Victory at Sea: US Navy Aircraft

After the devastation of Pearl Harbor the Americans relied heavily on the aircraft of their carrier fleets. By the Battle of Midway, the US Navy had substantial numbers aircraft operating in theatre. The age of the battleship had passed, air power now dominated. Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger: A blessed relief to Devastator pilots when it finally rolled off the production lines, the Avenger was a good torpedo bomber, though this duty took its toll even on purposedesigned aircraft. With a crew of three, it had at least a fighting chance of defending itself and a well-placed torpedo often meant the loss of several aircraft was a worthwhile trade for a sinking enemy warship. Grumman F4F Wildcat: Gaining Grumman a reputation for building tough aircraft, the Wildcat was never given an operational speed restriction. Barrel-shaped and with stubby wings, it was a natural carrier-based aircraft. Popular throughout the US Navy, it also saw service within the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm, where it was initially known as the Martlet. PBY 5 Catalina: The Catalina was used for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) duties, convoy escort, patrol bomber and transport. Armed with five machine guns for defence, it was capable of carrying either a bomb or torpedo load and was responsible for sinking many submarines in both the Atlantic and Pacific theatres.