VF-8 (1941–1942)

Fighting Squadron 8
Active 2 September 1941 – 28 August 1942
Country United States
Branch United States Navy
Part of Inactive
Aircraft F4F Wildcat

Engagements - World War II

Fighting Squadron 8 or VF-8 was an aviation unit of the U.S. Navy. It was originally established 2 September 1941 and disestablished on 28 August 1942.[1]

Operational history

VF-8 was deployed as part of Carrier Air Group 8 (CVG-8) aboard the USS Hornet. Initially equipped with the F4F-3 Wildcat, in February 1942 VF-8 reequipped with the F4F-4 at Naval Air Station Alameda while the Hornet embarked the 16 B-25B Mitchell medium bombers to be used in the Doolittle Raid.[2]

During the Battle of Midway 10 VF-8 F4Fs were forced to ditch due to lack of fuel while searching for the Japanese fleet. Two of the pilots were lost at sea.[3] Following the battle in June 1942 Hornet returned to Naval Station Pearl Harbor where VF-8 was disembarked and replaced by VF-72.[4][5]

VF-8 (1943–1945)

Fighter Squadron 8 or VF-8 was an aviation unit of the U.S. Navy, originally established on 1 June 1943, it was disestablished on 23 November 1945. It was the second US Navy squadron to be designated VF-8.[1] The first VF-8 had been established in September 1941 and was disestablished on 28 August 1942, serving aboard USS Hornet (CV-8).

Operational history

VF-8 under the command of LCDR William M. Collins Jr. was initially assigned to the USS Intrepid during that ship's shakedown cruise in the Caribbean.

In March 1944 the squadron was deployed as part of Carrier Air Group 8 (CVG-8) aboard the USS Bunker Hill until October 1944. During this deployment VF-8 pilot LT Edward L. Feightner scored 5 victories, bringing his total score to 9.

From November 1944 to the end of January 1945 CVG-8 was shore-based at NAS Alameda.[2] From February to mid-May CVG-8 was based at NAAS Watsonville.[3] From late May to early August 1945 CVG-8 was based at NAS Puunene, Hawaii.[4] By September 1945 CVG-8 was based on Saipan.[5]

The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II

Chronology of the USN in WWII

  1939   1940   1941   1942   1943   1944   1945

    Bibliography:

  • Barrett Tillman, Hellcat: The F6F in World War II, Naval Institute Press, 1979
  • David McCampbell article from National Aviation Hall of Fame website
  • Edward Sims, Greatest Fighter Missions, Harper and Brothers, 1962 - This sequel includes U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots
  • Barrett Tillman, Hellcat Aces of World War 2, Osprey

    Magazine References: +

  • Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
  • Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
  • FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
  • Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
  • Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
  • Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
  • Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
  • Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/

      Web References: +

  • History of RAF Organisation: http://www.rafweb.org
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F4U Corsair
  • http://warbirdregistry.org/corsairregistry/corsairregistry.html
  • Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/
  • http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/ Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum New York NY
  • http://www.airzoo.org/ Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum Kalamazoo MI
  • http://www.lsfm.org/aircraft/hellcat.htm Lone Star Flight Museum Galveston TX
  • http://www.nasm.si.edu/nasm/aero/aircraft/grumman_f6f.htmNational Air and Space Museum Washington DC
  • http://www.naval-air.org/ National Museum of Naval Aviation AS Pensacola FL
  • http://www.neam.org/ New England Air Museum Windsor Locks CT
  • http://www.planesoffame.org Planes of Fame Air Museum Eden Prairie MN
  • http://users.ids.net/~qam/qam/ Quonset Air Museum North Kingston RI
  • http://www.aerospacemuseum.org/ San Diego Aerospace Museum North Kingston RI
  • http://www.planesoffame.org/ The Air Museum Planes of Fame Chino CA

 

Send Mail  
Please help us to improve these articles with any additional information or photo's. 
If you should encounter any bugs   broken links,  or display errors just email us.

If you love our website please donate so we can make this site even better !!

 

 

This webpage was updated 10th July 2025

-xxx-