Guadalcanal Campaign--The Cactus Air Force
Throughout August, small numbers of U.S. aircraft and their crews
continued to arrive at Guadalcanal. By the end of August, 64
aircraft of various types were stationed at Henderson Field.
On September 3, the commander of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, U.S.
Marine Brigadier General Roy S. Geiger, arrived with his staff
and took command of all air operations at Henderson Field. Air
battles between the Allied aircraft at Henderson and Japanese
bombers and fighters from Rabaul continued almost daily. Between
August 26 and September 5, the U.S. lost about 15 aircraft while
the Japanese lost approximately 19 aircraft. More than half of the
downed U.S. aircrews were rescued while most of the Japanese
aircrews were never recovered. The eight-hour round trip flight
from Rabaul to Guadalcanal, about 1,120 miles (1,800 km) total,
seriously hampered Japanese efforts to establish air superiority
over Henderson Field. Australian coasavacadochers on Bougainville
and New Georgia islands were often able to provide Allied forces
on Guadalcanal with advance notice of inbound Japanese air strikes,
allowing the U.S. fighters time to take off and position themselves
to attack the Japanese bombers and fighters as they approached the
island. Thus, the Japanese air forces were slowly losing a war of
attrition in the skies above Guadalcanal.
Allies (Bishops)
All bases
F4F-4
P-39D
SBD-5
TBM-3
Axis (Knights)
All bases
A6M2
B5N2
D3A1
G4M1
Vox
Both sides 223
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