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Old 2nd May 2017, 16:16
BruceMk11 BruceMk11 is offline
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Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

As the 75th Anniversary of the battle approaches, I've wondered who the top scoring fighter pilots were, both US and Japanese.

So, who were they?

Cheers,

Bruce
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Old 2nd May 2017, 17:54
focusfocus focusfocus is offline
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Re: Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

US
John Leppla=5 (VS-2)
John Liska =3 (VS-2)
Noel Gayler=3 (VF-2)
William Hall=3 (VS-2)
Stanley Vejtasa=3 (VS-5)

Michel
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Old 2nd May 2017, 18:36
Frank Olynyk Frank Olynyk is offline
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Re: Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

Leppla had only four claims in the Coral Sea. His fifth claim was on October 26, 1942 at Santa Cruz. Jimmy Flatley is credited with two, and five assists (NC citation). It appears that assists may have been counted as half shares at this time, since otherwise I cannot account for his score of 6.5. It also appears at this time that shared victories received full credit for each pilot (as per World War 1).

Enjoy!

Frank.
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Old 2nd May 2017, 19:35
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Re: Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

Oups! sorry for Leppla:my finger slipped on the wrong key!
Michel
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Old 2nd May 2017, 21:59
bearoutwest bearoutwest is offline
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Re: Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

Perhaps interesting to note that at the time of the Coral Sea battles, John Leppla was a Dauntless scout/dive-bomber pilot in VS-2 and John Liska was his gunner. Stanley Vejtasa was also a Dauntless pilot with VS-5.

...geoff
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Old 3rd May 2017, 09:27
BruceMk11 BruceMk11 is offline
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Re: Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

Thanks for your contributions. Can someone please provide a breakdown of Gayler's claims? And also Flatley?

Any clues as to who the most successful IJN pilots were?

Bruce
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Old 3rd May 2017, 12:19
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Re: Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

Noel A.M. Gayler
20/2/42=3 "Bettys(2 shared) 4°Kokutai
08/5/42=2 "Scout Bombers"
08/5/42=1 "Zeke"(no known Japanese loss)

IJN
Shokaku
Ichiro Yamamoto=4

Michel
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Old 4th May 2017, 09:23
BruceMk11 BruceMk11 is offline
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Re: Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

Thanks Michel
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Old 7th May 2017, 03:14
R Leonard R Leonard is offline
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Re: Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

Bill Leonard, VF-42, was credited with 3. Two F1Ms near Tulagi on 4 May and 1 D3A on 8 May.
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Old 9th May 2017, 08:04
BruceMk11 BruceMk11 is offline
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Re: Battle of Coral Sea: top scorers

Thanks for that extra information.
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