KITS 10/2021

Lt. Cdr. D. McCampbell, CO of CAG-15, USS Essex, June 1944

The future top American fighter ace, David McCampbell, was born on January 16, 1910, in Bessemer, Alabama. After graduating

from the United States Naval Academy in 1933 next year he was posted to the light cruiser Portland (CA-33). In 1937 he was

accepted to the pilot training at NAS Pensacola. He received his “wings” on April 21, 1938 and was posted to VF-4 on the board

of USS Ranger (CV-4). This was followed by the service on USS Wasp (CV-7) as an LSO (Landing Signal Officer). After Wasp

was sunk, he first taught the future LSOs at NAS Melbourne. On September 1, 1943, he was promoted to command VF-15 and in

February 1944 he was given command of CAG-15 (Carrier Air Group) operating from USS Essex (CV-9). At the controls of this

aircraft, during June 1944 battles over Saipan, Philippine Sea and Guam, he scored 10.5 kills (5xD4Y, 4½x A6M, 1xKi-49) out of his

total 34 victories. The Minsi was scrapped in September 1944 after the damage sustained by AA fire and after that Campbell flew

F6F-5 named The Minsi II and III.

VF-27, USS Princeton, October 1944

The most striking markings applied to the Hellcat were applied to the aircraft of VF-27 on the USS Princeton (CVL-23). The

sharkmouth and bloodshot eyes seared themselves into the memory of more than one Japanese pilot. The sharkmouth and

eyes were applied to all the Hellcats serving with VF-27 by one of its pilots, Robert Burnell, and with them, wreaked havoc everywhere they operated in the Pacific. Over this span, they accounted for some two hundred downed enemy aircraft. The end of

combat for VF-27 came about on October 24th, 1944, when the Princeton suffered a Japanese bomb hit. A major fire ensued, and

the Princeton was finally sunk using torpedoes launched from friendly ships. Only a few aircraft that were in the air at the time

landed on the USS Essex. One of them was this Hellcat, with the uncommon ‘F11’ marking and with two kill marks in the form of

small Japanese flags below the cockpit.

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INFO Eduard - October 2021