“ WWII U.S. NAVY FIGHTER PILOT TRAINING ” DOGFIGHTING TACTICS WITH WINGMAN SUPPORT 65104

[@wmsd45]

"Huckleberry Hound" doing the talking is none other John "Jimmy" Thach the one of the greatest fighter leaders in WW2. He led VF-3 in the Coral Sea and Midway becoming an ace, and devised the tactics which had a huge part in defeating the Japanese Zero. After Midway he returned to the states to instruct young Naval aviators and made this film (notice the pre-1943 markings on the aircraft). You might say he ran the original "Top Gun" school. He later returned to the Pacific as a senior Air Operations officer and developed air strategies to combat the Kamikaze attacks. He commanded escort and fleet carriers in the 50s and retired in the 1960s as a full admiral (that's four stars). He was one of the greatest Naval Aviators in History. He was from Arkansas and had a drawl, but a cartoon character he wasn't....

[@RichardJeffryes]

I was waiting for the Thatch weave, but it's a great film anyway

[@elcastorgrande]

@@RichardJeffryes Me too. Thach weave was the tactic that saved the F4F.

[@KyleCowden]

Learn something new every time, "Huckleberry Hound", amazing.

[@johncaldwell-wq1hp]

Thanks for that information !--we Aussies-needed men like him,-in the "Battle-of-the-Coral-sea"-he and his pilot Bretheren-saved our butts-With the Marines-sticking it to the Japs at Guadalcanal !!-my Mom remembers F3F-Widcats -flying under "The Harbor-Bridge"-in Sydney -with people cheering !!-also-the Marine fighter pilots,had a rented Apartment,in McClea--St,Sydney-near the Naval-Base--Where-the used have some''Wild-Party's"-on R.&.R.--with Kings-Cross-(bars & girls)-near by !!--I'm 77 now& my Mom used go out with a U.S.Submariner-in those "Wild-Days"-unfortunately-he was lost at sea.--(that should be-"F4Fs"-Grummans)

[@TXGRunner]

My childhood hero. This was filmed after Midway and Coral Sea, both battles where he successfully led VF-3, from Lexington and then Yorktown, and after his pupil, Butch O'Hare shot down several bombers attacking Lexington in February 1942. O'Hare received a double promotion and Medal of Honor (well earned), but I don't understand why Thach was still just a Lt Cdr when he went to Pensacola. By the Korean War, Thach was only a Captain, commanding a single carrier. He kept reinventing himself. First, he developed beam defense ("Thach Weave") an aerial combat tactic still taught, then he developed group tactics to combat kamikazes. After proving himself as a carrier Captain and task force commander, he pioneered anti submarine warfare tactics. I suppose, in the end it didn't matter as he rose to a 4 star admiral, but I still think he was under-appreciated.

[@coldsamon]

Love these aviation films. In the early 1990s I was paying $30-50 per VHS tape for these kind of films. It was the only way for me to see them back then.

[@spyder8986]

Same here my man .I still have them to this day

[@petesheppard1709]

Zeno's was the place!!

[@KillerBebe]

@@coldsamon I have the tapes on the Atomic tests

[@Chilly_Billy]

I still have the ones on the B-58 Hustler, but haven't owned a VHS player for at least 27 years.

[@Illusions_Of_Life]

My grandfather was a WWII Navy pilot. I love the idea that he may have been shown this video in training back then and here I am able to watch it today. Thank you so much for sharing all these historical videos.

[@MrOshirinoana]

Same here. I found a photo of my grandfather heading to his Hellcat just by searching his name a few years ago.

[@caseytebo7147]

Ahhhh my favorite kind of video to watch!!! Finally one I haven’t seen!! Thanks!

[@CluelessSoldier-0669]

Man I love older films, it's historical value is interesting

[@dpeter6396]

Outstanding!!!

[@signalcabin]

@1:35 The cigar - chewing navigator 🤠

[@jrranch9712]

Wow...Jimmy Thach

[@painful-Jay]

Got that Tojo!

[@Daledavispratt]

Naval air combat: A story of the successful, and the dead...

[@RichardJeffryes]

I'm pretty sure that's Jimmy Thatch with the match sticks showing maneuvers.

[@KillerBebe]

Interesting, this is the same music they used to use in the Flash Gordon serials

[@torcik]

Liszts "Les Preludes"

[@elcastorgrande]

The theme from "The Fighting Lady."

[@KillerBebe]

@@elcastorgrande thanks for the information 😀

[@raymondyee2008]

Those tactics still apply for F6F pilots and a good comparison with the U.S Navy training film “This Is It”.

[@fstop6139]

Actor Frank Wilcox, fighter cover director, is known for playing oil executive John Brewster on the first season of the Beverly Hillbillies.

[@theochan2911]

Wildcats 🎉

[@eddievhfan1984]

Thach sounds an awful lot like a more subdued and less baritone version of Jimmy Stewart, to my ears.

[@mickeybitsko1676]

You don’t go up wit yer wallet in yer back pocket 😺

[@danpatterson8009]

Is that Philip Ahn (of Kung Fu fame) at 10:50? Sure looks like him.

[@ВатнаяфабрикаимениКрасныхпарти]

Больше всего в таких фильмах жаль этнических азиатов, вынужденных играть врагов своего отечества

[@danfarris135]

Wonderful film, but I cant help myself from hearing Huckleberry Hound narrating it.

[@TXGRunner]

That was Jimmy Thach, the inventor of the beam defense (aka "Thach Weave") tactic, which is still taught today. At the time this was filmed, he had 7 1/2 kills to his credit, led VF-3 at both Coral Sea and Midway, and had been Butch O'Hare's CO and mentor. Not exactly the resume of a cartoon character.

[@danfarris135]

@@TXGRunner No disrespect meant. A little before my time and I do appreciate the information provided. These guys were all about the same age as my father would have been. Sounds like a few more American heroes that I need to read up on.