 Airacobra Vs A6M2/3 Zero-sen Michael John Claringbould, 2018-07-24 This fully illustrated study describes how American Airacobras pilots battled against the Japanese Zero pilots over extreme tropical conditions in remote New Guinea in the months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: 303 Squadron North American Mustang Steve Brooking, Wojtek Matusiak, Piotr Sikora, 2018-01-04 No. 303 Squadron was the only Polish unit equipped with the Mustang IV, as the bubble-top P-51D and P-51K were known collectively to the RAF. Between April 1945 and December 1946, the squadron used a total of 29 of these aircraft, plus six Mustang I's as hacks. The book includes over 120 photos and nearly 30 color plates to profusely illustrate these aircraft. Their technical details, military markings and maintenance stencils are shown in the detail. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Zero Error Margin Des Barker, 2003 |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: B-24 Liberator Units of the CBI Edward M. Young, 2012-11-20 An illustrated history of the B-24 Liberator, the mainstay of the US Army Air Force's strategic bombing effort in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theatre from 1942 until the end of the war in 1945. With longer range and a greater load-carrying capacity than the B-17, the B-24 was well-suited to the demands of the CBI. The CBI's two air forces, the Tenth in India and the Fourteenth in China, each had one heavy bomb group equipped with Liberators. These two groups, the 7th and the 308th, carried the war to the Japanese across China and South East Asia, flying over some of the most difficult terrain in the world. The 308th had the added burden of having to carry its own fuel and bombs over the Himalayan 'Hump' from India to China in support of its missions. This book shows how, despite the hardships and extreme distances from sources of supply, both units compiled a notable record, each winning two Distinguished Unit Citations. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: A Proud American Joe Foss, Donna Wild Foss, 2002 Flying over Guadalcanal in the fall and winter of 1942-43, Joe Foss rewrote the aerial combat record books by becoming the first American to match legendary World War I ace Eddie Rickenbacker's twenty-six victories, a feat that earned him the Medal of Honor. After the war, Joe Foss entered a new war zone--politics--becoming South Dakota's youngest governor. In the 1960s he was tapped to become the founding commissioner of the American Football League and was instrumental in creating the Super Bowl. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Frozen Chosin: U.S. Marines At The Changjin Reservoir [Illustrated Edition] Brigadier General Edwin H. Simmons, 2015-11-06 Includes more than 40 maps, plans and illustrations. This volume in the official History of the Marine Corps chronicles the part played by United States Marines in the Chosin Reservoir Campaign. The race to the Yalu was on. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur’s strategic triumph at Inchon and the subsequent breakout of the U.S. Eighth Army from the Pusan Perimeter and the recapture of Seoul had changed the direction of the war. Only the finishing touches needed to be done to complete the destruction of the North Korean People’s Army. Moving up the east coast was the independent X Corps, commanded by Major General Edward M. Almond, USA. The 1st Marine Division, under Major General Oliver P. Smith, was part of X Corps and had been so since the 15 September 1950 landing at Inchon. After Seoul the 1st Marine Division had reloaded into its amphibious ships and had swung around the Korean peninsula to land at Wonsan on the east coast. The landing on 26 October 1950 met no opposition; the port had been taken from the land side by the resurgent South Korean army. The date was General Smith’s 57th birthday, but he let it pass unnoticed. Two days later he ordered Colonel Homer L. Litzenberg, Jr., 47, to move his 7th Marine Regimental Combat Team north from Wonsan to Hamhung. Smith was then to prepare for an advance to the Manchurian border, 135 miles distant. And so began one of the Marine Corps’ greatest battles—or, as the Corps would call it, the “Chosin Reservoir Campaign.” The Marines called it the “Chosin” Reservoir because that is what their Japanese-based maps called it. The South Koreans, nationalistic sensibilities disturbed, preferred—and, indeed, would come to insist—that it be called the “Changjin” Reservoir. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Yokosuka D4Y 'Judy' Units Mark Chambers, 2021-09-16 In 1938, the Yokosuka Naval Air Technical Arsenal, acting under the requirements issued by the Kaigun Koku Hombu for a Navy Experimental 13-Shi Carrier Borne specification for a dive-bomber to replace the venerable 'Val' aboard carriers. The resulting D4Y Suisei ('Comet'), codenamed 'Judy' by the Allies, was initially powered by a licence-built German Daimler-Benz DB 601 inline engine as used in the Bf 109E. Despite making an inauspicious combat debut during the Battle of Midway in June 1942, the 'Judy' eventually proved to be an important asset for the IJNAF during battles in the latter years of the Pacific War. Its great successes resulted in the sinking of the escort carrier USS Princeton in an early kamikaze attack of the Philippines and the near sinking of the fleet carrier USS Franklin in a dive-bombing attack off Japan. While the Judy had an impressive top-speed, like its predecessor, and many other Japanese military aircraft, it possessed design shortcomings including inadequate armour protection for its aircrew and no self-sealing fuel tanks. As a result, when pitted against new, advanced US Navy fighters suffered horrendous losses. During the final months of World War 2 it became apparent that there would be no Japanese victory. Acting out of desperation, the IJNAF employed the 'Judy' in the dreaded kamikaze role, in which it excelled due to its high-speed characteristics. Most notably, the D4Y mounted one of the last combat actions of World War 2 when a flight of 11 Judies, personally led by the instigator of the suicide attacks, Vice Admiral Matome Ugaki, took off on a 'search mission' on August 15, 1945. This volume chronicles the action-packed wartime exploits of Japan's finest dive-bomber of World War 2. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: American Women and Flight since 1940 Deborah G. Douglas, 2014-07-11 Women run wind tunnel experiments, direct air traffic, and fabricate airplanes. American women have been involved with flight from the beginning, but until 1940, most people believed women could not fly, that Amelia Earhart was an exception to the rule. World War II changed everything. It is on the record thatwomen can fly as well as men, stated General Henry H. Arnold, commanding general of the Army Air Forces. The question became Should women fly? Deborah G. Douglas tells the story of this ongoing debate and its impact on American history. From Jackie Cochran, whose perseverance led to the formation of the Women's Army Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II to the recent achievements of Jeannie Flynn, the Air Force's first woman fighter pilot and Eileen Collins, NASA's first woman shuttle commander, Douglas introduces a host of determined women who overcame prejudice and became military fliers, airline pilots, and air and space engineers. Not forgotten are stories of flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and mechanics. American Women and Flight since 1940 is a revised and expanded edition of a Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum reference work. Long considered the single best reference work in the field, this new edition contains extensive new illustrations and a comprehensive bibliography. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: US Marine Corps Fighter Squadrons of World War II Barrett Tillman, 2014-05-20 The US Marine Corps has a long heritage of aviation excellence, a reputation that was largely built on the impact and performance of the “flying leathernecks” in the bitter fighting in the Pacific during World War II. As the US island-hopping campaign against Japan gathered pace, US Marine Corps fighter squadrons operating legendary Grumman and Vought aircraft became instrumental in the success of amphibious assaults and in breaking fierce enemy resistance, engaging Japanese attack aircraft in the skies and ground-based targets while supporting and protecting US ground forces. The flying legends Marion Carl, Greg “Pappy” Boyington, Joe Foss and others were all World War II Marine fighter pilots, taking to the skies in Corsairs, Wildcats, Venturas and Hellcats. Aviation historian Barrett Tillman's comprehensive account US Marine Corps Fighter Squadrons of World War II pays homage to these individuals and their mounts, and is packed with historic and organizational details of the squadrons who took to the skies above the Pacific. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Japanese Aircraft of World War II Thomas Newdick, 2017 Illustrated with detailed artworks of Japanese aircraft and their markings, Japanese Aircraft of World War II is a detailed guide to all the aircraft deployed by the Japanese military from the Second Sino-Japanese War to the surrender in the Pacific in August 1945. Organized alphabetically by manufacturer, this book includes every type of aircraft, from fighters to seaplanes, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, torpedo bombers and carrier aircraft. All the best-known types are featured, such as the Mitsubishi G4M 'Betty', Nakajima B6N2 Tenzan, Aichi B7A2 Ryusei torpedo bomber and the world- famous Mitsubishi A6M 'Zero' fighter. The entries are accompanied by exhaustive captions and specifications. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks, three-views, and special cutaway artworks of the more famous aircraft in service, such as the Aichi D3A1 'Val', Mitsubishi A6M2 Reisen, and Nakajima Ki.27 'Nate'. Illustrated with more than 120 artworks, Japanese Aircraft of World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and enthusiasts with an interest in military aircraft of World War II. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Duels in the Sky Eric Brown, 1989 |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: P-40E Warhawk vs A6M2 Zero-sen Peter Ingman, 2020-06-25 The P-40E Warhawk is often viewed as one of the less successful American fighter designs of World War II, but in 1942 the aircraft was all that was available to the USAAC in-theatre. Units equipped with the aircraft were duly forced into combat against the deadly A6M2 Zero-sen, which had already earned itself a near-mythical reputation following its exploits over China and Pearl Harbor. During an eight-month period in 1942, an extended air campaign was fought out between the two fighters for air superiority over the Javanese and then northern Australian skies. During this time, the P-40Es and the Zero-sens regularly clashed without interference from other fighter types. In respect to losses, the Japanese 'won' these engagements, for many more P-40Es were shot down than Zero-sens. However, the American Warhawks provided a potent deterrent that forced the IJNAF to attack from high altitudes, where crews' bombing efficiency was much poorer. Fully illustrated throughout, and supported by rare and previously unpublished photographs, this book draws on both American and Japanese sources to tell the full story of the clashes between these iconic two fighters in Darwin and the East Indies. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: B-25 Mitchell Vs Japanese Destroyer Mark Lardas, 2021-12-28 The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was one of the most decisive naval battles of World War II and this highly illustrated study details the three-day fight which shaped the outcome of the war. Throughout the first year of the war in the Pacific during World War II the USAAF was relatively ineffective against ships. Indeed, warships in particular proved to be too elusive for conventional medium-level bombing. High-level attacks wasted bombs, and torpedo attacks required extensive training. But as 1942 closed, the Fifth Air Force developed new weapons and new tactics that were not just effective, they were deadly. A maintenance officer assigned to a B-25 unit found a way to fill the bombardier's position with four 0.50-cal machine guns and strap an additional four 0.50s to the sides of the bomber, firing forward. Additionally, skip-bombing was developed. This called for mast-top height approaches flying the length of the target ship. If the bombs missed the target, they exploded in the water close enough to crush the sides. The technique worked perfectly when paired with “strafe” B-25s. Over the first two months of 1943, squadrons perfected these tactics. Then, in early March, Japan tried to reinforce their garrison in Lae, New Guinea, with a 16-ship convoy – eight transports guarded by eight destroyers. The Fifth Air Force pounced on the convoy in the Bismarck Sea. By March 5 all eight transports and four destroyers had been sunk. This volume examines the mechanics of skip-bombing combined with a strafing B-25, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the combatants (B-25 versus destroyer), and revealing the results of the attacks and the reasons why these USAAF tactics were so successful. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Air Combat , 2019-01-24 This book brings together the best and most iconic fighters of World War II, pitted against one another in desperate aerial combat. The battle for the skies in World War II fuelled a race between rival air forces to develop ever faster and more capable fighter aircraft – and the struggle for air superiority was never over until the war itself ended. This volume explores four clashes of some of the finest planes and pilots, in key theatres of the war: Spitfires duelling the formidable Bf 109 over the Channel, the Fw 190 battling the Soviet La 5 and 7 on the Eastern Front, the F4F Wildcat in a desperate clash with the legendary A6M Zero-sen, and the F4U Corsair in combat with the second-generation Japanese Ki-84 in the closing days of the war. Fully illustrated with contemporary photographs, maps and colour artwork, Air Combat conveys the full story behind these dramatic aviation duels. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: China's Wings Gregory Crouch, 2012-02-28 From the acclaimed author of Enduring Patagonia comes a dazzling tale of aerial adventure set against the roiling backdrop of war in Asia. The incredible real-life saga of the flying band of brothers who opened the skies over China in the years leading up to World War II—and boldly safeguarded them during that conflict—China’s Wings is one of the most exhilarating untold chapters in the annals of flight. At the center of the maelstrom is the book’s courtly, laconic protagonist, American aviation executive William Langhorne Bond. In search of adventure, he arrives in Nationalist China in 1931, charged with turning around the turbulent nation’s flagging airline business, the China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC). The mission will take him to the wild and lawless frontiers of commercial aviation: into cockpits with daredevil pilots flying—sometimes literally—on a wing and a prayer; into the dangerous maze of Chinese politics, where scheming warlords and volatile military officers jockey for advantage; and into the boardrooms, backrooms, and corridors of power inhabited by such outsized figures as Generalissimo and Madame Chiang Kai-shek; President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; foreign minister T. V. Soong; Generals Arnold, Stilwell, and Marshall; and legendary Pan American Airways founder Juan Trippe. With the outbreak of full-scale war in 1941, Bond and CNAC are transformed from uneasy spectators to active participants in the struggle against Axis imperialism. Drawing on meticulous research, primary sources, and extensive personal interviews with participants, Gregory Crouch offers harrowing accounts of brutal bombing runs and heroic evacuations, as the fight to keep one airline flying becomes part of the larger struggle for China’s survival. He plunges us into a world of perilous night flights, emergency water landings, and the constant threat of predatory Japanese warplanes. When Japanese forces capture Burma and blockade China’s only overland supply route, Bond and his pilots must battle shortages of airplanes, personnel, and spare parts to airlift supplies over an untried five-hundred-mile-long aerial gauntlet high above the Himalayas—the infamous “Hump”—pioneering one of the most celebrated endeavors in aviation history. A hero’s-eye view of history in the grand tradition of Lynne Olson’s Citizens of London, China’s Wings takes readers on a mesmerizing journey to a time and place that reshaped the modern world. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Arab MiGs: October 1973 War: Part 1 Tom Cooper, David Nicolle, Holger Müller, Lon O. Nordeen, Martin Smisek, 2014-11-19 On 6 October 1973, the Egyptian and Syrian air arms opened an Arab attack on Israeli military installations on the Sinai Peninsula and in the Golan Heights. Thus began a war for recovery of territories lost to Israel during the June 1967 War, but also a war that was intended to repair damaged military and national pride, and a war that was to bring Israel back to the negotiating table. For the Israelis, who grossly underrated the capabilities of their enemies, it was a war that started with a surprise and alarming losses in men and material, and was characterized by the deployment of advanced electronics, computers and guided missiles. For the Arabs it was a war of revenge, in the best traditions of 'guts and glory'. During the first few days of the war, the Arab air arms supported Egyptian infantry that stormed through the Bar Lev Line and Syrian mechanized forces that pushed into the Golan plateau. Egyptian and Syrian air defense forces inflicted unprecedented attrition upon the Israeli Air Force, denying it the ability to exercise aerial dominance and thus preventing it from playing a decisive role in the conflict. Gradually, the Israelis recovered from the initial blows, and their air force began exerting considerable pressure upon Syria. Undeterred, and reinforced by the Iraqi Air Force, the Egyptians and Syrians continued to hit back, turning the war into another slugging match of attrition. Clearly written and illustrated with a rich and unique collection of exclusive photography and original illustrations, Arab MiGs Volume 5 provides a detailed record of aerial warfare during the opening phases of the October 1973 Arab-Israeli conflict. Drawing on extensive research, declassified information, and interviews with dozens of participants, it recounts the origins, operational history, and battle performance of all the air forces involved. While emphasizing the Arab point of view, Arab MiGs Volume 5 goes well beyond standard histories to offer suppressed information and a plethora of new insights, well away from the bias and distortions of both sides. As such, it is the first comprehensive analysis of the aerial operations waged by both sides in this conflict. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: H6K “Mavis”/H8K “Emily” vs PB4Y-1/2 Liberator/Privateer Edward M. Young, 2023-02-16 An illustrated exploration of the dramatic aerial combats between the US Navy's long-range bomber and Japanese flying boats in the Pacific War. Edward Young explores these rarely written about combats, examining the aggressive and strategic tactics deployed by both US Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force and analyzing the technical improvements installed throughout the war. The PB4Y-1/2 Liberator/Privateer was the US Navy's first four-engined, land-based bomber, adapted and allocated to fight the U-boat menace in the Atlantic and protect the vast reaches of the Pacific Ocean. The long range, speed, armament and bomb load of the PB4Y-1 enabled the US Navy's Pacific squadrons to adopt more aggressive tactics. The PB4Y-1, and its follow-on PB4Y-2, engaged in dangerous bombing missions against Japanese installations, shipping strikes, and air combat. On the other side, with its doctrine of making the first strike against an enemy fleet, the Imperial Japanese Navy recognized the vital importance of maritime reconnaissance, relying on carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft, ship-borne floatplanes and, for long-range maritime patrol, flying boats. The Japanese would continue to develop their aircraft throughout the war, resulting, among others, in the H6K 'Mavis' and the H8K2 'Emily', which despite never achieving a victory, was regarded by the Allied pilots as the most difficult Japanese aircraft to destroy. Enriched with specially commissioned artwork, including armament and cockpit views, battlescenes and technical diagrams, this title analyses technical specifications in detail. By including first-hand accounts, aviation expert Edward Young provides a detailed account of these one-sided yet dramatic and aggressive combats. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Wings of the Rising Sun Mark Chambers, 2018-11-29 A fascinating insight into how the Allies learned about the capabilities and limitations of the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force and Japanese Army Air Force through flight testing and evaluation of enemy equipment. In the Pacific War's early years, Japanese air power was dominant. The only way for the Allies to defeat their enemy was to know it. This made the task of maintaining productive intelligence gathering efforts on Japan imperative. Establishing Technical Air Intelligence Units in the Pacific Theatre and the Technical Air Intelligence Center in Washington DC, the Allies were able to begin to reveal the secrets of Japanese air power through extensive flight testing and evaluation of captured enemy aircraft and equipment. These provided an illuminating perspective on Japanese aircraft and aerial weapon design philosophy and manufacturing practice. Fully illustrated throughout with a wealth of previously unpublished photographs, Mark Chambers explores Allied efforts to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Japanese air power during the war years, and how this intelligence helped them achieve victory in the Pacific. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: USN F-4 Phantom II vs VPAF MiG-17/19 Peter E. Davies, 2009-11-17 The Vietnam War placed unexpected demands upon American military forces and equipment, which had been focused on the probability of tactical nuclear warfare. The principal US naval fighter, the McDonnell F-4 Phantom, had originally been designed to defend the Fleet from air attack at long range. However, its tremendous power and bomb-carrying capacity made it an obvious candidate for the attack mission in Vietnam from 1965 onwards. Its opponent was the MiG-17, a direct descendant of the MiG-15, which had given USAF Sabre jets a hard fight in the Korean War. This book brings to life their dangerous duels and includes detailed cockpit views and other specially commissioned artwork to highlight the benefits and shortcomings of each plane type. It was in the skies over Vietnam that many of the techniques of air combat evolved as pilots learned how to use and to defeat supersonic fighters for the first time. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: U.S. Marine Operations in Korea, 1950-1953 United States. Marine Corps, 1955 |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: South China Sea 1945 Mark Lardas, 2023-03-16 A history of the US Navy's remarkable 1945 South China Sea raid against the Japanese, the first time in history that a carrier fleet dared to rampage through coastal waters. As 1945 opened, Japan was fighting defensively everywhere. As the Allies drew closer to the Home Islands, risks of Japanese air and sea attack on the US Navy carrier force increased. US forces wanted to take the island of Luzon which provided a base for Japanese aircraft from Formosa (Taiwan) and Indochina, and from where attacks could easily be devastating for the invasion fleet. US Naval Intelligence also believed Japanese battleships Ise and Hyuga were operating out of Cam Ranh Bay. A fast carrier sweep through the South China Sea was a potential answer with the bonus that it would strike the main nautical highway for cargo from Japan's conquests in Southeast Asia. Task Force 38 would spend the better part of two weeks marauding through the South China Sea during Operation Gratitude, a month-long sweep of the area, which launched air strikes into harbors in Indochina, the Chinese coast and Formosa, while targeting shipping in the high-traffic nautical highway. By the time the Task Force exited the South China Sea, over 300,000 tons of enemy shipping and dozens of Japanese warships had been sunk. With follow-up air strikes against Japanese harbors and airfields in Formosa and the Ryukyu Islands, the success of the sweep was unprecedented. Using detailed battlescenes, maps, bird's eye views, and diagrams of air strikes at Luzon, this intriguing account of Task Force 38's reign in the South China Sea proved that aircraft carriers could dominate the land-based air power of the fading Japanese. From the Korean War through to Vietnam, to the campaigns in Iraq, aircraft carriers could sail safely offshore, knowing their aircraft would prevail on both sea and land. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Philippines 1944 Edward M. Young, 2024-11-21 The US Navy's 1944 Philippines raids were the first time naval aircraft had challenged and beaten a land-based air force. With artwork and rare photos, this is the first book to study them. During September 1944, the US Navy's Task Force 38 launched a series of huge airstrikes against Japanese forces in the Philippines. Seventeen carriers, wielding over 1,000 combat aircraft, made up the most powerful naval fleet assembled to date. It was the first time aircraft carriers had dared to confront a major land-based air force. Over a period of two weeks, TF 38 demonstrated the power and mobility of the Fast Carrier Task Force. The strike forces claimed 368 Japanese aircraft shot down and 446 destroyed on the ground, with over a hundred ships destroyed and significant damage to ground installations. This book is the first to focus on the campaign, and is illustrated with archive photos, original artwork, maps and 3D diagrams. Renowned Pacific War historian Edward M. Young draws upon after-action reports and other primary sources to explain how these September strikes impacted the reeling forces of Imperial Japan. Soon overshadowed by the invasion of Leyte and the enormous Battle of Leyte Gulf, few detailed accounts of this campaign exist. But it was an important stage in the Pacific War, for the relative ease of these raids prompted the planned invasion of Leyte to be brought forwards by two months. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: 506th Fighter Group Robert J. Grant, Zbigniew Kolacha, 2011-03 |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Edson's Raiders Joseph H. Alexander, 2000 The story of the remarkable men of 1st Marine Raider Battalion, known by the name of its founding commander, the legendary jungle fighter Merritt A. Red Mike Edson. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: Happy Jack's Go Buggy Jack Ilfrey, Mark S. Copeland, 1998 This autobiography was originally written in 1946 by eight-victory WWII Fighter Ace, Jack Ilfrey. This new edition has been expanded with many new photographs (many never before published), a special color photo section, and three detailed aircraft profile paintings. The reader will fly through the skies with Ilfrey in his P-38 as he and his unit, the famed 94th Fighter Squadron, befome the first group of American aircraft to fly from the USA to England. Thrill to the stories of aerial combat over North Africa as Ilfrey becomes one of America's first WWII air aces. Marvel at the flying exploits of Ilfrey as a member of the 20th Fighter Group/8th Air Force and join him on his incredible evasion story through German occupied France. This book is undoubtedly one of the finest stories of aerial combat that has ever been written. |
| f4u corsair vs ki 84 frank: F6F Hellcat Edward M. Young, 2022-11-24 Using maps, contemporary photographs, and new artwork, this book examines the Hellcat and the naval aviators who flew them. Joining combat in the Pacific in late 1943, the Hellcat squadrons soon demonstrated their ascendency over their Japanese opponents, culminating in the great Marianas Turkey Shoot during the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944. The fighter proved to be a dream for pilots to fly, allowing both novice and veteran Naval Aviators alike to prevail in largescale aerial combats. From October 1944 to January 1945, the Fast Carriers supported General MacArthur's invasion of the Philippines. Featuring specially commissioned armament views and battlescenes, this book covers the key role played by Naval Aviators flying the Hellcat into action during the Fast Carrier Task Force's strikes against the Philippines in September and October 1944. Using maps, contemporary photographs, and technical diagrams, the volume examines the highly effective tactics used to prevail against large enemy formations, and reveals the training that underpinned the success enjoyed by the Naval Aviators and their Hellcats. The key combat actions are vividly described through 3D ribbon diagrams providing a step-by-step depiction of the main dogfights featured in the book, as well as action reports, both from previously unknown pilots and from more famous Hellcat aces. |
Vought F4U Corsair - Wikipedia
The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was …
Vought F4U Corsair - Aviation History
The idea was to mate the most powerful engine with the smallest, cleanest possible airframe. F4U's (Corsairs) returning from a combat mission over North Korea circle the USS Boxer as …
Vought F4U Corsair - Plane-Encyclopedia
The F4U Corsair is another most famous fighter and fighter-bomber of WWII, although it saw action mostly against the Japanese in the Theatre of the Pacific, therefore being primarily used …
The F4U Corsair – A Brief History of America’s Legendary Gull …
Jul 17, 2021 · After making its combat debut over Guadalcanal in February 1943 – eight full months before the first F6F Hellcats entered service – the F4U Corsair would go on to become …
“Angels of Okinawa”: The F4U Corsair - The National WWII Museum
One of the best fighters of World War II, the F4U Corsair tormented the Japanese from Guadalcanal until the end of the war.
Vought F4U Corsair - Price, Specs, Photo Gallery, History - Aero …
The Vought F4U Corsair was initially designed and produced by Chance Vought as an American fighter aircraft that primarily served during the Second World War and the Korean War. The …
Vought F4U Corsair Carrier-Based Fighter / Fighter-Bomber / …
Jun 11, 2022 · One of the greatest fighter aircraft of all time, the American Vought F4U "Corsair" became the stuff of legend for its part in the air wars of World War 2 (1939-1945), the Korean …
Do You Know About the Corsair? - National Museum of Naval …
During World War II, Corsair pilots downed 2,140 Japanese aircraft, achieving a kill ratio of 11:1. Additionally, ten Communist aircraft fell to F4U guns during the Korean War, including a MiG …
Warbird Alley: Vought F4U Corsair
Further landing gear and cockpit modifications resulted in a new variant, the F4U-1A, which was the first version approved for carrier duty.
f4u - vought
When war flamed in Korea, the Corsairs were ready. Assigned primarily to the low-altitude, fighter-bomber phase of the action, they were on familiar ground, flying close air support …
Vought F4U Corsair - Wikipedia
The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was …
Vought F4U Corsair - Aviation History
The idea was to mate the most powerful engine with the smallest, cleanest possible airframe. F4U's (Corsairs) returning from a combat mission over North Korea circle the USS Boxer as …
Vought F4U Corsair - Plane-Encyclopedia
The F4U Corsair is another most famous fighter and fighter-bomber of WWII, although it saw action mostly against the Japanese in the Theatre of the Pacific, therefore being primarily used …
The F4U Corsair – A Brief History of America’s Legendary Gull …
Jul 17, 2021 · After making its combat debut over Guadalcanal in February 1943 – eight full months before the first F6F Hellcats entered service – the F4U Corsair would go on to become …
“Angels of Okinawa”: The F4U Corsair - The National WWII Museum
One of the best fighters of World War II, the F4U Corsair tormented the Japanese from Guadalcanal until the end of the war.
Vought F4U Corsair - Price, Specs, Photo Gallery, History - Aero …
The Vought F4U Corsair was initially designed and produced by Chance Vought as an American fighter aircraft that primarily served during the Second World War and the Korean War. The …
Vought F4U Corsair Carrier-Based Fighter / Fighter-Bomber / Night …
Jun 11, 2022 · One of the greatest fighter aircraft of all time, the American Vought F4U "Corsair" became the stuff of legend for its part in the air wars of World War 2 (1939-1945), the Korean …
Do You Know About the Corsair? - National Museum of Naval …
During World War II, Corsair pilots downed 2,140 Japanese aircraft, achieving a kill ratio of 11:1. Additionally, ten Communist aircraft fell to F4U guns during the Korean War, including a MiG-15 …
Warbird Alley: Vought F4U Corsair
Further landing gear and cockpit modifications resulted in a new variant, the F4U-1A, which was the first version approved for carrier duty.
f4u - vought
When war flamed in Korea, the Corsairs were ready. Assigned primarily to the low-altitude, fighter-bomber phase of the action, they were on familiar ground, flying close air support missions in …
