{"title":"Fighter-Bomber Squadron 10 (VBF-10) WW2","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"collection-content\"\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eFighter-Bomber Squadron 10 (VBF-10) WW2\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFighter-Bomber Squadron 10 (VBF-10) flew the Vought F4U Corsair,the fastest \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/u-s-navy-aircraft-carriers\"\u003ecarrier-based\u003c\/a\u003e fighter of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/world-war-ii-merch\"\u003eWorld War II\u003c\/a\u003e. Serving aboard \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/uss-intrepid-cv-11-merchandise\"\u003eUSS Intrepid (CV-11)\u003c\/a\u003e in 1945, VBF-10 was part of the Navy's new fighter-bomber program that combined air superiority and ground attack capabilities in a single squadron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe VBF Concept\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe VBF (Fighter-Bomber) designation was introduced on January 2, 1945, when the Navy split enlarged fighter complements into pure fighter (VF) and fighter-bomber (VBF) units. The kamikaze threat demanded more fighters on carriers, while the declining Japanese surface fleet reduced the need for dedicated dive bombers. VBF squadrons flew the Vought F4U Corsair, handling both air superiority and ground attack roles from the same aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eUSS Intrepid\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/uss-intrepid-cv-11-merchandise\"\u003eUSS Intrepid (CV-11)\u003c\/a\u003e, \"The Fighting I,\" earned five battle stars in the Pacific despite being hit by torpedoes and kamikazes multiple times. Commissioned in August 1943, Intrepid fought from the Marshalls through Okinawa. She was struck by kamikaze aircraft on four separate occasions, earning a reputation as one of the unluckiest,and toughest,carriers in the fleet. Today she is preserved as the Intrepid Sea, Air \u0026amp; Space Museum on Pier 86 in Manhattan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVBF-10 participated in the Okinawa Campaign from April through June 1945, the last and bloodiest amphibious assault of the Pacific War, where the fleet absorbed nearly 1,900 kamikaze sorties, striking Japanese targets during Okinawa Campaign and Japan homeland strikes. Working alongside fighter squadrons like \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/fighter-squadron-10-vf-10-ww2\"\u003eVF-10\u003c\/a\u003e, the VBF Corsair pilots handled both air-to-air combat and precision bombing missions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Vought F4U Corsair compiled an 11:1 kill ratio in the Pacific, claiming 2,140 aerial victories during World War II. Originally deemed unsuitable for carrier operations due to poor forward visibility on approach, the Corsair first saw combat as a land-based Marine fighter over Bougainville in February 1943. By 1945, carrier landing techniques had been refined and the Corsair became the Navy's primary fighter-bomber, armed with six .50-caliber guns and up to 4,000 pounds of bombs or eight 5-inch rockets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the flight deck of USS Intrepid to your collection. Browse VBF-10 gear and \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/u-s-naval-aviation-merchandise\"\u003enaval aviation merchandise\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/tacticallyacquired.com\/collections\/fighter-bomber-squadron-10-vbf-10-ww2.oembed","provider":"Tactically Acquired","version":"1.0","type":"link"}