{"title":"Fighter Squadron 52 (VF-52) WW2","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"collection-content\"\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eFighter Squadron 52 (VF-52) WW2\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFighter Squadron 52 (VF-52) flew the Grumman F6F Hellcat from \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/uss-bunker-hill-cv-17-merchandise\"\u003eUSS Bunker Hill (CV-17)\u003c\/a\u003e as part of the unprecedented expansion of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/u-s-navy\"\u003eUS Navy\u003c\/a\u003e air power during \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/world-war-ii-merch\"\u003eWorld War II\u003c\/a\u003e. By 1945, the Navy had over 100 \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/u-s-navy-aircraft-carriers\"\u003eaircraft carriers\u003c\/a\u003e in the Pacific,the most powerful naval air force ever assembled, and VF-52 was part of that force.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAboard USS Bunker Hill\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/uss-bunker-hill-cv-17-merchandise\"\u003eUSS Bunker Hill (CV-17)\u003c\/a\u003e earned 11 battle stars before being devastated by two kamikaze strikes off Okinawa on May 11, 1945. The first Zero crashed through the flight deck into the pilots' ready rooms; thirty seconds later, a second struck near the base of the island. The resulting fires and explosions killed 393 men and wounded 264,one of the deadliest attacks on any American warship during the war. Despite catastrophic damage, her crew saved the ship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVF-52 served as part of Carrier Air Group 52 from 1944-1945, 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 provided fighter cover for the fleet and struck Japanese military targets during Philippines Campaign and Okinawa Campaign.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAircraft\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pilots of VF-52 earned their place in history. Honor them with authentic \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/u-s-navy\"\u003eNavy\u003c\/a\u003e squadron gear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/tacticallyacquired.com\/collections\/fighter-squadron-52-vf-52-ww2.oembed","provider":"Tactically Acquired","version":"1.0","type":"link"}