[ARC5] F4F and SBD in combat.

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

Michael:

I beg to differ: the F4F was NOT "...vastly outclassed..." by the Zero!

While it was not as manuverable as the Zero (no other fighter in early WWII 
was), and although it was a bit underpowered, it threw a greater weight of 
lead than the Zero and could take a heck of a lot more punishment and still 
bring its pilot home.

The "Thatch Weave" was built around the F4F, and there were a number of 
aces who flew them exclusively...like Joe Foss, and Swede Vetejsa among 
others.

Its kill-to-loss ratio was actually pretty good. Look it up.

Then when GM brought out its reworked version, the FM-2, with more power 
and less weight, it gave the Zero serious trouble.

Speaking of Swede Vetejsa, has anyone here viewed the two youtube videos 
of Swede shooting down THREE, count 'em, THREE Zeros in one single 
combat while he was flying an SBD?

It is really incredible and well worth viewing.

BTW, it wasn't until I viewed these videos that I learned that the SBD carried 
a pair of.50 caliber machine-guns in the nose cowling firing through the prop.

As I said, "Slow But Deadly".

When Swede returned to his carrier, the tale told by his rear-gunner caused 
his commanding officers to immediately transfer him to fighter.

Ken Gordon W7EKB