F4F Tribute Page!
Alot has been said of the F4F plane that saw action in all theatres of World War II, but my favorite description is Heroic! This plane saw action from Pearl Harbor thru the end of the war.
Out matched vs. the Japanese Zero (Zeke), the fighters developed fighter tactics to overcome the maneuverability of the Zero. One such tactic was the "Thach Weave", implemented by John Thach. A Wildcat Pilot and his wingman would weave back and forth giving the plane behind a shot on the Zeke's 6 (rear).
Some of the more amazing fights were won by pilots who flew The F4F; Butch O'Hare (yes the Chicago Airport is named after him) Shot down 5 "Betty" Japanese Bombers heading to his carrirer, during one flight.
The Ace Wildcat Pilot of WWII was Joe Foss, with 29 kills. He later became Governor of South Dakota. He was at Guadalcanal, where the Wildcat really showed its mettle. It was early in the war that our pilots with little experience, faced the best the Japanese had to offer.
As you read more about the F4F, I hope you see what I see: A very heroic underdog of a Plane that rose above it's shortcomings thanks to it's pilots!
Thanks for visiting..more to follow!
GAMESTORM |
