Pacific War, WW2
Naval Aircraft Lists, 1942

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Naval Airplanes of Early WW2

HELICOPTERS
	SEVERSKY
XFN-1	Helicopter				east coast, experimental.

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NAVY NAMING CONVENTIONS
Prefix -- Navy Type Designations. F Fighter O   Observation SB Scout Bomber (dive bomber)   R Transport SO   Scout Observation T Training TB Torpedo Bomber U Utility P Patrol G Glider PB Patrol Bomber H Helicopter (rotary) X experimental Z Blimp (lighter than air)	Abbreviations used here. Mono-   Mono plane, single wing Bi - Bi plane, double wing design Retr- Retractable landing gear Fold- Folding wing for carrier use Hook- Tailhook for carrier landing Twin- Two engines Exp - Export

Suffix
Code	Manufacturer	Japanese
A -	Brewster	Aichi
B -	Boeing or Beech
C -	Curtiss
D -	Douglas
E -	Piper
F -	Grumman
G -	Goodyear Tire&Rubber
H -	McDonald
J -	North American
K -	Fairchild	Kawamish	Ki - Kawisaki, Tachikawa
L -	Consolidated, Bell
M -	Martin or Gen.Motors	Mitsubishi
N -	Naval Air Factory	Nakajima
O -	Lockheed
P -	Spartan, Piasecki
Q -	Fairchild
R -	Ford, Ryan
S -	Sikorsky
T -	Northrop
U -	Vought
V -	Vega, Lockheed, Vultee
W -		Watanabe/Kyushu
Y -	Consolidated, Convair	Yokosuka

Detailed history Offsite

This page shows with what the U.S. Navy had to fight in the Pacific during the early years, 1942. The Japanese "Zeke" and "Val" were the best of their types in the world. Even Spitfires brought to Asia fell before the Zero. The Val diver bomber could outrun our fighters. The only tactic available at the time was to attack from above where the dive increased our speed; from the Sun where they couldn't see us and we had the element of surprise; hit once; and run like hell.
This is before the period of American dominance with the:

• Chance Vought F4U Corsair -- first combat with USMC on Guadalcanal 13Feb43 with 12,570 built.
• Grumman F6F Hellcat -- first combat from Yorktown 31Aug43 with 4,423 built.
• Curtiss SB2C Helldiver -- first combat in the second strike on Rabaul 11Nov43 with 6,000 built.

Fighter.

Grumman, a preferred vendor with satisfactory contacts was given a second chance and was awarded a prototype for a hastily redesigned biplane entry of a mid-wing monoplane. Granted further development money, Grumman was able to improve their design with a more powerful engine giving more speed and maneuverability, the F4F-3. The war had started in Europe and international orders for both planes came in for export.

Soon all available production capacity was utilized. Most of the first Brewster production order was sent to Finland. A second batch went to the RAF and to the Netherlands East Indies. A renewed completion awarded a contract for the improved single wing version of the Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat. That model was introduced to fleet service by the time of Pearl Harbor while Buffalos were still in service in the Asian fleet, Philippines, and Wake Island. Grumman continued development of improved models. F4F-4 production was provided by General Motors under the designation FM-1. The F4F-8 was also produced by General Motors as the FM-2. Meanwhile Grumman designers concentrated on the next generation fighter, the F6F Hellcat, that entered service in late 1942, and qualified pilots entered combat in Aug 1943.

The Japanese introduced a new fighter in 1940 to the fighting in China. Reports as to its specifications were not believed in Washington, preferring to believe it was Chinese incompetence, rather than a superior Japanese fighter that was causing Chinese losses. 78 flew in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The secrets of the Zero were released after the invasion of Attu in June 1942 when a nearly undamaged Zero was found overturned in a bog. The Zero was salvaged and flow for testing of its flight envelop by September 1942. A tip to evading a Zero was immediately broadcast to the fleet units : dive to exceed 200 knots and turn to the right. The heavier US planes could gain speed quickly by diving, at 200 knots the light controls on a Zero became sluggish, and a Zero turned more easily to the left. This escape procedure allowed many US airmen to survive for another day when their experience was able to defeat the Zero.

Designation	F2B -Buffalo	F4F-3 -Wildcat	A5M-Claude	A6M2-Zero, Zeke
Manufacturer	Brewster	Grumman	Mitsubishi	Mitsubishi
Contracted	1936	1938	1935	July40
Flew	Dec 1937	Mar 1939	Feb 1935	Apr 1939
Service	1939-1942	1940-1943	1936-1942	1940-1945
Engine - hp	1200	1200	710	925
Max Speed - mph	321	318	280	346
Guns - caliber	4-.50	6-.50	2-.30	2-20mm;2-.50
Range - miles	965	770	746	1,120
Weight - pounds	4,723	5,760	2,680	4,178
Number Produced	161 +354 export	173 +6,050	1,394	11,000