Fighter-Bomber Squadron 7 (VBF-7) WW2

Fighter-Bomber Squadron 7 (VBF-7) flew the Vought F4U Corsair,the fastest carrier-based fighter of World War II. Serving aboard USS Hancock (CV-19) in 1945, VBF-7 was part of the Navy's new fighter-bomber program that combined air superiority and ground attack capabilities in a single squadron.

The VBF Concept

The 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.

USS Hancock

USS Hancock (CV-19) was an Essex-class carrier that entered the Pacific War in late 1944. She earned four battle stars during strikes against Formosa, the Philippines, the South China Sea, and the Japanese home islands. On April 7, 1945, a kamikaze struck Hancock during the Okinawa campaign, killing 62 crew members and wounding 71. After emergency repairs, she returned to action within weeks.

VBF-7 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 VF-7, the VBF Corsair pilots handled both air-to-air combat and precision bombing missions.

The 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.

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