November 1943 over Rabaul

by Benedikt Wallisser | Jan 1, 2022 | 1/144 scale, Aircraft, Allied, Axis, Imperial Japan, Models & History, Pacific Theater, USNavy, WW2

November 1943: The USS Saratoga, together with the USS Princeton, attacks the city of Rabaul, an important stronghold of the IJN forces, several times - 1/144 scale Models

The Chase

Hellcat chases a Zero with emergency camouflage over Rabaul during the November 1943 raids. A fictional scene, but one that certainly could have, or even did, take place.

VF-12 over Rabaul

F6F-3 Hellcat of VF-12 aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3) over Rabaul in November 1943

Emergency Camouflaged Zeros of Rabaul

A6M2b of the Jun’yō Fighter Squadron. I have not found many sources on Zeros stationed at Rabaul, also various sources contradict each other regarding the Fighter Squadron of this aircraft. One thing is relatively certain: this aircraft with emergency camouflage was stationed at Rabaul at least in the early summer of 1943.