June 20, 1944 - Battle of Philippine Sea: Only 3 Corsairs in All of Task Force 58. (US: 7 Fleet Carriers and 7 Light Carriers). All 3 on the Enterprise (CV 6 - Fleet Carrier). Often Consider the Second Largest Naval Battle in History; Marianas' Turkey Shoot; and the Last Big Carrier Against Carrier Battle. American Commander: Ray Spruance was Brilliant. REALLY GOOD LINK AT BOTTOM OF PAGE.
VF = Hellcat Fighter
SBD = Dauntless Dive Bomber
SB2C = Helldiver Dive Bomber
TBF/TBM = Torpedo Bomber
F4U- = Corsair Fighter; Fighter/Bomber
Following the Essex and Bunker Hill as it regards the make-up of their Air Groups.
CV 6 Enterprise: Captain M.B. Gardiner
Air Group 10: Cdr. W.R. Kane
VF-10 31 F6F-3 Lt. R.W. Schumann
VB-10 21 SBD-5 Lt. Cdr. J.D. Ramage
VT-10 9 TBF-1C, 5 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. W.I. Martin
VF(N)-101 3 F4U-2 (Corsair) Lt. Cdr. R.E. Harmer
(det. C)
N= Night Fighter (Hellcat or Corsair) = 3 or 4 Planes per Each Fleet Carrier (Big Boys)
CV 9 Essex: Captain R.A. Ostie
Air Group 15: 1 F6F-3, Cdr. David McCampbell (Top Naval Ace of the War).
VF-15 38 F6F-3 Lt. Cdr. C.W. Brewer
VB-15 36 SB2C-1C Lt. Cdr. J.H. Mini
VT-15 15 TBF-1C, 5 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. V.G. Lambert
VF(N)-77 4 F6F-3N Lt. R.M. Freeman
(det. A)
CV 17: Bunker Hill: Capt. T.P. Jester
Air Group 8: 1 F6F-3, Cdr. R.L. Shifley
VF-8 37 F6F-3 Lt. Cdr. W.M. Collins
VB-8 33 SB2C-1C Lt. Cdr. J.D. Arbes
VT-8 13 TBF-1C, 5 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. K.F. Musick
VF(N)-76 4 F6F-3N Lt. Cdr. E.P. Aurand
(det. A)
October 17-25, 1944 - Battle of Leyete Gulf: US Navy Task Force 58: 9 Fleet Carriers and 8 Light Carriers. Other Naval Units including 18 Slow Escort Carriers for Troop Landing Support. No Corsairs on any Carrier. Often Consider the Largest Naval Battle in History (4 Separate Battles over 3 Days). The Japanese strength was in their very capable surface fleet. American Commander Bill Halsey: Mistakes Made. (Sean Connery was right about this).
CV 9 Essex: Captain C.W. Weiber
Air Group 15: 1 F6F-5, Cdr. David McCampbell
VF-15 22 F6F-3, 3F6F-3N, 2 F6F-3P, 22 F6F-5, 1 F6F-5N Lt. Cdr. C.W. Brewer
VB-15 25 SB2C-3 Lt. Cdr. J.H. Mini
VT-15 15 TBF-1C, 5 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. V.G. Lambert
P= Photo Camera Plane; N = Night Fighter
CV 17: Bunker Hill: Capt. M.R. Greer
Air Group 8: 1 F6F-5, Cdr. R.L. Shifley
VF-8 27 F6F-3, 4F6F-3N, 13 F6F-5, 4F6F-5N Lt. Cdr. W.M. Collins
VB-8 17 SB2C-1C, 3 SBF-1, 4 SBW-1 Lt. Cdr. J.D. Arbes
VT-8 17 TBM-1C. 2 TBM-1D Lt. Cdr. K.F. Musick
SBF-1 and SBW-1 = Canadian Made Helldivers
February 1945-June 1945 - Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa: (Corsairs could only operate off the Fleet Carriers; Light Carriers only carried Hellcat Fighters (about 25) and Torpedo Bombers (about 9). Often two Heavy Carriers and two Light Carriers were grouped as a Task Group (light carrier think a cruiser hull with a flight deck). Three or four Task Groups made up the Fast Fleet Task Force. The very slow Escort Carriers also had about 30 Planes - 18 Hellcats and 12 Torpedo Bombers (very rough numbers). But these were slated for troop support and could not operate with the much faster "fleet" units (merchant hull with a flight deck).
A comparison of the Fleet Carriers Only (Big Boys): 434 Hellcats and 268 Corsairs (this is a quick dirty count). Corsairs split between Navy and Marine Squadrons. Bunker Hill and Intrepid heavy with Corsairs; Wasp, Bennington, and Essex about split even; Hornet, Randolph, Hancock, and Yorktown largely Hellcats. By November 1944, the demand for both Hellcats and their Pilots was so pressing that the Corsairs were finally placed on the Fleet Carriers. Air Groups were typically relieved after 5 or 6 months in combat. With the advent of the kamikaze in October 1944, some groups served 7 straight months in combat.
CV 9 Essex: Captain C.W. Weiber
Air Group 83: H.T. Utter
VF-83 28 F6F-5, 2 F6F-5E, 2 F6F-5P, 4 F6F-5N Lt. Cdr. J.J. Southerland
VBF-83 36 F4U-1D Lt. Cdr. F.A. Patiarch (Navy Flying Corsairs)
VB-15 25 SB2C-3 Lt. Cdr. D.R. Berry
VT-15 15 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. H.A. Stewart
E= Another Night Fighter with Radar; 5N More Advanced Radar.
CV 17 Bunker Hill: Capt. G.A. Seitz
Air Group 84: 1 F6F-5, Cdr. G.M. Ottinger
VF-84 6 F6F-5P, 4F6F-5N, 27F4U-1D Lt. Cdr. R.R. Hendricks (Navy Flying Corsairs)
VB-84 2 SB2C-4, 13 SB2C-4E (radar). Lt. Cdr. J.P. Conn
VT-84 15 TBM-3 Lt. Cdr. C.W. Swanson
VMF-221 18 F4U-1D Maj. E.S. Robersts (USMC)
VMF-451 18 F4U-1D Maj. H.A. Ellis (USMC)
REALLY GREAT LINK BELOW, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO CORSAIRS WORKING ON CARRIERS. USE THE NEXT BUTTON ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGES TO ADVANCE. TORPEDO BOMBER PILOTS DIARY, HIS AIRGROUP HAD MANY CORSAIRS. STEEP LEARNING CURVE ON FLYING CORSAIRS OFF CARRIERS.
http://airgroup4.com/book/index.htm
Airgroups from Morison; History of United States Naval Operations in World War II -Volumes 8, 12, 14
VF = Hellcat Fighter
SBD = Dauntless Dive Bomber
SB2C = Helldiver Dive Bomber
TBF/TBM = Torpedo Bomber
F4U- = Corsair Fighter; Fighter/Bomber
Following the Essex and Bunker Hill as it regards the make-up of their Air Groups.
CV 6 Enterprise: Captain M.B. Gardiner
Air Group 10: Cdr. W.R. Kane
VF-10 31 F6F-3 Lt. R.W. Schumann
VB-10 21 SBD-5 Lt. Cdr. J.D. Ramage
VT-10 9 TBF-1C, 5 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. W.I. Martin
VF(N)-101 3 F4U-2 (Corsair) Lt. Cdr. R.E. Harmer
(det. C)
N= Night Fighter (Hellcat or Corsair) = 3 or 4 Planes per Each Fleet Carrier (Big Boys)
CV 9 Essex: Captain R.A. Ostie
Air Group 15: 1 F6F-3, Cdr. David McCampbell (Top Naval Ace of the War).
VF-15 38 F6F-3 Lt. Cdr. C.W. Brewer
VB-15 36 SB2C-1C Lt. Cdr. J.H. Mini
VT-15 15 TBF-1C, 5 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. V.G. Lambert
VF(N)-77 4 F6F-3N Lt. R.M. Freeman
(det. A)
CV 17: Bunker Hill: Capt. T.P. Jester
Air Group 8: 1 F6F-3, Cdr. R.L. Shifley
VF-8 37 F6F-3 Lt. Cdr. W.M. Collins
VB-8 33 SB2C-1C Lt. Cdr. J.D. Arbes
VT-8 13 TBF-1C, 5 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. K.F. Musick
VF(N)-76 4 F6F-3N Lt. Cdr. E.P. Aurand
(det. A)
October 17-25, 1944 - Battle of Leyete Gulf: US Navy Task Force 58: 9 Fleet Carriers and 8 Light Carriers. Other Naval Units including 18 Slow Escort Carriers for Troop Landing Support. No Corsairs on any Carrier. Often Consider the Largest Naval Battle in History (4 Separate Battles over 3 Days). The Japanese strength was in their very capable surface fleet. American Commander Bill Halsey: Mistakes Made. (Sean Connery was right about this).
CV 9 Essex: Captain C.W. Weiber
Air Group 15: 1 F6F-5, Cdr. David McCampbell
VF-15 22 F6F-3, 3F6F-3N, 2 F6F-3P, 22 F6F-5, 1 F6F-5N Lt. Cdr. C.W. Brewer
VB-15 25 SB2C-3 Lt. Cdr. J.H. Mini
VT-15 15 TBF-1C, 5 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. V.G. Lambert
P= Photo Camera Plane; N = Night Fighter
CV 17: Bunker Hill: Capt. M.R. Greer
Air Group 8: 1 F6F-5, Cdr. R.L. Shifley
VF-8 27 F6F-3, 4F6F-3N, 13 F6F-5, 4F6F-5N Lt. Cdr. W.M. Collins
VB-8 17 SB2C-1C, 3 SBF-1, 4 SBW-1 Lt. Cdr. J.D. Arbes
VT-8 17 TBM-1C. 2 TBM-1D Lt. Cdr. K.F. Musick
SBF-1 and SBW-1 = Canadian Made Helldivers
February 1945-June 1945 - Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa: (Corsairs could only operate off the Fleet Carriers; Light Carriers only carried Hellcat Fighters (about 25) and Torpedo Bombers (about 9). Often two Heavy Carriers and two Light Carriers were grouped as a Task Group (light carrier think a cruiser hull with a flight deck). Three or four Task Groups made up the Fast Fleet Task Force. The very slow Escort Carriers also had about 30 Planes - 18 Hellcats and 12 Torpedo Bombers (very rough numbers). But these were slated for troop support and could not operate with the much faster "fleet" units (merchant hull with a flight deck).
A comparison of the Fleet Carriers Only (Big Boys): 434 Hellcats and 268 Corsairs (this is a quick dirty count). Corsairs split between Navy and Marine Squadrons. Bunker Hill and Intrepid heavy with Corsairs; Wasp, Bennington, and Essex about split even; Hornet, Randolph, Hancock, and Yorktown largely Hellcats. By November 1944, the demand for both Hellcats and their Pilots was so pressing that the Corsairs were finally placed on the Fleet Carriers. Air Groups were typically relieved after 5 or 6 months in combat. With the advent of the kamikaze in October 1944, some groups served 7 straight months in combat.
CV 9 Essex: Captain C.W. Weiber
Air Group 83: H.T. Utter
VF-83 28 F6F-5, 2 F6F-5E, 2 F6F-5P, 4 F6F-5N Lt. Cdr. J.J. Southerland
VBF-83 36 F4U-1D Lt. Cdr. F.A. Patiarch (Navy Flying Corsairs)
VB-15 25 SB2C-3 Lt. Cdr. D.R. Berry
VT-15 15 TBM-1C Lt. Cdr. H.A. Stewart
E= Another Night Fighter with Radar; 5N More Advanced Radar.
CV 17 Bunker Hill: Capt. G.A. Seitz
Air Group 84: 1 F6F-5, Cdr. G.M. Ottinger
VF-84 6 F6F-5P, 4F6F-5N, 27F4U-1D Lt. Cdr. R.R. Hendricks (Navy Flying Corsairs)
VB-84 2 SB2C-4, 13 SB2C-4E (radar). Lt. Cdr. J.P. Conn
VT-84 15 TBM-3 Lt. Cdr. C.W. Swanson
VMF-221 18 F4U-1D Maj. E.S. Robersts (USMC)
VMF-451 18 F4U-1D Maj. H.A. Ellis (USMC)
REALLY GREAT LINK BELOW, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO CORSAIRS WORKING ON CARRIERS. USE THE NEXT BUTTON ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGES TO ADVANCE. TORPEDO BOMBER PILOTS DIARY, HIS AIRGROUP HAD MANY CORSAIRS. STEEP LEARNING CURVE ON FLYING CORSAIRS OFF CARRIERS.
http://airgroup4.com/book/index.htm
Airgroups from Morison; History of United States Naval Operations in World War II -Volumes 8, 12, 14
Last edited:
