Fighter Squadron 44 (VF-44) WW2

Fighter Squadron 44 (VF-44) flew the Grumman F6F Hellcat,the fighter that compiled a 19:1 kill ratio and 5,223 aerial victories in the Pacific. Serving aboard USS Langley (CVL-27) as part of Carrier Air Group 44, VF-44 deployed to the Pacific Theater from 1944-1945 during World War II.

USS Langley

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-44 participated 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, flying combat missions during Philippines Campaign and Okinawa Campaign. The squadron was part of the Navy's massive expansion of fighter strength that gave the Fast Carrier Task Force overwhelming air superiority in the final campaigns. Operating from USS Langley's flight deck, VF-44's Hellcat pilots provided fleet air defense, escorted bomber strikes, and conducted fighter sweeps against Japanese airfields.

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-44 gear and naval aviation merchandise.