[knusel]

Conclusion: the Vought SB2U Vindicator flew 17 action sorties for the USA in WW2, the lowest number of any USN/USMC type. All these were flown in the battle of Midway by VMSB-241. 11 were flown on 4Jun, another plane had to return and was not counted to the action sorties total. In the same evening five planes were sent on a search mission that was not counted to the action sorties total. The next day 6 action sorties were flown but without aerial opposition. The aerial kill total of 6 for this aircraft type indicated in "NAVAL AVIATION COMBAT STATISTICS WORLD WAR II" by the OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS is most likely a wrong interpretation of the VMSB-241 Battle Report. The correct SB2U total is two, one scored by Whitten/Zelnis, the other by one of the 11 crews that participated in the first mission on 4Jun or a combination of these.

The data and considerations of R Leonard are gratefully appreciated.