{"title":"Fighter Squadron 51 (VF-51) WW2","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"collection-content\"\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eFighter Squadron 51 (VF-51) WW2\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVF-51 flew from a ship with an extraordinary record. \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/uss-san-jacinto-cvl-30-merchandise\"\u003eUSS San Jacinto (CVL-30)\u003c\/a\u003e earned six battle stars and is forever linked to future President George H.W. Bush, who served as an Avenger torpedo bomber pilot aboard her. On September 2, 1944, Bush was shot down over Chichi Jima while attacking a Japanese radio installation. He was rescued by the submarine USS Finback after four hours in the water,two of his crewmates were killed. Bush was 20 years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFighter Squadron 51 (VF-51) served aboard \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/uss-san-jacinto-cvl-30-merchandise\"\u003eUSS San Jacinto (CVL-30)\u003c\/a\u003e as part of Carrier Air Group 51 during \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/world-war-ii-merch\"\u003eWorld War II\u003c\/a\u003e. Flying the Grumman F6F Hellcat in the Pacific Theater from 1943-1945, VF-51 participated in the Central Pacific campaign of 1943-1944, striking Japanese-held islands from the Gilberts and Marshalls through the Marianas as the Navy drove westward toward Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Grumman F6F Hellcat\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Grumman F6F Hellcat was the fighter that broke Japanese air power in the Pacific. Designed as a direct response to the A6M Zero,using intelligence from a captured specimen,the Hellcat combined a 2,000-horsepower Pratt \u0026amp; Whitney R-2800 engine with rugged construction, self-sealing fuel tanks, and 212 pounds of cockpit armor. The result was a fighter that could outclimb, outdive, and outgun the Zero while absorbing punishment that would have destroyed lighter aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVF-51 was part of the massive expansion of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/u-s-naval-aviation-merchandise\"\u003eNavy fighter strength\u003c\/a\u003e during the final year of the Pacific War. The squadron flew combat sorties during Central Pacific and Okinawa Campaign, providing fleet air defense and conducting strike missions against Japanese forces from USS San Jacinto's flight deck.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarry the history. VF-51 t-shirts, hoodies, and heritage gifts,built for those who remember what these squadrons gave.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/tacticallyacquired.com\/collections\/fighter-squadron-51-vf-51-ww2.oembed","provider":"Tactically Acquired","version":"1.0","type":"link"}