KITS 10/2022

BuNo. 5244, Lt. William Nicholas Leonard, VF-3, USS Yorktown (CV-5), June 1942

Douglas, Arizona native, William Nicholas Leonard

graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis in

1938. In June 1940 he started his pilot training at

Pensacola base and successfully completed it in January 1941 at the 25 years of age. He was ordered

to VS-41 aboard USS Ranger (CV-4) which operated

SBU-1 bombers. After VF-41 was redesigned the original SBU aircraft were replaced with F4F. From June

1941 he flew with VF-42 which was during the Battle

of Midway incorporated into VF-3 operating from the

deck of USS Yorktown (CV-5). Leonard flew the featured Wildcat marked 13. It was a replacements and

re-marked aircraft with its original numeral 26. At

its controls Leonard increased his score by a B5N

Kate bomber. This Wildcat did not carry VF-3 insignia

and it cannot be excluded that after the transfer to

USS Hornet Leonard painted four Japanese flags on

the fuselage representing his current score. There is

even a photograph showing Leonard posing in such

decorated Wildcat on the board of USS Hornet couple

of days after the Battle of Midway. In this case however it is not his personal aircraft. In 1943 Leonard

flew with VF-11 on Guadalcanal and increased his

score by two Zeros shot down.

OVERTREES

#82201X

F4F-3/3A Wildcat

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OVERTREES

#82202X

F4F-4 early Wildcat

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OVERLEPT

#11166-LEPT

MIDWAY

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INFO Eduard

October 2022