Midway Bombing
4th June – CV 8 USS Hornet launched a CAP in a sector near the Midway Islands. It’s only a question of hours when the Japanese will start their attack versus Midway.
The main part of VF-8 stayed near the CV because nobody knows where the Japanese fleet was at the moment. Near Midway, the CAP spotted a formation of Japanese Val dive bombers heading eastwards, escorted by fighters.
Lt.Co. Robert Schneider adviced the other pilots to stay in formation and to head directly for the bombers. They had an advantage coming out of the sun.
The enemy flight were three bombers and three fighters. Their target: The Airfield and military installations on Midway.
Lt. Chapman and his wingman Lt.Jg. Kyte closed the formation.
The Japanese Zero fighter escort realized the incoming Widcats and prepared intercept maneuvers.
Lt.Co. Schneider and Lt. Chapman concentrated their fire on the leading bomber, ignoring the attacking Zeroes. Bullets from a Zero hit the squadron leaders sturdy Wildcat, but the shooter was hit himself by Lt.Jg. Sieradzki’s MG fire.
A seconds later, cannon and MG shells from another Zero hit Lt.Jg. Sieradzki’s plane. A distracted bullet wounded the US pilot on the shoulder.
Lt.Jg. Kyte shot at another Japanese Zero, hitting the fuselage.
VF-8 breached into the bomber formation. All bombers were damaged by MG fire, but no critical hits were dealt out. The Jap gunners answered with angry MG fire.
Unfortunately a black marked Zero shot down Lt.Jg. Kyte’s plane with a single salvo from his cannons and MGs. The US pilots heared a short message in the radio: “Damn’ – going down…” but have no chance at the moment to have look for their comrade.
The price seemed too high for the island defence. But the airfield had to be operational at all costs.
The Wildcat formation passed the bombers, followed by MG fire from the Jap gunners.
Lt.Co. Schneider and the rest of the formation turned with Immelmann maneuvers to hunt the bombers. The Japanese Zeroes turned to go for the US fighters.
Lt. Chapman realized that Lt.Jg. Kytes’s last shot sealed the fate of the leading dive bomber. The plane dropped burning in the sea.
He heads directly for the nearest incoming Zero and both planes exchange bullets and hit each other.
When passing Lt. Chapman’s Wildcat, the Zero became a victim of Lt. Co. Grumman F4F-4’s incredible firepower. The first aerial victory of this fight!
Meanwhile Lt. Chapman was in range of one of one of the bombers.
The both remaining Zeroes performed Immelmann turns, but they misjudged the speed of the US planes.
A fatal mistake! Lt.Co. Schneider and Lt. Chapmann concentrated their fire on the Zero with the red markings and sent the Jap to the sea. A shared kill!
Lt. Sieradzki headed for the other Zero, but missed. But the Japanese himself couldn’t hit him, too.
Lt.Co. Schneider reacted quickly and adviced his Wingman to break off the formation and to go for the last Zero.
He and Lt. Chapmann concentrated their fire again. This time on of the dive bombers.
The Jap gunner didn’t seem to like Lt. Chapmanns company, sending stripes of bullet fire versus his Wildcat. The steady gunner fire became critical.
Lt.Jg. Sieradzki managed to get on the last Zeroes six and damaged it.
A well placed and incredibly quick salvo from the squadron leader‘s MGs finished the second bomber off. (Ace ability / Itchy Trigger Finger)
The dive bomber went down to the Pacific waves.
VF-8 destroyed the last two Japanese attackers.
The Zero had no chance to escape and Lt.Jg. Sieardzki scored his first aerial victory.
Lt.Co. Schneider and Lt. Chapman finished off the last dive bomber, together. Another shared aerial victory.
With a damaged engine (a final present from the Jap gunner), one pilot wounded and all planes seriously damaged, VF-8 returned to the USS Hornet.
The attack on Midway continued, but VF-8 had done his part by shooting down three bombers, before they reached Midway.
Bookmarks