Fighter Squadron 32 (VF-32) WW2

Fighter Squadron 32 (VF-32) was assigned to USS Langley (CVL-27) during World War II, flying the Grumman F6F Hellcat as part of the most powerful naval aviation force ever assembled. By 1944, the US Navy had over 100 aircraft carriers in the Pacific, thousands of combat aircraft, and the trained pilots to fly them,and VF-32 was part of that force.

USS Langley: The Ship

USS Langley (CVL-27) was named after aviation pioneer Samuel P. Langley and the Navy's first aircraft carrier, USS Langley (CV-1). This Independence-class light carrier earned six battle stars in the Pacific, serving with the Fast Carrier Task Force from the Philippines Campaign through the final strikes against Japan.

Combat Service

VF-32 served as part of Carrier Air Group 32 from 1943-1945, participating in the Philippines Campaign of 1944-1945, supporting General MacArthur's return to the islands while the fleet endured the first organized kamikaze attacks of the war. The squadron flew combat missions during Philippines Campaign and Okinawa Campaign, providing fleet air defense and striking Japanese military targets across the Western Pacific.

The Grumman F6F Hellcat

Grumman built 12,275 F6F Hellcats between 1942 and 1945, and the aircraft equipped every fast carrier fighter squadron in the Pacific from late 1943 onward. Powered by the 2,000-hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp,the same engine family that powered the F4U Corsair and P-47 Thunderbolt,the Hellcat could reach 380 mph at 23,400 feet and had a combat range of 945 miles. Its combination of speed, firepower, and survivability made it the weapon that won air superiority over the Pacific.

From the flight deck of USS Langley to your collection. Browse VF-32 gear and naval aviation merchandise.