Captain Moses, welcome to the boards. Planes in the Battle of Midway are easier to answer than ships, as there were fewer types. The Japanese pretty much had three: "Pete" type reconnaissance seaplanes from their heavy cruisers and battleships. One such plane's late departure from the cruiser Tone resulted in the late location of the US Fleet. "Zero" fighters from the Japanese carriers. Among the best fighters in the world at the time. "Kate" torpedo bombers from the carriers...reliable aircraft. "Val" dive bombers, which looked like pregnant Stukas. The Americans had the following: "F2A" Brewster Buffaloes, which were hopelessly obsolete and almost unmaneuverable. "F4F" Grumman Wildcats, heavy and rugged, not as powerful as the Japanese Zeros, but reliable planes. "TBD" Douglas Devastator torpedo bombers, which were slow and obsolete. This was their last battle. "TBF" Grumman Avengers, in use for the first time, from Midway Island. "SBC" Vindicator dive-bombers from Midway. Held together with duct tape. "SBD" Dauntless dive-bombers from the carriers and Midway, which sank the Japanese carriers. "B-17" Flying Fortress heavy bombers, which scored no hits, but took the credit in post-battle interviews. Very rugged, respected by Japanese pilots for their armament. "B-26" Martin Marauder medium bombers, rigged up as torpedo bombers. The Americans didn't try that again. "PBY" Catalina flying boats, long-range reconnaissance aircraft, with the maneuverability of a Dutch barn door, but superb reconnaissance planes. Check out my web page's entry for the Battle of Midway for more details.
"SBC" Vindicator dive-bombers from Midway. Held together with duct tape. Actually they were Vought SB2U's. SBC's were Curtiss biplanes and there were none at Midway. Also, the "Held together with duct tape." is just another Midway legend. Not really true. US Air Units Carriers: USS Yorktown (CV-5) Capt. Elliott Buckmaster CYAG Lt.Cdr. Oscar Pederson, USNA26 VS-5 Lt. Wallace Clark Short, Jr. - 19 (17) SBD-3 VF-3 Lt.Cdr. John Smith Thach - 27 (25) F4F-4 VB-3 Lt.Cdr. Maxwell Franklin Leslie - 18 (17) SBD-3 VT-3 Lt.Cdr. Lance Edward Massey - 15 (12) TBD-1 USS Enterprise (CV-6) Capt. George Murray CEAG Lt.Cdr. Clarence Wade McClusky, Jr. - 1 (1) SBD-3 VF-6 Lt. James Seton Gray, Jr. - 27 (27) F4F-4 VS-6 Lt. Wilmer Earl Gallaher - 18 (18) SBD-3 VB-6 Lt. Richard Halsey Best -18 (18) SBD-2, -3 VT-6 Lt.Cdr. Eugene Elbert Lindsey -14 (14) TBD-1 Hornet (CV-8) Capt. Marc Andrew Mitscher CHAG Cdr. Stanhope Cotton Ring -1 (1) SBD-3 VF-8 Lt.Cdr. Samuel Gavid Mitchell -27 (27) F4F-4 VS-8 Lt.Cdr. Walter Fred Rodee -16 (15) SBD-3 VB-8 Lt.Cdr. Robert Ruffin Johnson -18 (18) SBD-3 VT-8 Lt.Cdr. John Charles Waldron -15 (15) TBD-1 At Midway Island: Sand Island Seaplane Base VP-23 Lt. James Robinson Ogden - 14 (13) PBY-5 Eastern Island Airfield Naval Air Station Utility1 (1) J2F-2 Consolidated Patrol Wing 2 Lt.Cdr. Robert Cecil Brixner (CO, VP-44) VP-44 Lt. Donald George Gumz - 8 (7) PBY-5A assigned from VP-246 (6) PBY-5A assigned from VP-513 (3) PBY-5A VT-8 Detachment Lt. Langdon Kellogg Fieberling - 6 TBF-1 Marine Aircraft Group 22 Lt. Col. Ira L. Kimes VMF-221 Maj. Floyd Bruce Parks - 21 (20) F2A-3 and7 (6) F4F-3 VMSB-241 Maj. Lofton Russell Henderson - 19 (18) SBD-2 and 21 (12) SB2U-3 7th Army Air Force, Bomber Command MG Willis P. Hale 349th BS(H) 1 (1) B-17D 42nd BS(H)/11th BG(H) Lt.Col. Brooke E. Allen 5 (4) B-17E 7th Air Force Bomber Command HQ1 (1) B-17E 431st BS(H)/11th BG(H) Lt.Col. Walter C. Sweeny, Jr -7 (6) B-17E assigned from 31st BS(H)/5th BG(H) -2 (2) B-17E assigned from 72nd BS(H)/5th BG(H) -1 (1) B-17E Detachment, 18th RS(M)/22nd BG(M) 1st Lt. James P. Muri - 2 (2) B-26 Detachment, 69th BS(M)/38th BG(M) Capt. James F. Collins, Jr. - 2 (2) B-26B Japanese Aircraft Carriers: CV Akagi (F) Capt. Aoki Taijiro Akagi Air Unit Cdr. Mitsuo Fuchida (Rated Observer) 1 Type 97 B5N2 carrier attack plane Kansen Buntai Lt. Itaya Shigeru (Rated Aviator) 18 Type 00 A6M2 carrier fighters Kanbaku Buntai Lt. Chihaya Takehiro (Rated Observer) 18 Type 99 D3A1 carrier bombers Kanko Buntai Lt.Cdr. Murata Shigeharu (Rated Aviator) 17 Type 97 B5N2 carrier attack planes 6th Kokutai (for stationing at Midway) Lt.Cdr. Kaneko Tadashi (Rated Aviator) 6 Type 00 A6M2 carrier fighters CV Kaga Capt. Jisaku Okada Kaga Air Unit Lt.Cdr. Kusumi (Rated Aviator) 1 Type 97 B5N2 carrier attack plane Kansen Buntai Lt. Sato Masao (Rated Aviator) 18 Type 00 A6M2 carrier fighters Kanbaku Buntai Lt. Ogawa Sho-ichi (Rated Aviator) 18 Type 99 D3A1 carrier bombers Kanko Buntai Lt. Kazuraki Masuhiko (Rated Aviator) 26 Type 97 B5N2 carrier attack planes 6th Kokutai (for stationing at Midway) 9 Type 00 A6M2 carrier fighters Soryu Kanbaku Buntai (spares) 2 Type 99 D3A1 carrier bombers CV Hiryu (F) Capt. Kaku Tomeo Hiryu Air Unit Lt. Tomanga Jo-ichi (Rated Aviator) 1 Type 97 B5N2 carrier attack plane Kansen Buntai Lt. Mori Shigeru (Rated Aviator) 18 Type 00 A6M2 carrier fighters Kanbaku Buntai Lt. Kobayashi Michio (Rated Aviator) 18 Type 99 D3A1 carrier bombers Kanko Buntai Lt. Kikuchi Rokuro (Rated Aviator) 17 Type 97 B5N2 carrier attack planes 6th Kokutai (for stationing at Midway) 3 Type 00 A6M2 carrier fighters CV Soryu Capt. Yanagimoto Ryusaku Soryu Air Unit Lt.Cdr. Egusa (Rated Aviator) 1 Type 99 D3A1 carrier bombers Kansen Buntai Lt. Suganami Masaji (Rated Aviator) 18 Type 00 A6M2 carrier fighters Kanbaku Buntai Lt. Ikeda Masatake (Rated Aviator) 15 Type 99 D3A1 carrier bombers 1 Type 02 D4Y1-C reconnaissance plane (1 other lost) Kanko Buntai Lt. Abe Heijiro (Rated Observer) 18 Type 97 B5N2 carrier attack planes 6th Kokutai (for stationing at Midway) 3 Type 00 A6M2 carrier fighters Japanese Invasion Group Carrier (not engaged): CVL Zuiho Capt. Obayashi Kansen Buntai Lt. Hidaka Moriyasu -12 Type 96 A5M4 carrier fighters Kanko Buntai Lt. Matsuo Kaji -12 Type 97 B5N1 carrier attack planes Japanese Invasion Group Seaplane Tenders (not engaged): CVS Chitose Capt. Furukawa Tamotsu Chitose Air Unit 7 Type 00 F1M2, 16 x Type 95 E8N2 AV MS Kamikawa Maru Capt. Shinoda Tarohachi Kamikawa Maru Air Unit 4 Type 00 F1M2, 4 Type 00 E13A1, and 4 Type 95 E8N2 Regards, Rich
Originally posted by RLeonard@Feb 13 2005, 10:54 PM "SBC" Vindicator dive-bombers from Midway. Held together with duct tape. Actually they were Vought SB2U's. SBC's were Curtiss biplanes and there were none at Midway. Also, the "Held together with duct tape." is just another Midway legend. Not really true. Sorry I got the title of the Vindicator wrong, but the tape holding them together comes from Walter Lord's "Incredible Victory." Parts of them were held together with tape, not the entire machine. The story is expanded beyond definition.
