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Nick1986
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Topic: Spitfire Aces in the Pacific Posted: 14-Jul-2012 at 19:36 |
In the Pacific Theater Australian Spitfires and Mustangs were up against Japanese Zero fighters in tough dogfights where only the best planes and pilots survived: http://www.pacificspitfires.com/
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Nick1986
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Posted: 15-Jul-2012 at 19:18 |
One of the top aces was Clive "Killer" Caldwell, a veteran of the North African and Syrian Campaigns. By the time he transferred to the Pacific he already had 22 Hun kills, to which he added seven Japs (one shared with a fellow pilot)
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Nick1986
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Posted: 16-Jul-2012 at 19:11 |
Caldwell's biography. He might have shot down even more Japs had he not been grounded for insubordination: http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/fiftyaustralians/6.asp
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Nick1986
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Posted: 17-Jul-2012 at 20:04 |
Mitsubishi Zero fighter, the most advanced plane of the Japanese air force. It could out-turn the Spitfire with ease, could sustain a climb at a very
steep angle, and could stay in the air for three times as long
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Nick1986
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Posted: 18-Jul-2012 at 19:28 |
Keith "Bluey" Truscott was the second-highest scoring Aussie ace of the war, with 25 kills. A professional footballer before the war, he flew Spitfires in the European theater and Kittyhawks in the Pacific, but was killed in an accident in 1943
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Nick1986
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Posted: 19-Jul-2012 at 19:15 |
Just as Spitfires turned the tide in the Battle of Britain, a squadron in Australia known as "Churchill's Wing" pulled off a similar thing against the Japs. In one dogfight Squadron leader Bill Gibbs destroyed three "Betty" bombers flying over Australia, but by 1943 combat losses had reduced the squadron to just seven aircraft http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=dXBm2n9WcHIC&lpg=PA20&ots=iA2PrtRDzp&dq=bob%20foster%20spitfire%20ace&pg=PA19#v=onepage&q&f=false
Edited by Nick1986 - 19-Jul-2012 at 19:15
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Posted: 20-Jul-2012 at 19:44 |
Kittyhawks flown by another famous squadron of aces: the Flying Tigers. These American pilots volunteered to defend China from Japanese invasion from December 1941 until July 1943
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Nick1986
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Posted: 21-Jul-2012 at 20:05 |
457 Squadron RAAF flew grey Spitfires with shark teeth painted on the nose. They fought in the Battle of Britain before being transferred to the Pacific Theater where they saw action at Morotai and Borneo http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11157.asp
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Nick1986
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Posted: 23-Jul-2012 at 19:26 |
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Nick1986
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Posted: 25-Jul-2012 at 19:40 |
Spitfire of 607 Squadron in Burma
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Posted: 26-Jul-2012 at 19:35 |
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Posted: 27-Jul-2012 at 19:55 |
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Posted: 28-Jul-2012 at 19:17 |
Satoshi Anabuki scored 39 kills in Burma and the Pacific, including one
Spitfire and several Hurricanes. This was exceeded only by Hiromachi
Shinohara's 58 victories over the Russians
http://www.warbirdforum.com/aces15.htm
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Posted: 01-Aug-2012 at 19:57 |
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Posted: 02-Aug-2012 at 20:37 |
RAF spitfires flying in the Pacific had blue roundels lacking the central red dot to avoid confusion with the red sun of Japan. Later the Aussies added a red kangaroo
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Posted: 07-Aug-2012 at 19:08 |
Later in the war Pacific aces had planes like the Lightning or Mosquito. These could carry heavier armament and stay in air longer
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Posted: 08-Aug-2012 at 19:38 |
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Posted: 09-Aug-2012 at 19:00 |
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Posted: 10-Aug-2012 at 20:38 |
This comic book (which can be found in the hardback "All Guns Blazing") features Aussie spitfire pilots going up against Japanese aces
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Posted: 11-Aug-2012 at 19:35 |
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