US Navy Aircraft verses Luftwaffe Aircraft During WW 2 - Aircraft of World War II

airgodiva · 10-29-2009, 12:09 PM

Can anyone tell me if the US Navy aircraft ( Wildcat / Hellcat , etc ) fought any German aircraft ( ME - 109 , FW - 190 , etc ) during WW 2 .

Thx
Airgodiva

Colin1 · 10-29-2009, 12:24 PM

During the relief of Malta
HMS Eagle launched reinforcement Spitfires for the island. Cover was provided by the F4Fs of USS Wasp, so USN fighters were certainly in the frame for a Luftwaffe engagement. I don't know if they actually ran into any trouble so I'll have a look when I get home.

timshatz · 10-29-2009, 12:25 PM

There was a fight between Wildcats and Vichy French fighters during the invasion of North Africa.

DBII · 10-29-2009, 03:59 PM

I read about a big carrier strike mission planed for the USMC but the army refused to let them in theather. The army was still mad that the Corps got all of the press during WWI. The navy flew missions during Tourch. I do not remember if they flew during the Italian invasion.

DBII

otftch · 10-29-2009, 04:52 PM

I believe the F-4-F make the first kill against a German aircraft,a Ju-88,by a US fighter flown by the Brits.They called it the Martlet.
Ed

Colin1 · 10-29-2009, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timshatz

There was a fight between Wildcats and Vichy French fighters during the invasion of North Africa.

Yeah
I was thinking Op Torch too but again, I wasn't sure if USN fighters actually tangled with the Luftwaffe so I didn't mention it; obviously the P-40s eventually did.

timshatz · 10-29-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by otftch

I believe the F-4-F make the first kill against a German aircraft,a Ju-88,by a US fighter flown by the Brits.They called it the Martlet.
Ed

Thought it was a Condor. Or I may be thinking about the first US kill during the war. IRMC, a Wildcat out of Iceland dropped a Condor within a week or two of Pearl Harbor.

Njaco · 10-29-2009, 08:41 PM

Martlets were also used around Norway and the Baltic. I believe there were some scrapes there as well.

Butters · 10-29-2009, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timshatz

Thought it was a Condor. Or I may be thinking about the first US kill during the war. IRMC, a Wildcat out of Iceland dropped a Condor within a week or two of Pearl Harbor.

It was a P-38 that made the first Luftwaffe kill in WWII. The mission was flown from Iceland, and IIRC, a P-39 or P-40 also played a role in the downing of the FW200.

Does anyone know if USN Wildcats were ever based in Iceland?

JL

GrauGeist · 10-30-2009, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by airgodiva

Can anyone tell me if the US Navy aircraft ( Wildcat / Hellcat , etc ) fought any German aircraft ( ME - 109 , FW - 190 , etc ) during WW 2 .

Thx
Airgodiva

During Operation Torch (November 1942), 15 Vichy French fighters were shot down by US Navy Wildcats. They also encountered Luftwaffe aircraft, but I'm not aware of any victories.

Also, flying from the USS Ranger (CV-4) in October 1943, USN Wildcats intercepted and shot down a Ju88 and a He115 during support of a British operation near Bodo, Norway.

And the only opportunity for an encounter between the USN Hellcat and the Luftwaffe that I'm aware of, would have been during the invasion of southern France in August 1944. However, the Hellcat conducted ground attack missions and didn't get a chance to tangle with any enemy aircraft.

It doesn't look like there was much action between the US Navy and Luftwaffe fighters in the ETO or MTO.

otftch · 10-30-2009, 04:41 AM

JU-88 was shot down by a Martlet on Dec 25,1940 over Scapa Flow. I'm tryimg to find pilot data.
Ed

Micdrow · 10-30-2009, 06:49 AM

A long time ago I was researching this question when I found some claims on kills by german fighters on the F4U corsairs on Tony Woods web site below. I had asked the question also and the response I got was they where British Corsairs that had gotten shot down. Other then that, It was all I found out. I do know that at least on British carrior was hit by bombs in the Med. Its possible that some of the fighters where shot down during this raid by escorting fighters.

http://www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm

Glider · 10-30-2009, 08:20 AM

I am confident that the British didn't use Corsairs in the Med so can only put this down to poor identification. Wldcats were used in the med and a small number of Buffalo's were on Crete but neither of these look anythng like a Corsair.

Micdrow · 10-30-2009, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glider

I am confident that the British didn't use Corsairs in the Med so can only put this down to poor identification. Wldcats were used in the med and a small number of Buffalo's were on Crete but neither of these look anythng like a Corsair.

Im not so sure, if I remember right the dates where toward the end of 1944. I could see a wildcat and a buffalo poor dentifictation between the two but a corsair with its bent wings looks totally different, When I get home I will see if I still can find the info.

timshatz · 10-30-2009, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Butters

It was a P-38 that made the first Luftwaffe kill in WWII. The mission was flown from Iceland, and IIRC, a P-39 or P-40 also played a role in the downing of the FW200.

Does anyone know if USN Wildcats were ever based in Iceland?

JL

So I don't remember correctly

Go figure. Age creeping in.

10-29-2009, 12:09 PM	#1
airgodiva Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1	US Navy Aircraft verses Luftwaffe Aircraft During WW 2 Can anyone tell me if the US Navy aircraft ( Wildcat / Hellcat , etc ) fought any German aircraft ( ME - 109 , FW - 190 , etc ) during WW 2 . Thx Airgodiva

10-29-2009, 03:59 PM	#4
DBII Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 1,429	I read about a big carrier strike mission planed for the USMC but the army refused to let them in theather. The army was still mad that the Corps got all of the press during WWI. The navy flew missions during Tourch. I do not remember if they flew during the Italian invasion. DBII __________________ ~ Ladies and gentleman, this is your stewardess speaking. We regret any inconvenience the sudden cabin movement might have caused. This is due to periodic air pockets we encountered. There's no reason to be alarmed and we hope you enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?~

10-29-2009, 08:41 PM	#8
Njaco The Pop-Tart Whisperer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South Jersey, United States Posts: 10,228	Martlets were also used around Norway and the Baltic. I believe there were some scrapes there as well. __________________ "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it's English, thank a soldier!" http://www.njcacoa.org/

10-30-2009, 06:49 AM	#12
Micdrow “Archive” Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,850	A long time ago I was researching this question when I found some claims on kills by german fighters on the F4U corsairs on Tony Woods web site below. I had asked the question also and the response I got was they where British Corsairs that had gotten shot down. Other then that, It was all I found out. I do know that at least on British carrior was hit by bombs in the Med. Its possible that some of the fighters where shot down during this raid by escorting fighters. http://www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm __________________ "Valor does not mean Hero."

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10-29-2009, 12:24 PM	#2
Colin1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,759	During the relief of Malta HMS Eagle launched reinforcement Spitfires for the island. Cover was provided by the F4Fs of USS Wasp, so USN fighters were certainly in the frame for a Luftwaffe engagement. I don't know if they actually ran into any trouble so I'll have a look when I get home.

10-29-2009, 12:25 PM	#3
timshatz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Phila, Pa Posts: 3,446	There was a fight between Wildcats and Vichy French fighters during the invasion of North Africa.

10-29-2009, 04:52 PM	#5
otftch Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ocala Florida USA Posts: 263	I believe the F-4-F make the first kill against a German aircraft,a Ju-88,by a US fighter flown by the Brits.They called it the Martlet. Ed

10-30-2009, 04:41 AM	#11
otftch Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ocala Florida USA Posts: 263	JU-88 was shot down by a Martlet on Dec 25,1940 over Scapa Flow. I'm tryimg to find pilot data. Ed

10-30-2009, 08:20 AM	#13
Glider Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 3,649	I am confident that the British didn't use Corsairs in the Med so can only put this down to poor identification. Wldcats were used in the med and a small number of Buffalo's were on Crete but neither of these look anythng like a Corsair.