Vought F4U Corsair - top ten ace list

[R Leonard]

Ahh, sorry, my goof. Those were the first USN F4U credits. Both VF(N)-75 and VF-17 deployed in October 1943. My material is almost exclusively USN oriented.

I would suppose that one of the first enemy aircraft, an A6M, lost in action against F4Us would be the one that collided with VMF-124's Lt Gordon Lee Lyon, Jr., 14 February 1943 over Bougainville/Kahili, with fatal results for both. This date was VMF-124's first actual combat exposure and, I believe the squadron's third day in theater.

After a quick look through various sources, only Hammel in his "Pacific Air War Chronology" specifically mentions Japanese A6Ms being shot down by F4U pilots on this date. Hammel writes: "And the 3 A6Ms credited to VMF-124 pilots are the first enemy aircraft ever credited to the new F4U."

Not sure if the three included the one from the mid-air and no other names are mentioned.

[twocee]

In his book on Marine Fighter Squadrons Barrett Tillman credits the first shootdown on February 14 to Capt. J.F. Quigley, but I think he meant Joseph F. Quilty.