Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 1944
Compiled by Brian John Murphy
United States
Grumman F6F Hellcat
Single-seat monoplane. Succeeded Grumman’s F4F Wildcat in 1943 as the US Navy’s primary fighter plane. Top speed: 375 mph. Armament: six .50-caliber machine guns. Scored more victories than any other US fighter in World War II
Chance Vought F4U Corsair
Single-seat monoplane. Poor carrier landing characteristics, but an outstanding dogfighter. First deployed in 1943. Top speed: 381 mph. Armament: six .50-caliber machine guns.
Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless
Two-seat monoplane. Top US Navy dive bomber in World War II. Entered service in 1940. Top speed: 255 MPH. Armament: two .50-caliber machine guns, two flex-mounted .30-caliber machine guns, 1,000-pound bomb in bomb cradle, wing points for 650 pounds of bombs.
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
Two-seat monoplane. Hard to handle, but a primary attack plane for the US Navy starting in 1943. Top Speed: 281 mph. Armament: two 20mm wing cannons, two .30-caliber machine guns in the rear cockpit, wing points for rockets, torpedo in bomb bay or up to 2,000 pounds of bombs in bomb bay and wing points.
Grumman TBF Avenger
Three-seat monoplane. Used as a torpedo plane and bomber, and in search and reconnaissance. Entered service in 1942. Top speed: 272 mph. Armament: two .50-caliber machine guns, one dorsal-mounted .50-caliber machine gun, one ventral-mounted .30-caliber machine gun, up to 2,000 pounds of bombs in bomb bay and wing points.
Japan
Mitsubishi A6M Zero-sen (“Zeke”)
Single-seat monoplane. The plane against which all Pacific War fighters were judged. Fast and nimble, the Zeke lacked armor plates and self-sealing wing tanks. Top speed: 346 mph. Armament: two 20mm cannon, two 7.7mm machine guns.
Mitsubishi G4M2 bomber (“Betty”)
This two-engine medium bomber had long range and generous bomb capacity. Land-based only. Seven-man crew. Top speed: 264.7 mph. Armament: one 20mm cannon in tail turret, four 7.7mm machine guns—one in nose, two in waist turret, one in top turret—and one aerial torpedo or 1,700 pounds of bombs.
Aichi D3A2 carrier dive bomber (“Val”)
Two-seat monoplane. This obsolescent type, with fixed “trousered” landing gear was a mainstay of the Imperial Japanese Navy. In service since 1939, the Val was meat on the table for Hellcats. Top speed: 242 mph. Armament: two forward 7.7mm machine guns, one rear 7.7mm machine gun, up to 550 pounds of bombs.
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