American Nightfighter Aces of World War 2

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ANDREW THOMAS is one of Britain's most pre-eminent RAF researchers, having published numerous squadron histories. Currently a serving officer in the RAF, this is his seventh book for Osprey, and he is working on a volume (with co-authors Kari Stenman and Lionel Persyn) detailing the exploits of Curtiss Hawk aces for

OSPREY

AIRCRAFT

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publication in this series in 2009.

WARREN THOMPSON has published more than a dozen books with Osprey since 1990. Although an acknowledged Korean War specialist, he has also covered US aircraft and units involved in World War 2, Vietnam War, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. This volume complements Warren's Combat Aircraft title on the P-61 Black Widow. He is currently working on a Combat Aircraft volume on F4U Corsair Units in the Korean War for publication in 2009.

Profile artist CHRIS DAVEY has illustrated more than 25 titles for Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces, Combat Aircraft and Elite Units series since 1994. Based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and one of the last traditional airbrush artists in the business, he has become the artist of choice for both USAAF fighters and RAF subject matter.

American Nightfighter Aces of World War 2

SERIES EDITOR: TONY HOLMES OSPREY AIRCRAFT

OF

THE

ACES • 84

American Nightfighter Aces of World War 2 Andrew Thomas and Warren Thompson

Front Cover Between May and July 1945, the Japanese threw everything they had into the air in a last ditch attempt to cripple the massive Allied fleet of

First published in Creat BritJin in 2008 by Osprey Publishing

CONTENTS

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ships that was concentrated around the island of Okinawa. Aircraft attacked these vessels both day and night, and a handful of nightfighter units were charged with repulsing the raids after dark. Future ace Maj R Bruce Porter became CO of Marine

© 2008 Osprey Publishing Limited All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988, no part of this publication may be reproduced,

Corps nightfighter squadron VMF(N)-542 on Okinawa on 22 May,

>rored in a retrieval system, or transmilled in any form or by any means,

the pilot joining the unit with three

electronic, electrical, chemical, mechanical, optical, phorocopying, recording

kills to his name following a tour with VMF-121 on Guadalcanal in 1943. Looking for two victories to make him an ace, Porter finally got his chance on the night of 15 June. Flying his personal F6F-5N

or orherwise without prior written permission. All enquiries should be

Hellcat BuNo 78669 Black Death, he set off on a patrol from the airfield on Ie Shima. 'The night was completely dark - there was no moonlight whatsoever, and an extremely thick cloud cover', Porter recalled in his autobiography, Ace! A Marine Nightfighter Pilot in World War 2. Climbing to an altitude of 10,000 ft, he was 45 minutes into the mission when he was vectored onto a twin-engined Japanese Ki-45 'Nick' by his Ground Control Intercept officer, call-sign 'Handyman'. Switching on his fighter's wingtip-mounted AN/APS6 centrimetric radar, Porter followed the tiny orange blip that appeared on the display screen in his cockpit until he caught sight of the fighter's exhaust flames. He promptly shot the aircraft down from close range. Returning to his patrol line, Porter maintained his position off the northern coast of Okinawa for another hour before 'Handyman' announced that he had a second contact. As he closed on the target, seeking visual identification, he could tell by the flames coming from its exhaust stacks that it was a G4M 'Betty' bomber, but there was something very different about it. When just 250 ft away from the contact, Porter realised that the 'Betty' had a Baka flying-bomb attached to its belly. The intruder was trying to get close enough to the fleet to release its manned suicide weapon. 'I drifted upward a bit to get a good belly shot. By the time I reached a comfortable height, I had

CHAPTER ONE

GROPING IN THE DARK 6

addressed ro the publisher.

CHAPTER TWO

ISBN 13: 9781846033063

SERVING THE KING 1 3

Edited by Tony Holmes & Bruce Hales-DLmon

CHAPTER THREE

Page design by Tony Truscott Cover Arrwork by Mark Postlcthwaite

YANKS IN BEAUS 31

Aircraft Profiles by Chris Davey Index by Alison Worrhingron

CHAPTER FOUR

Originated by PDQ Media Digital Media Solutions Printed in Hong Kong through Bookbuilders 08 09 10 11 12

ENTER THE BLACK WIDOW 55

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 I

CHAPTER FIVE

For a catalogue of all books published by Osprey please contact: ORTH A IER1CA

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Osprey Direcr, c/o Random House Distriburion Center, 400 Hahn Road, Westminster, 1\110 21157

APPENDICES 89

E-mail:[email protected] ALL OTHER RECIO Osprey Direcr

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E-mail: [email protected]

COLOUR PLATES COMMENTARY 91 BIBLIOGRAPHY 95 INDEX 96

www.ospreypublishing.coll1 ACKNOWI F.I)CE~IF.NTS

The authors wish to thank Robert Bolinder, Tom Cunningham, Jane Dear, Par Dellamano, Bill I-less, James F Luma DFC, David Powers, Russ Reiserer, Cp Capt R D Schultz DFC CD, Barrett Tillman, Fit Lt V A Williams DFC and the staff at the Tailhook Association for their help with this book.

closed to within 250 ft. Then I slowly squeezed both triggers (Porter's F6F-5N Hellcat was the only one in the squadron fitted with a pair of 20 mm cannon and four 0.50-cal machine guns). After only a second or two the wing fuel tanks ignited in a garish explosion, and

the sky in front of my windscreen was filled with an expanding ball of flame. What a night! "Handyman" and I had scored a rare double night kill, and I had fulfilled my fondest ambition as a fighter pilot. I was an Ace!' (Cover artwork by Mark Postlethwaite)

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UNIQUE ACHIEVEMENT----

Of all the US nighrflghrer aces of World War 2, the achievemenrs of Lt(jg) John Dear's detachmenr commander, Lt Russ Rei erer, are rhought ro be unique. Nor only was his rally of nine kills achieved during borh day and nigh t operations, but he was also a mem ber of the exclusive fraterniry offlghter pilots credited with five or more kills in a single day. Reiserer had servcd with F4 F-4 Wildcat-equipped VF-I 0, embarked in Enterprise, in 1942/ 3, and c1aimcd a solirary vicrory with the squadron. Following rwo monrhs with VF-S in July-Augusr 1943, he became a founder member of VF( )-76 when it formed. Made CO of rhe fouraircraft Derachmenr 2 embarked in Hornet, Reiserer would lead his pilors by example, claiming a number of rhe 27 vicrories credited ro rhe flighr berween April and eptcmber 1944 - I I of rhese were achieved ar nighr. Aside from Reisercr, Lt(jg)s John Dear and Fred Dungan also 'made ace' wirh Det 2. VF( )-76's Det I on Bunker Hillclaimed eighr kill (f, ur ro CO Lt Cdr Aurand) whilc Dcr3 on 55 Lexington ( V- 16) jusr one.

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F6F-5N Hellcat nightfighters of CVG(NI-41 prepare to take-off from Independence in late 1944. This air group was credited with 46 day and night aerial victories I Tailhook Association)

A VT(N)-41 TBM-3D departs Independence off Ulithi in late 1944. Launching in the late afternoon, the aircraft would then hunt for Japanese shipping after dark I Tailhook Association)

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The F4U-2Ns ofVF(N)-1 0 1 claimed five kills during rhe same rimc. As rcvealed in rhiscl13prer, rhe bulk ofrhe vicroriesscored by nighrflghrer pilors in 1944 were scored during convenrional daylighr missions in radarlessaircrafrborrowed from flghterunitswithin theairgroup. VF(N) pilors routinely complaincd of insufficient time for nighr flying, and although the succcsses dcmonstrated by radar-equipped Hcllcars and Corsairs proved thc concepr worked, carrier captains and the air bosses that ran the flightdecks remained reluctant to respor decks after dark merely ro accommodate one or rwo 'bar reams'. The reliabiliry of the equipment fitted inro rhe F6F-3 Is and F4 -2Ns also hindered the units' operabiliry, with electronics personnel hardpressed ro meer operational schedules wirh only four aircraft per dct. Carrier captains, rherefore, often regarded smart shiphandling and thick flak as rhe besr prorecrion againsr nocrurnal air arrack. ighrflghrcr pilors disagreed, bur rhey needed sufflcienr aircrafr and supporr ro prove rhcir point. Something more substanrial rhan a four-aircrafr der per carricr was needed. Fasr carriers necded a nighr air group, and rhar is whar rhcy gor.

NIGHT AIR WING On thc nighr of 17 February, during rhe carrier srrikc on Truk Aroll, Imrepid was badly damagcd when ir was hir in rhc srern by an acrial rorpedo droppcd from a Japancsc aircrafr rhat had slippcd pasr a pan·olling F6F-3N. This arrack, and rhc subsequent achicvcmcnts of rhc VF(N) ders in rhc Pacific, convinccd scnior offlccrs in rhc US Nav)' rhat full-time nighr air group was a good idca. By Augusr such an organ isarion cxisred in rhe form ofCarricr ighr Air Group 41, embarkcd in SS Independmce (CVL-22). Consisring of VF(N)-41, with 19 F6F-5s and 14 F6F-5Ns, and VT( )-41, wirh ninc TBM-IDs, rhc air group

claimed irs first kills on 12 Seprember when furure accs Lt William Henr)' and Ens Jack Berkhcimer downed a snooping Ki-46 'Dinah' derected near the rask forcc jusr afrer dawn. The air group's rrue baprism of flrc came on rhe nighr of 12/13 Ocrober off rhe coast of Formosa. Plcnty ofopposirion was expected ro VT(N)-41's missions againsr bases on rhe island, and thar is exactly whar happened. Torpedo-carrying 'Berty' bombers arrempting ro make a low-level run on Independence were inrercepred by several Hellcar nighrflghrer CAPs rhat had been launched ro prorecr rhe rask group. Three raiders were shor down, cwo of which fell ro Lr Henry when he intcrcepred thc incoming bogies ar very low level. He was awardcd the Navy Cross for his aCtions. Three nighrs later thc air group launched further Hcllcars, which shor down a trio of Kawanishi H8K 'Emily' flying boars ar 0230 hrs. One of rhcse fell ro Lr Henry, making him Carrier lighr Air Group 1's first acc. By rhe rime Independence complered irs combar rour in January 1945, Henry had increased his rally ro 9.5 kills, seven of which wcre genuine nighr viCtories. The S Navy's onl), orher VF(N) night acc, Ens Jack Berkheimer, also served wirh VF( 1)-41, and he claimed 7.5 victories (5.5 ar nighr). Berkheimer failed ro rerum from a nighr mission over Luzon on 16 December 1944. Independences air group had pioncered operations with a large force of nighrflghters, and rhe racrics it formulared were ro serve rhe S av)' well until war's end. Records show rhar Carrier light Air Group 41 shor down 46 enemy aircraft, 27 of which fell during the hours of darkness. A srring of'probables' and enemy aircrafr lisred as 'damaged' was added ro rhe group's achievements. Carrier ighr Air Group 41 was replaced aboard Independence by CVG(N)-90, whose VF(N)-90 was equipped wirh 34 F6F-5E/ sand VT(N)-90 21 TBM-3Ds. In February 1945 CVL-22 l"Crurned ro day operations, and CVG( )-90's units were divided up be[ween Ente;prise and USS Saratoga (CV-3). upporting operations such as rhe invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and srrikes on the Japanese Home Islands, VF(N)-90 claimed 36 aircrafr shot down (plus five by rhe TBlvls of VT( )-90 in four months ofcombat. During the final two mon ths of the war, rhe prorecrion of rhe fasr carrier force ar nighr was entrusred ro CVG(N)-91, embarked in SS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31). Irs VF( )-91 claimed nine kills in July-Augusr 1945, including five in 40 minutes on 13 Augusr- rhe lasr Allied nighrflghter kills of World War 2.

Lt William E Henry was the US Navy's top nightfighter ace of World War 2. He is credited with 9.5 kills6.5 of which were scored at nightwhile operating from Independence with VF(NI-41 IBil/ Hessl

HIDDEN DANGERS - - - - - A nocrurnal aerial arrack was nor rhe only hazard facing US Navy vessels in rhe Pacific. Lurking benearh rhe ocean's surface was the deadly

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his rounds bracketed the starboard engine. It burst into Flames and the bomber dived Into the sea.

Corps' sale true nightflghter ace of

Baird's success resulted in cele-

the war was to go to Capt Robert

brations within the squadron, but

Baird. Having completed a combat

he had certainly not finished. Six

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US NIGHTFIGHTER ACES IN RAFjRCAF SERVICE Nightfighter and Intruder Aces Name

Service

Unit

Total

Theatre/s

A A Harrington CEEdinger J FLuma CLJohnson CLJasper

USAAF RCAF USAAF RAF RCAF

410 410 418 227 418

7/-/-

UK UK UK MedME UK

6/-/1 5/-/2 45/-/4/-/-+3 Vl

Nightfighter, Intruder and V1 Aces and other notable pilots Name

Service

Unit/s

Total

Theatre/s

T GAnderson S Cornforth PY Davoud EB Edgett GA Holland J SHolland B FMiller PT Park

RCAF RAF RCAF RCAF RCAF RCAF USAAF RCAF

418 23 410.409.418 272 605 46. 227 605. FlU. 501 89. 108

2/-/2/-/1 1/1/1 2/1/4/-/1 15/-/2 1/-/2 + 9 Vl 3/-/-

UK UK. MedME UK MedME UK MedME UK MedME

Notes Note that pilots with less than five victories are included because of their inclusion in Aces High. Stars & Bars or Those Other Eagles. or where there may be doubt as to their actual scores Theatre Abbreviations UK - United Kingdom and northwest Europe MedME - North Africa and Mediterranean

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USAAF P-61 BLACK WIDOW ACES

COLOUR P l A T E S - - - - - - - - - - -

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Maj CCSmith (with radar observer 1Lt PBPorterl, 418th NFS -7 kills (includes 2 while flying P-38sl and 2 probables

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1Lt H EErnst (with radar observer 1Lt EH Kopsel) 422nd NFS - 5 kills and 2 damaged (plus 1V1 destroyed)

1 Beaufighter IIF T3145/KP-K of Wg Cdr P V Davoud, No 409 5qn RCAF, Coleby Grange, March 1942

Ju 52/3ms 0 become an ace. However, the follOWing day, dunng an attac on a heavily-armed E-boat, he was shot down and killed together WI h his navigator, Sgt R A Webb.

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In early 1942, T3145 was the regular aircraft 0 the CO, Wg Cdr

1Lt EDAxtell (with radar observers 1Lt BOrzel, 1Lt J UMorris, 1Lt CH Morrison and 1Lt J FCrew). 422nd NFS - 5 kills and 2 probables 1Lt PA Smith (with radar observer 1Lt RETierney), 422nd NFS - 5 kills and 1 probable (plus 1V1 destroyed) 1Lt RFGraham (radar observer, with pilots 1Lt RGBolinder and Capt RA Anderson). 422nd NFS - 5 kills and 1 probable Lt R 0 Elmore (with radar observer 1Lt LFMapes). 422nd NFS - 4 kills (plus 1V1 destroyed)

US NAVY NIGHTFIGHTER ACES

Paul Y Davoud, who had claimed the squadron's first victory

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the prevIous November He flew thiS aircraft for the first time on a night flying test on 23 February, accompanied Fig Of

Mosquito II DZ234/VP-V of Pit Off 5 J Cornforth,

Pynn, and again the following nlg t on a GCI practice. All his

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claims, however, were made while flying with Pit Carpenter Davoud had arrived follOWing the death of

Stanley Cornforth arrived In Malta to JOin No 23 Sqn on 16 January 1943, and flew his first miSSion from the Island he follOWing nigh when, accompanied by navigator Pit Off

the prevIous CO while converting to the Merlln-englned

Maunce DavIs, he vIsited attacked airfields. The pair flew

Beauflghter, which could be tnc y to handle. Davoud led a Typhoon Wing later In the war, while T3145 was rei ega ed

Intruder miSSions regularly, and on the nigh of 31 January they encountered a pair of Italian S.82 transports heading for North

to training duties. It crashed In S ptember 1943

Afnca Not only did Cornforth shoot both of them down, he

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also chased away their escorting Bf 109. Cornforth and DavIs flew DZ234 for the first time on 8 March on an Intruder mission

Havoc I BT462/VP-Z of 5gt G R Wright RCAF, No 23 5qn,

to western Sicily In poor weather. Repeating that mission two

Ford, 21/22 June 1942 Wnght was an Amencan who had JOined the RCAF, and

nights later, they continued to see action through March until the pair left for an Intruder sortie to eastern Sicily In thiS aircraft

after training was posted to the RAF's No 23 Sqn, flying night

on the evening of 1 Apnl and failed to return.

Lt W EHenry - 6.5 night kills, 3 day kills and 1 probable with VF(N)-41, and one damaged with VS-3 (in SBD-3)

Intruder operations. Having arrived In Apnl1942, he began his operational career on 7 May and first flew thiS aircraft (which

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Ens J Orth - 6 night kills with VF-9

had previously served With No 44 Sqn) on the night of 21 June on an Intruder misSion to Beauvais Wnght's last sortie In

No 89 5qn, Castel Benito, Libya, June/July 1943

BT462 was flown on 5 July when he bombed the marshalling

After raining In Canada, Paul Park was posted to

Ens J S Berkheimer - 55 night kills and 2 day kills with VF(N)-41

yards at Amlens. He converted to the MosqUi 0 soon after-

where he JOined

Lt(jgl RJ Humphrey - 5 night kills and 0.333 day kill with VF-17

wards, and It was while flYing thiS type that he claimed to ave destroyed a Do 217 He was, however, lost dunng

while helping to defend the port 0 Algiers In late 1942. In early 1943 he claimed hiS third, and final, success, but con Inued

Lt RLReiserer -1 night kill and 7 day kills with VF(N)-76, and 1 day kill and 2 damaged with VF-lO (in F4F-41

Lt(jg) J W Dear Jnr - 4 night kills, 3 day kills and 2 probables with VF(N)-76 Lt(jg) FLDungan - 4 night kills, 3 day kills and 1 probable with VF(N)-76 Lt K D Smith - 3 night kills with VF(N)-90 and 2 days kills and 1 damaged with VF-82 (in F6F)

orth Afnca,

089 Sqn and gained hiS first wo successes

to fly defenSive patrols from Libya On 29 June he went on

BT462 had been passed to No 605 Sqn. It was destroyed In a mid-air colliSion WI h another Havoc on 20 July 1942.

a dawn pa rolln V8447, and that night Park was scrambled for a further, albeit uneventful, miSSion He continued to fly thiS aircraft regularly over the next wo weeks, the last time bel g

3 Mosquito II DD712/VP-R of Pit Off 5 J Cornforth,

on 11 July On 3 August V8447 crashed after a tyre had burst on landing The pilo was 17-vlctory HUrricane ace Wg Cdr

No 23 5qn, Bradwell Bay, 15/16 October 1942

DenniS David, who had lust assumed command of the unit.

An American from Pittsburgh, Stanley Cornforth had enlisted In he RAF and JOined No 23 Sqn In early 1942. Initially he flew the

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US MARINE CORPS NIGHTFIGHTER ACES

the type, to central France, was flown on 22 August. All-black DD712 was delivered to the squadron on 8 September and

Capt RBaird - 6 night kills with VMF(N)-533

flown on ItS first operation, In the hands of the unit's CO, and

Mal RBPorter - 2 night kills with VMF(N)-542 and 3 day kills, 1 probable and 1 damaged with VMF-121 (in F4U-l)

Beaufighter VIF V8447/N of Pit Off P T Park RCAF,

another Intruder miSSion on 7 September, by which time

Havoc, before converting to the MosqUito - his first mission on

Mosquito XIII HK465/RA-P of Fit Off R N Geary U5AAF, No 410 5qn RCAF, Castle Camps, January 1944 A Californian, Fit Off DICk Geary JOined the RCAF night fighter unit dunng the summer of 1943 and started flying combat

ace, Wg Cdr Sammy Hoare, 1 days lat r. Cornforth flew

operations In October. Dunng the evening of 3 January 1944,

DD712 for the first time on 15/16 October when he conducted an Intruder miSSion to Twente airfield. ,n Holland This aircraft

accompanied by Fit Sgt Georges, he took off on a mission from Castle Camps III thiS aircraft. Secunng a contact In the Bradwell

failed to return from ItS sixth sortie on 29 November.

Bay area, they chased the Intruder to the edge of the London

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anti-aircraft gun zone before being told to abandon the chase. Geary flew another patrol In HK465 a few nights later, and

Beaufighter VIC EL232/J of Fit Lt C L Johnson, No 227 5qn, Luqa, Malta, November 1942 Onglnally from Oregon, 32-year-old Carl Johnson had a bnef

on the 14 th was vectored onto a returning Bomber Command Halifax On 3 February, he narrowly avoided a head-on collision WI han Fw 190 he had Just Sighted. Geary's a achment ended

bu distingUished career WI h No 227 Sqn on Malta after JOining the unit In Sep ember 1942 On the 25 h he claimed his first

soon af erwards and e returned to USAAF service

success when he shot down a Z 506B lying boat. The

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squadron's role was mainly to Interdict enemy shipping, and

Mosquito VI HJ808/UP-0 of T5gt V J Chipman U5AAF, No 605 'County of Warwick' 5qn, Bradwell Bay, January 1944

dunng one such miSSion on 14 November while flYing thiS EL232, he shot down an escorting Bf 109 Johnson qUickly

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No 23 5qn, Luqa, Malta, March 1943

followed this rare kill by downing a Ju 88 minutes later On 22 November, again flying EL232, Johnson destroyed a pair of

In the early hours of 3 January 1944, USAAF pilot TSgt V J Chipman flew one of No 605 Sqn's first sorties of the year In thiS aircraft when they undertook an Intruder mission to

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