Back to an earlier theme of the thread, re: the Buffalo, a post on another forum (by me
) giving details, I don't think are all found in published works, of the only air to air combat of US Buffalo's, VMF-221 F2A-3's and F4F-3's based at Midway intercepting the Japanese carrier strike against the island, morning of June 4 1942. 'Worst' is always subjective and relative to the conditions, the opponents etc. But this gives an idea why the Buffalo had such a bad reputation in the US naval services albeit based on just one combat, even in that one combat it seems to have done worse than its F4F stablemate when you look at the details:
VMF-221 attacked in two groups, 7 F2A-3's (plus one turned back with engine trouble) and 5 F4F-3's in the first, 12 and 1 in the second (USMC official history). Both managed to attack the Japanese formation from above. They were however, outnumbered: 36 Zeroes, 9 from each of the 4 Japanese carriers were escorting 18 Type 99 Carrier Bombers each from Akagi and Kaga, and 18 Type 97 Carrier Attack Planes each from Soryu and Hiryu.
13 F2A's and 2 F4F's were shot down, 14 MIA/KIA, 1 bailed out WIA two returned WIA. Only two of the surviving a/c were immediately ready for further operations but the damaged ones were apparently all repaired as only the 15 outright losses were written off*. They were credited with 6 'Aichi 99', a 'bomber' and 4 Zeroes destroyed, an Aichi 99 'probable', and an Aichi 99, a bomber and 2 Zeroes damaged (USMC official credits list). 5 of the outright victories were credited to F2A's, 6 to F4F's (including 3 of the 4 Zeroes, so this combat didn't so negatively affect the *F4F's* record v the Zero, see actual Japanese losses below). AA of the 6th Defense Battalion claimed 'at least 10' a/c (USMC official history), and other VMF-221 details:
Brewster Buffalo: VMF-221 at Midway
The tactical operations records of the 4 carrier groups survived (
???????????(???) | Japan Center for Asian Historical Records(JACAR) National Archives Japan) and give details, for the Zeroes:
Akagi: claimed 11 'Grumman' including two 'probable', one Zero holed once; another piloted by PO1C T. Kikuchi 30 times, but all returned (Kikuchi fought from PH until killed in the Battle of Marianas, claimed 5 incl 2 probs v RAF Hurricanes in one combat at Ceylon, 4 incl 2 probs in this action and 3 shared credits in defense of the carriers later than morning).
Kaga: claimed 9 'Grumman', 2 'small a/c' and a floatplane; PO1C's Yukuo Tanaka and Hiromi Ito: 'war death'.
Soryu: claimed 4 'Grumman' incl. 2 prob, no damage to Zeroes though one pilot wounded (pretty clearly stated so, though not clear how, the flight also intercepted B-17's later and of course the ship was hit later)
Hiryu: claimed 18 'F4F' incl. 4 prob, no damage to Zeroes
For the attack a/c:
Kaga lost one Type 99 Carrier Bomber no cause given, just crew= 'war death'.
Two Soryu Type 97 Carrier Attack planes ditched, no cause given; they claimed 3 of 30-40 F4F-3's (specific subtype given!), including a probable.
Hiryu lost 4 Type 97's, one 'suicide crash' (outright losses were usually 'suicide crash', 'missing', or just 'war death') due to enemy a/c, one suicide crash due to AA, one ditched from enemy a/c, one ditched from AA. They also claimed 3 a/c downed.
So altogether the strike lost 2 Zeroes, a Type 99 and 6 Type 97's (some reputable sources give slightly lower total but that's what the original logs appear to say), at least some to AA.
One sided outcomes in favor of Zeroes against Allied fighters were quite common through the middle of 1942, but the land based Zero units had most of those opportunities.
*F2A-3 Bureau Nos: 1518, 1520, 1522, 1524, 1525, 1528, 1537, 1541, 1542, 1548, 1559, 1563, and 1569.
F4F-3: 3989 and 4006 (source: list of USN 'overseas' a/c losses)
Joe