Fighter Squadron 46 (VF-46) WW2

Fighter Squadron 46 (VF-46) flew the Grumman F6F Hellcat from USS Cabot (CVL-28) as part of the unprecedented expansion of US Navy air power during World War II. By 1945, the Navy had over 100 aircraft carriers in the Pacific,the most powerful naval air force ever assembled, and VF-46 was part of that force.

Aboard USS Cabot

USS Cabot (CVL-28) earned the Presidential Unit Citation and nine battle stars for her outstanding combat record. Cabot fought from the Marshalls through the Philippines and Okinawa. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944, Cabot's aircraft helped sink the Japanese battleship Musashi,at 72,000 tons, the largest warship ever sunk by carrier aircraft.

VF-46 served as part of Carrier Air Group 46 from 1945, participating in carrier operations across the Pacific Theater, striking Japanese-held islands, providing fleet air defense, and supporting the island-hopping campaign that drove American forces from the Gilberts to Japan's doorstep. The squadron provided fighter cover for the fleet and struck Japanese military targets during Pacific operations.

Aircraft

The Grumman F6F Hellcat compiled a 19:1 kill ratio against Japanese aircraft,the highest of any fighter in the Pacific Theater. Between its combat debut over Marcus Island on August 31, 1943, and VJ-Day, Hellcat pilots claimed 5,223 aerial victories, accounting for 56 percent of all Navy and Marine air-to-air kills. Armed with six .50-caliber Browning machine guns and capable of carrying 2,000 pounds of ordnance, the F6F was equally lethal in air combat and ground attack.

The pilots of VF-46 earned their place in history. Honor them with authentic Navy squadron gear.