Versions Of Guadalcanal

Not until later in the game. P-400s of the 67th FS did not arrive until 22 August and was soon found to be unacceptable for higher altitude interception, mostly due to the deficiency of their oxygen system. According to the USAAF official history:

". . . Meantime General Vandegrift at Guadalcanal faced the immediate problem--he had the undesirable aircraft on hand and had to find a use for it. The planes possessed good defensive armor plate and armament consisting of a 20-mm cannon, two .50-caliber and four .30-caliber machine guns; they could each carry one bomb and their engines operated reasonably well at low altitudes. The Japanese, moreover, had shown no extraordinary talent with flak. As an attack plane, then, the P-400 could use its bomb on shipping and shore installations, its 20-mm cannon on landing barges, and its machine guns on enemy personnel.

"About 20 mileseast of Henderson Field, the Japanese held the native village of Tasimboko in some strength. The Marines planned to bring fresh troops from Tulagi, effect a landing east of Tasimboko, strike the position from the rear, and retire the same day. In preparation for this operation, the P-400's tried their wings in a new employment. . . ."

This became the mainstay of P-400s, not to totally exclude them from fighter type encounters, not at all, but they were more often employed in a ground, even sea, attack mode.