Rising Sun warbirds

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I dont know I have never seen it over 87. From what I can tell though the Japanese did not have a real system of confirming kills though as other countries did, so that could explain some of it.
 
About production figures, I just googled the net and all numbers I found agreed on a production of about 7900, here is some source
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In my experience the best place to look for production numbers for USN aircraft is the USN itself rather than what someone else, even myself, might interpret.

The best way to do that is to use the bureau numbers assigned at time of production and then just work the math. Try

http://www.history.navy.mil/download/history/app09.pdf

Further, it would appear that your sources are lumping the F4F series in with the entire FM series. The USN doesn't figure it that way. In its statistical reporting the USN considers the FM-2 to be a separate type and it's wartime results are tabulated separately. So, if you want to lump the FM-1 in with the F4Fs, okay, that gives you a total of 2636 F4F types, but there's still a separate 4777 FM-2s.

Not counting the squadrons that did their duty and spent the war on tedious, fruitless searches on patrols with no results, there were 37 USN squadrons, mostly of the VC-x variety, operating for the most part from CVEs, that shot down at least one enemy aircraft in the course of a deployment, ranging from VC-27 with 59.5/1/6 credits down to VC-11, VC-63, VC-66, and VC-86 all with 1/0/0 credits.

The FM-2 was faster and more maneuverable than its little brother, the F4F and racked up a fairly impressive performance. Combined, the squadrons engaged in combat were credited with a total of 428/37/33.5 versus total FM-2 losses of 13 to enemy aircraft and 62 to enemy AA fire. Credits break down thusly:

A6M Series - 102/5/8
D3A - 93.5/5/1
Ki-43 - 43.5/7/6
Ki-61 - 36/2/3
Ki-21 - 21/2/2
P1Y1 - 21/0/6
Ki-48 - 21/4/1
Ki-44 - 20/3/1
B6N1-2 - 14/0/1
J1N - 10/5/1
E13A - 9/0/0
B5N - 8/1/1.5
D4Y Series - 8/0/0
G4M - 7/0/1
Ki-45 - 5/3/1
Ki-46 - 2/0/0
G3M - 1/0/0
J2M - 1/0/0
Ki-57 - 1/0/0
Ki-51 - 1/0/0
Ki-27 - 1/0/0
U/I 2/E VT - 2/0/0

The last FM-2 to score was on 5 August 1945 when Lieut Eugene R Beckwith, of VC-97 off USS Makassar Strait (CVE-91), scored a P1Y1 over the East China Sea while performing CAP duties.

Regards,

Rich
 
Thank you Rich

Well, I have no background on the Pacific theatre, but looking at the numbers you bring, and considering that the other main fighters (F6F and F4U) were far superior to the wildcat the only possible comment is that the air battle was mere target practice!
Either the reported stats are completely wrong or the Japanese aviation was totally non existent as an Air Force.
 
There's no denying that the Japanese did score many victories, but I think a lot of the mysticism of the Zero, IJAAF and IJN lies with the allies (mainly the US) making their opposition look tougher than they actually were. When you hear stories about the mystical Zero and really do the research and math like Rich did (thanks Rich, great job!), I think it's alleged superiority was a product of exaggeration and folklore. Comments anyone?!?
 
I have no background on the Pacific theatre,
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I know how that works only from the other side. I rarely comment aspects of the European war except where topics involve naval aviation. I doubt there are more than three or four books in my library that deal specifically with the war in Europe as opposed to about 240 on naval subjects of which about 140 are on naval aviation subjects. Then there's the three file cabinets full of reports and such from USN air operations in WWII. Europe in World War II is a land of mystery for me.

Rich
 
DerAdlerIstGelandet said:
Well lets see the highest Japanese Army Ace was W/O Hiromichi Shinohara with 58 victories, and the highest Japanese Navy ace was Hiroyoshi Nishizawa with 87 kills. That is not quite a 100 my friend.
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They are still huge numbers and many of their victories were not comfirmed because of the relative lack of interest of the Japanese in personal victories. People here are implying that the Zero didn't stand a chance in the face of modern opposition which just isn't he case
 

No no one here said that. We are saying that the ZERO was not the far superior plane that everyone else likes to make it out to be. It was not, it was just a myth. The Zero was still a dangerous plane and no one denies that.
 
I finally got my numbers right( I'm terrible with japanese aircraft) It was the Ki 84 Hayate. I did not base everything that I said on the flight simulator. I read up on the aircraft, and it stated that it could outfight the p-51 and p-47.
 
I read a book recently by Saburo Sakai (hope I spelled that right) and he describes his kills (64 of them) and most of them were P-39's and 40's. Maybe some of this "myth" was developed on Army aircraft and not Navy aircraft.

The F4F had the advantage of speed, firepower, dive, and the ability to absorb damage. the zero could climb faster and turn better. Thus the American F4F pilots could choose to have combat on their terms, a major advantage.
 
The Japanese actually something similar, dropping large white phosphorus bombs into allied formations. Visually spectacular, but not very effective.

Rich




Edit, somehow managed to leave out the word "not". Sorry if anyone got a wrong impression.

R
 
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