ww2 USN Aviation

Grumman F4F Wildcat (1940)

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USN WW2 carrier-borne fighter Main USN fighter 1941-43: 7,885 built 1940-1945 The frontline USN fighter until 1943 The Wildcat had the difficult task of carrying out the defense of the last USN assets in the Pacific after Pearl Harbor. But also to defend British aircraft carriers, for long deprived of a satisfying naval fighter. It … Read more

Grumman FF (1932)

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Grumman FF (1932) Two seat multirole naval aircraft 1931-1945 – 175 built* About Leroy Grumman & the navy The Founder: Leroy Grumman Leroy Grumman was born in Huntington, New York. His father George Tyson Grumman, owned a carriage shop and later worked at the post office. Early years and WWI “Red Mike” as a youngster … Read more

Grumman J2F (1936)

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Grumman J2F (1936) US Navy, 584 built Ungainly but popular, the “Duck” The Grumman J2F Duck (G-15) was a single-engine amphibious biplane used by the USN, Marines, Coast Guard and Air Force from 1937 to the 1950 in air-sea rescue notably by South America but also long after by many independent civilian operators. With its … Read more

Curtiss SOC Seagull (1934)

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Curtiss SOC Seagull (1934) USN Observation Biplane 1935-1940 (322 built) Curtiss’ standard observation plane During the last five years preceding the war, a transitional Observation biplane was carried by most USN warships, from battleships to cruisers, just being replaced by more modern models such as the Douglas Kingfisher. Between limited squadrons per ship (2-3), and … Read more

Douglas SBD Dauntless (1940)

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USN Dive Bomber 1938-1944 (5,936 built) Fearless Dauntless: USN’ legendary dive bomber The image is clear now, since the river of history went by, nearly 80 years ago. On 4 June 1942, in a remote corner of the Pacific with no land in sight for hundred of miles, an epic clash turned the tide of … Read more

Northrop BT (1935)

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USN Dive Bomber – 1935-42 Rough draft for the Dauntless Northrop is rarely associated with US Naval aviation, albeit being one of the most famous and innovative aviation company in history. Innovation was its trademark, and its contribution to the Navy during WW2 has been tremendous for a single reason. In 1933, Jack Northrop’s firm … Read more

Grumman F3F (1935)

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USN 1935-41 Grumman F3F: The last fighter biplane of the US Navy The Grumman was the last USN biplane fighter indeed, but certainly not the last biplane of the Navy during WW2. Indeed, the Curtiss SBC Helldiver were still around well past 1942, although no longer frontline. It was replaced by the controversial Brewster Buffalo. … Read more

Douglas TBD Devastator (1935)

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Douglas TBD Devastator (1935) USN Dive Bomber (1935-42) Best of its day, less in 1942 First line USN torpedo bomber in 1941-42, the Douglas TBD was caught before its replacement. Ordered in 1934, it entered service in 1937 and at the time, it was not only the most advanced USN aircraft, but possibly the most … Read more

Vought OS2U Kingfisher (1938)

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USN Scout Floatplane (1938), 1,519 built The standard ww2 USN observation floatplane The Vought OS2U Kingfisher became the staple of the USN’s battleships and cruisers catapulted spotters/recce models, in the shape of a rugged and dependable floatplane. The Kingfisher lacks the aura of the fighters of that time, but they played a vital role when … Read more

Brewster F2A Buffalo (1937)

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USN Fighter (1937) The worst USN fighter ever ? The Brewster Buffalo has quite a reputation in WW2. For many, it was “the worst fighter of WW2”. That can be analysed in facts and put in relation to the context of its deployment, and compared to the plane’s actual technical issues. But at the end … Read more