I-F4F Wildcat - Unyaka Wokuqala ePacific: September-December 1942 p.2

I-F4F Wildcat - unyaka wokuqala ePacific. Ama-wildcat apake onqenqemeni lomgwaqo we-Fighter 1 e-Guadalcanal.

Ukuhlasela kweMelika eGuadalcanal ngo-August 1942 kwavula impi entsha eSouth Pacific futhi kwaholela empini yesithathu eyake yaba khona empumalanga kaSolomons ngasekupheleni kwaleyo nyanga. Kodwa-ke, umthwalo wokulwela iGuadalcanal wehlela ezindizeni ezisebenza ezisekelweni ezingaphansi.

Ngaleso sikhathi, ama-squadron amabili e-Marine Wildcats (VMF-223 kanye -224) kanye neqembu elilodwa le-US Navy (VF-5) lalimi esiqhingini, livikela ukuhlasela okukhulu kwe-Japanese Air Force esekelwe eRabaul, eNew Britain. .

Ukufika kwama-Fighters angu-11 e-VF-24 afika e-USS Saratoga ngemva kokulimaza umkhumbi ngasekupheleni kuka-August kuphindwe kathathu amandla e-Wildcat esiqhingini ngomhla ka-5 Septhemba. Ngaleso sikhathi, amayunithi ezindiza e-Imperial Navy e-Rabaul, eqoqwe ku-11th Air Fleet, ayehlome ngezindiza ezingaba ngu-100, kuhlanganise nama-Riccos angu-30 (amabhomu enjini amabili) kanye nama-45 A6M Zero fighters. Kodwa-ke, i-A6M2 Model 21 kuphela eyayinebanga elanele lokusula iGuadalcanal. I-A6M3 Model 32 entsha isetshenziswe ikakhulukazi ukuvikela uRabaul ezitelekeni zasemoyeni ze-US Air Force ezisebenza eNew Guinea.

Emini ngo-September 12, kwafika umkhankaso wama-rikko angu-25 (ovela eMisawa, eKisarazu naseChitose Kokutai). Babephelezelwa amaZero angu-15 kusukela ku-2nd no-6th Kokutai. Lapho sebefike eduze nesiqhingi, abaqhubi bebhomu bashintshela endizeni ethambile yokutshuza, behlela endaweni engamamitha angama-7500 ukuze bathole isivinini. AmaJapane abhekana nokumangala okukhulu. Ama-Wildcats angama-20 e-VF-5 kanye nangu-12 kuwo womabili amaqembu e-Marine asuka e-Henderson Field. Abashayeli bezindiza beZero bazama ukubavimba, kodwa abakwazanga ukulandela umkhondo wabashayeli bezindiza abangu-32. Ngenxa yalokho, amaJapane alahlekelwa i-Rikko eyisithupha kanye ne-Zero eyodwa eqhutshwa umlingani wesheke uTorakiti Okazaki we-2. Kokutai. Edutshulwa uLieutenant (Junior) u-Howard Grimmell we-VF-5, u-Okazaki wabaleka waqonda e-Savo Island, ehudula indiza yamafutha emoyeni ngemuva kwakhe, kodwa akaphindanga wabonwa.

Ekuseni ngoSepthemba 13, abathwali bezindiza i-Hornet kanye ne-Wasp baletha ama-Wildcats angu-18 eGuadalcanal emaqenjini abekwe esiqhingini. Ngaleso sikhathi, ulwazi lwafinyelela eRabaul lokuthi amasosha aseJapane athumba i-Henderson Field, isikhumulo sezindiza esikhulu sasesiqhingini. Ukuqinisekisa lokhu, amaRikko amabili, ephelezelwa amasosha ayisishiyagalolunye, aya kulesi siqhingi. Ama-Zero amaningana, ebona ama-Wild Cats ekhuphukela kuwo, ashaya phezulu, awisa elilodwa, futhi aqhuba amanye amafu. Kodwa-ke, lapho, abashayeli bezindiza abazethembayo nabalungele ukulwa be-elite Tainan Kokutai babamba umlilo omude phansi, futhi lapho ama-Wildcats amaningi ebajoyina, abulawa ngamunye ngamunye. Abane bafa, kuhlanganise nama-aces amathathu: Mar. U-Toraichi Takatsuka, umsizi ka-Kazushi Uto kanye nomngani ka-Susumu Matsuki.

Imibiko evela kubasebenzi ababili baseRikko yayishayisana, ngakho ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo, Septhemba 14, abathathu i-A6M2-N (Rufe) baya e-Henderson Field ukuze banqume ukuthi ngubani ophethe isikhumulo sezindiza. Kwakuyizindiza zasolwandle ezisebenza endaweni yaseRecata Bay ogwini lwaseSanta Isabel, amakhilomitha angu-135 nje ukusuka eGuadalcanal. Babeka usongo lwangempela - ngobusuku bangosuku lwangaphambilini, badubula abangesabi besondela lapho befika khona. Kulokhu enye i-A6M2-N iphahlazeke esikhumulweni sezindiza yahlasela ezokuthutha i-R4D eyayisanda kusuka e-Henderson Field. Ngaphambi kokuthi amaJapan enze noma yimuphi umonakalo, idutshulwe phansi abashayeli bezindiza be-VF-5, kanjalo namanye ama-A6M2-N amabili. Eyodwa ishaywe uLieutenant (uLieutenant Wesibili) uJames Halford. Njengoba umshayeli wendiza waseJapane ephuma ngebheyili, uHalford wamdubula emoyeni ngokungafanele.

AmaJapane awazange aphele amandla. Ekuseni, i-11 Zeros evela ku-2nd Kokutai yathunyelwa esuka e-Rabaul ukuze "ihlanze" esibhakabhakeni phezu kwe-Guadalcanal, kanye nekota yehora ngemva kwabo, indiza ye-Nakajima J1N1-C Gekko yokuhlola isivinini esiphezulu. Omunye kwabangu-5. I-Kokutai's aces, i-boatswain u-Koichi Magara, wabulawa empini yama-VF-223 nama-VMF-2 Wildcats angaphezu kwamashumi amabili. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, kwavela i-Gekko yokuhlola futhi yaqala ukuhamba phezu kwe-Henderson Field. Iqembu lendiza lalingenaso isikhathi sokubika osunguliwe - ngemuva kokujaha isikhathi eside, wadutshulwa nguLieutenants Wesibili uKenneth Fraser noWillis Lees baseVMF-223.