Mitsubishi Zero

“The Flying Fortress looked like a roof collapsing upon me:” the Zero pilot that during an attack on a B-17 got scared by the bomber size and erroneously collided with it

“The Flying Fortress looked like a roof collapsing upon me:” the Zero pilot that during an attack on a B-17 got scared by the bomber size and erroneously collided with it

Zero-sen pilots were particularly vexed by the four-engined Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. In fact the B-17 would prove hard… Read More

2 months ago

The story of Jefferson DeBlanc, the USMC F4F pilot that with his Wildcat low on fuel escorted SBDs and TBFs and shot down 5 Japanese aircraft before bailing out of his stricken F4F

An “ace in a day” feat that earned 2Lt Jefferson DeBlanc, a USMC F4F Wildcat pilot from VMF-112, the Medal… Read More

3 months ago

Saburo Sakai Zero-sen ace recalls his most memorable and harrowing combat where he was wounded by US Navy SBD Dauntless dive bombers (not by Avengers)

As Saburo Sakai and his wingman closed the range, the SBD rear gunners opened fire. For the high scoring ace,… Read More

4 months ago

During the Battle of Midway a USAAF B-26 Marauder pilot buzzed the flight deck of Japanese Aircraft Carrier Akagi to save his crew

Jun. 4, 1942, 7:10 a.m., 150 miles northwest of Midway Atoll . . . Moments after releasing a torpedo at… Read More

6 months ago

The story of Owen J. Baggett, the B-24 Copilot who shot down a Japanese Zero with his Colt .45 while hanging from his open parachute after he bailed out from his stricken Liberator

At just the right moment, Owen J. Baggett drew his service pistol, a Colt .45, and fired four shots, hitting… Read More

7 months ago

Boyington Shot Down and the story of the Zero-sen Pilot who claimed to have Shot Down his Corsair that sold its wares at Airshows next to Pappy’s Stall

Maj Greg “Pappy” Boyington was shot down on Jan. 3, 1944 near Rabaul in circumstances which continue to be misrepresented.… Read More

7 months ago

“Splash the Zeros!” F-14 pilot who flew in The Final Countdown shares his personal notes on the movie that introduced the Tomcat to Hollywood

Six years before “Top Gun” prominently featured the F-14 Tomcat, “The Final Countdown” proved that Grumman’s twin-tailed fighter had star… Read More

1 year ago

Did you Know on the Eve of the Battle of Midway Legendary Naval Aviator Jimmy Thach had 27 F4F Wildcat fighters and was his Squadron’s Only Pilot?

Initially the only pilot in his squadron, Thach personally test flew all 27 airplanes he was assigned, noting their discrepancies… Read More

2 years ago

Fox Four Uncle: The Legendary F4U Corsair was Plagued by Troubles as a carrier aircraft but became the Primary USMC Fighter during WW II

The Navy solved the F4U Corsair problems by giving them to the Marines. On May 29, 1940, the prototype XF4U-1… Read More

2 years ago

The Imperial Japanese Navy’s Ryujo: The Forgotten, Unique, one-off Hybrid of a Cruiser Hull with an Aircraft Carrier Superstructure Grafted on to it

The Imperial Japanese Navy carrier Ryujo was a unique, one off hybrid of a cruiser hull with an aircraft carrier… Read More

2 years ago

The incredible story of when America’s Top Ace Dick Bong fought alone against Nine Japanese Zero Fighters. He shot down two of them and damaged another before safely RTB.

Dick Bong suddenly realized that the fighter on his wing was not that of his usual wingman. He glanced at… Read More

2 years ago

The ‘Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre’ debacle: The first Corsair combat proved a fiasco with nine American aircraft being lost for a single Zero-sen shot down

Whilst the F4U Corsair eventually proved to be a superior fighter in Pacific operations, its introduction into combat in this… Read More

2 years ago

The story of the only aerial victory scored by a Royal Australian Air Force Wirraway during World War II

Archer returned to Popondetta where he leapt from his Wirraway and ran across to the control tent where he exclaimed… Read More

2 years ago

The story of the mission where VMF-214 Black Sheep CO Gregory “Pappy” Boyington shot down 5 Japanese fighters and became “ace in a day”

It was in the second week of September 1943 that everything started to go well for VMF-214 Black Sheep CO… Read More

2 years ago

During WW II SBD Dauntless crews were officially credited with an astonishing 138 aerial victories, 106 of them Zero-sens, but these totals suffer from overclaiming. Here’s why.

The Dauntless holds a unique place in naval aviation combat history. Its success was attributed to a number of variables… Read More

2 years ago

The “accidental” arrival of the legendary F4U Corsair in the South Pacific and the story of Ken Walsh, the first man to become a “Corsair ace”

The aircraft F4U Corsair was developed by the US Navy as a carrier-based fighter, but with no immediate plan for… Read More

2 years ago

The Story of the Ki-43 Hayabusa pilot that claimed the shooting down of four USAAF P-38 Lightnings in an air battle that never was

The alleged exploits of Warrant Officer Shiromoto Nauharu Hayabusa pilot over the Solomon Islands on Jan. 31, 1943 became legendary… Read More

2 years ago
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