Landing

IJN Air Units

At the start of the Guadalcanal campaign, the 11th Koku Kantai (Air Fleet) was comprised of the 7-Aug column. Strength at other points in the campaign is also noted.

11th Koku Kantai
Base Unit 7-Aug-42 12-Sep-42 24-Sep-42 New # 10-Oct-42 11-Nov-42
Rabaul
25th Koku Sentai
  Tinian Kokutai
  2nd Kokutai
  3rd Kokutai
  Yokohama Kokutai
  Toko Kokutai
  14th Kokutai (det)
  4th Kokutai
  6th Kokutai (det)
26th Koku Sentai
  Kisarazu Kokutai
  Misawa Kokutai
  Takao Kokutai
  Chitose Kokutai
  31st Kokutai
24 A6M2, 2 J1N1-S
15 A6M3 Zeros, 16 D3A2

6 H6K4 Mavis

2 H8K1 Emily
32 G4M1 Betty

20 A6M2
8 A6M3,


11 H6K4 Mavis
3 H8K1 Emily
12 G4M1 Betty
12 A6M2, 11 A6M3


12 G4M1 Betty

12 G4M1 Betty		 (pilots)
8 A6M2, 1 J1N1-S (39)
16 A6M3 (14), 6 D3A2
20 A6M2, 5 C5M2 (26)
(returned to Japan)
6 H6K4 Mavis
1 H8K1 Emily
(returned to Japan)
13 A6M2, 13 A6M3 (30)

15 G4M1 Betty (23)
12 G4M1 Betty (23)
19 G4M1 Betty (20)
251st
582nd
202nd

851st
802nd

204th


707th
705th
753rd
703rd
954th
956th
~20 A6M2
8 A6M3, 7 D3A2
~20 A6M2

6 H6K4
2 H8K1

28 A6M3


27 G4M1
18 G4M1


9 D3A2,3 D1A2
(back to Japan)
A6M2
(back to East Indies)

(to Shortland)
(to Shortland)




17 G4M2
G4M2
(back to East Indies)
27 G4M1

10 D3A2
Kavieng
(fighters at Rabaul)		 21st Koku Sentai
  Kanoya Kokutai 		 
(Renamed 751st)
16 G4M1 (18),
8 A6M2 (9)
751st
253rd
252nd
18 G4M1
18 G4M1
??
21 A6M3, 5 A6M2
Tulagi Yokohama Kokutai 7 H6K2 Mavis
8 A6M2-N Rufe 		  (returned to Japan)      
Shortland         851st
802nd		   H6K4 Mavis
A6M2-N Rufe
Buin

Hiyo Kokutai		       204th
582nd		   9 A6M3
D3A2
9 A6M2, 9 D3A2

US Navy Air Units

Task Force 61 supplied immediate air cover.

Task Force 61 Air Support: 7-Aug-42
USS Saratoga
Air Group 3		 VF-5
VB-3
VS-3
VT-8		 34 F4F-4 fighters
16 SBD-3
17 SBD-3
15 TBF-1
USS Enterprise
Air Group 6		 VF-6
VB-6
VS-5
VT-3		 36 F4F-4 fighters
17 SBD-3
18 SBD-3
14 TBF-1
USS Wasp
Air Group 72		 VF-71
VS-71
VS-72
VT-7		 30 F4F-4 fighters
15 SBD-3
15 SBD-3
9 TBF-1

Task Force 63 was the Aircraft Available (276) in the South Pacific.

Task Force 63:
Base Units 7-Aug-42 Late Sep-42
Efate 26th Bomb Sqdn
VMF-212*
(other)		 5 B-17E Hvy bombers
5 F4F-3A fighters
4 PBY-5, 3 OS2U
3 F4F-3A
Espiritu Santo VMO-251
VMF-212 (-)
98th Bomb Sqdn (11th BG)
USS Curtiss, VP-23
From carriers:
VF-71 (ex-Wasp)
VS-71 & VS-72 (ex-Wasp)
VS-3 (ex-Saratoga)
VB-6 (ex-Enterprise)
VT-8 (ex-Saratoga)		 15 F4F-3/3P recon fighters
11 F4F-3A fighters
6 B-17E hvy bombers
10 PBY-5, 3 OS2U

13 F4F-3/3P, 2 F4F-4
13 F4F-3A
40 B-17E/F
PBY-5s

8 F4F-4
17 SBD-3
4 SDB-3
8 SDB-3
6 TBF-1
New Caledonia 67th Ftr Sqdn *
42nd Bomb Sqdn
69th Bomb Sqdn

No. 9 Bomb Sqdn RNZAF		 38 P-400/P-39
10 B-17E hvy bombers
10 B-26 mdm bombers

6 Hudson bombers		 10 P-400/ 2 P-39
(to Espiritu Santo)
10 B-26
Nandi, Fijis 70 Fighter Sqdn
431st Bomb Sqdn
70th Bomb Sqdn

No. 4 Bomb Sqdn RNZAF
No. 9 Bomb Sqdn RNZAF		 17 P-39/P-400 fighters
12 B-17E hvy bombers
12 B-26 mdm bombers

3 Singapores
12 Hudson bombers
9 Vincents		  
Tongatabu 68th Ftr Sqdn 24 P-39/P-400  
Samoa VMF-111
VMO-151		 18 F4F
17 SBC, 10 OS2U		  
* Scheduled to deploy to Guadalcanal once the air field was ready. Later splits into 67th and 339th FS.  

USS Enterprise was damaged at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands 24-Aug-42.
USS Saratoga was struck by a torpedo on 30-Aug-42 and returned to the US for repairs.
USS Wasp was struck by a torpedo on 15-Sep-42 and sunk.

 

Cactus Air Force

Late August, 1942

Henderson Field,
Guadalcanal		 USMC MAG 23
 VMF-223 (Green)
 VMF-224 (Green)
 VMSB-231 (Green)
 VMSB-232 (Green)

USAAF
 67th Fighter Sqdn
Capt. Smith
Capt. Galer

Maj. Mangrum


Capt.
19 F4F-4
F4F-4
SBD-3
12 SBD-3


P-39D
P-400
       

Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands (26-Oct-42)

IJN Air Units

11th Koku Kentai: See table above.

Japanese Carrier Units

Kido Butai:
1st Carrier Division (Nagumo)

Escort: CA, 8 DD

 Shokaku
20/27
 A6M2 Zero fighter
21/27 D3A2 Val divebomber
24/18 B5N2 Kate attack bomber
2
 D4Y1 Judy recon
Zuikaku
20/27
 A6M2 Zero fighter
23/27 D3A2 Val divebomber
20/18 B5N2 Kate attack bomber
Zuiho
20/21
 A6M2 Zero fighter (Good)
6/6
 B5N2 Kate attack bomber (Limited)

Support Force:
2nd Carrier Division (Kakuta)
Escort: 2 BB, CA, CL, 10 DD

 Junyo
20/21
 A6M2 Zero fighter (Good)
17/18 D3A2 Val divebomber (Limited)
9/9
 B5N2 Kate attack bomber (Limited)

Japanese Naval Units
Vanguard Force (Abe)

Kirishima, Hiei (BB)
Suzuya (CA), Naga (CL)
Makigumo, Yugumo (DD)
Akigumo, Isokaze (DD)
8th Cruiser Division (Hara)

Chikuma, Tone (CA)
Tanikaze, Urakaze (DD)

US Air Units

Task Force 63 (Fitch)
Guadalcanal (60) VMF-212,121, USMC
VMSB-231 & 232, USMC

67th Fighter Sqdn USAAF		 26 F4F-4 fighters
20 SDB-3 divebombers
2 TBF-1 torpedo
6 P-400 fighters
6 P-39 fighters
Esprirtu Santo (112) VF-71, VF-5, VMO-251
11th BG
VP-10, VP-11
No. 9 Sqdn RNZAF		 24 F4F-4 fighters
39 B-17 hvy bomber
32 PBY flying boats
12 Hudson (RNZAF)
New Caledonia (77)

69th Bomb Sqdn USAAF
No. 9 Sqdn RNZAF		 46 P-39 fighters
15 P-38F fighters
16 B-26 med bomber
13 Hudson (RNZAF)

Task Force 61 (Kinkaid)
USS Enterprise
TF 16 (Kinkaid)
Air Group 10
VF-10
VB-10
VS-10
VT-10
31
 F4F-4 fighter
15 SBD-3 dive bomber
13 SBD-3 dive bomber
9
 TBF-1 attack bomber

USS South Dakota (BB)
USS Portland (CA)
USS San Juan (CL-AA)
USS Cushing, Maury (DD)
USS Mahan, Preston (DD)
USS Conygham, Smith (DD)
USS Hornet
TF 17 (Murray)
Air Group 8
VF-72
VB-8
VS-8
VT-6
32
 F4F-4 fighter
15 SBD-3 dive bomber
9
 SBD-3 dive bomber
15
 TBF-1 attack bomber

USS Northhampton (CA)
USS Pensacola (CA)
USS Juneau, San Diego (CL-AA)
USS Barton, Russell (DD)
USS Anderson, Hughes (DD)
USS Mustin, Morris (DD)

TF64 (Lee)
USS Washington (BB)
USS San Francisco (CL-AA)
6 Destroyers

Moving to circle Guadalcanal from the west, hopefully catching the Tokyo Express's DDs by surprise.