History of US Carrier-borne Aviation

Pearl Harbor and Immediate Realizations

• Date: December 7, 1941
• US enters World War II
• Criticism of aircraft carrier tactics within US Navy command is proven wrong.
• Pearl Harbor attack showcased the obsolescence of domination by heavy artillery ships.
• Books on naval warfare became outdated.

State of US Naval Forces in 1941

• Carriers:
  • Only 3 in the Pacific.
  • Total of 7 carriers.
  • Japan had 14 carriers.
• Fighter Aircraft:
  • Main fighter was the F4F Wildcat.
  • Inferior to the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M "Zero".
  • Zero dominated until about 1943.

Advantages of the Mitsubishi A6M "Zero"

• Light weight due to aluminum magnesium alloy frame.
• Highly maneuverable.
• Excellent firepower with cannon and machine gun.
• Great vision from high-mounted canopy.
• Drawback: Fragile but hard to hit.

Advantages of the F4F Wildcat Despite Inferiority

• Rugged and difficult to shoot down.
• Self-sealing fuel tank.
• Armored bathtub-like seating for the pilot.
• Formation flying for mutual protection.

Early American Victories

• First victory: Three days after Pearl Harbor.
• Aircraft: SBD Dauntless (piloted by Lt. Dickinson).
• Date: December 10.
• Action: Sank Japanese submarine I-70.

SBD Dauntless Specifications

• Length: 10 m
• Wingspan: 12.6 m
• Max take-off weight: 4,587 kg
• Engine: Wright R-1820-32; 950 hp
• Max speed: 405 kph
• Service ceiling: 7,680 m
• Armament:
  • Two 12.7-mm Browning M2 machine guns
  • Two 7.62-mm machine guns in rear
• Bomb payload: 725 kg
• Crew: 2 persons

Battle of Midway

• Date: 1942
• US Carriers: Enterprise, Yorktown, Hornet
• Japanese Carriers: 4
• Outcome: US dive bombers destroyed nearly half of the Japanese carriers, pivotal in turning the Pacific War.
• Introduction of: Avenger torpedo bomber.

TBM Avenger Specifications

• Length: 12.5 m
• Wingspan: 16.5 m
• Take-off weight: 7,876 kg
• Engine: Wright R-2600-8; 1,700 hp
• Max speed: 415 kph
• Service ceiling: 7,193 m
• Armament:
  • Three 12.7-mm machine guns
  • One 7.62-mm machine gun under fuselage
  • Eight 127-mm HVAR rockets
• Bomb payload: Up to 907 kg or one Mark 13 torpedo
• Crew: 3 persons

US Aviation Progress during WWII

• Hellcat (F6F):
  • Significance: Most impactful carrier-borne aircraft of WWII.
  • Production: 12,274 built, simple, reliable, rugged.
  • Kill ratio: 19:1, total 5,157 enemy kills.
  • Specifications:
    • Length: more than 10 m
    • Wingspan: 13 m
    • Take-off weight: 6,754 kg
    • Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W Double Wasp; 2,135 hp
    • Max speed: 629 kph
    • Service ceiling: 11,278 m
    • Armament: Six 12.7-mm machine guns, six 127-mm HVAR rockets, bomb payload up to 907 kg
    • Crew: 1 person

Essex Class Carriers

• Entered service 1943.
• Could carry up to 100 planes.
• Economic power influenced the success of operations.
• By mid-'44, the US had a significant carrier force.

F4U Corsair

• Producer: Vought
• Challenges: Unsuitable landing gear, powerful engine torque, long nose obstructing view during landing.
• Mainly used by Marines.
• Specifications:
  • Length: more than 10 m
  • Wingspan: 12.5 m
  • Take-off weight: 6,654 kg
  • Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W; 2,380 hp
  • Max speed: 718 kph
  • Service ceiling: 12,802 m
  • Armament: Six 12.7-mm machine guns, eight 127-mm HVAR rockets, bomb payload up to 907 kg
  • Crew: 1 person

F8F Bearcat

• Successor to Hellcat.
• Equipped initially with exploding wingtips, but discontinued due to accidents.
• Specifications:
  • Length: almost 8.5 m
  • Wingspan: almost 11 m
  • Take-off weight: 6,105 kg
  • Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-30W Double Wasp; 2,250 hp
  • Max speed: 737 kph
  • Service ceiling: 11,247 m
  • Armament: Four 20-mm cannons, four 127-mm HVAR rockets, bomb payload up to 1,700 kg
  • Crew: 1 person

Conclusion of WWII Aircraft Operations

• Hellcats and Corsairs dominated the sky.
• Helldivers and Avengers dismantled the remaining Japanese Navy.
• Key battles:
  • Leyte Gulf (1944): Sank 27 Japanese ships.
  • Destruction of Yamato (April 1945) via 227 planes from 9 American carriers.

Jet Technology and Post-War Developments

• Jet Engines: Technology from England and Germany adopted during early 1940s.
• Early Issues: Low power at low speed, high fuel consumption.
• Solution: Development of FH-1 Phantom (entered fleet service in 1947).
• Cold War Influence: Necessity from Soviet jet advancements pushed the US Navy into jet technology.

Symbol of Naval Power

• USS Midway launched and became a symbol of American naval power.