Pacific Profiles Volume 19

A detailed profile of American night fighters in the Pacific War, covering aircraft, units, and secretive operations.

The Pacific Profiles series presents the most accurate WWII profiles of aircraft which served in the Pacific War. This Volume 19 covers American night fighters that served throughout the Solomons, New Guinea, the Philippines and the wider Pacific from 1943 until the end of the war. The Pacific night fighter story is a fascinating one for aviation enthusiasts, partly because of the obscure and sometimes secretive nature of these operations. Furthermore, it encompasses USAAF, USN and USMAC units.

The technologically advanced P-61 Black Widow eventually served with eight USAAF night fighter squadrons, but by the time it arrived in frontline service the Japanese aerial threat was much diminished. Instead, these squadrons took on a myriad of other tasks, including nocturnal night intruder missions. Prior to the arrival of P-61s in late 1943, the early USAAF night fighter units pioneered use of the makeshift Douglas P-70 as well as radar-equipped P-38s.

An important contribution to Solomons night operations was made by a USMC unit operating the PV-1 Ventura during 1943-44. Meanwhile two USN night fighter squadrons operated the rare radar-equipped F4U-2 Corsair, of which only three dozen were built.

The author is world-renowned for his Pacific air war expertise. Never before have so many diverse types been illustrated with such accuracy and detail, alongside brief histories of their usage and the units which operated them.