F4F Wildcat vs A6M2-N 'Rufe': Solomon Islands 1942-43

An illustrated study of the oft-overlooked engagements between the iconic F4F Wildcat and Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force's 6M2-N "Rufe" floatplane during the Solomon Islands campaign.

A number of unique confrontations took place between floatplanes and land-based fighters during the fierce aerial battles fought above the Solomon Islands throughout 1942–43. Whilst the most famous Battle of Guadalcanal "slugfests" saw US Marine Corps/US Navy F4F Wildcats engage the Zero-sens of the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force, the pugnacious Wildcats also came up against the A6M2-N "Rufe" floatplane – termed the 'Zero on floats' by American pilots. Such encounters have gone under-explored and misrepresented in Western histories, with the elusive capabilities of the 'Rufe' and its role combatting raids against Guadalcanal receiving only scant attention.

In this revelatory study, Pacific War expert Michael John Claringbould uncovers an aspect of the Pacific air war that has, until now, remained largely unknown. Operational documents, combat reports and firsthand accounts from both Wildcat and "Rufe" pilots are combined to help align adversaries, in some cases one-on-one, for the first time in print, while archive photographs, formation diagrams and newly commissioned artwork brings the action to life.

Gareth Hector is a digital artist of international standing and has also enjoyed a successful career in computer animation. He is an aviation history enthusiast and has contributed to numerous Osprey titles such as B-52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 1992–2025
and RAF Lightning Units of the Cold War. He lives in Perthshire, Scotland.