What did a Corsair pilot do when his machine guns froze…

What did a Corsair pilot do when his machine guns froze while chasing a Japanese plane over Okinawa?

Short answer

On May 10, 1945, two Marine pilots on combat air patrol encountered a lone Kawasaki Ki-45. Lining up to fire, Robert Klingman found his machine guns had frozen from the altitude. With no other option, he got behind the "Nick" and cut off the plane's rudder with his Corsair's propeller.

Published: October 31, 2026 · Updated: October 31, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

What did a Corsair pilot do when his machine guns froze while chasing a Japanese plane over Okinawa?

F4U at 2023 Oshkosh

A Lone High-Altitude Ki-45

On May 10, 1945, two US Marine pilots were flying a combat air patrol when they encountered a lone Kawasaki Ki-45. Among the Allies, this Japanese twin-engine aircraft was known by the name "Nick." The formation's four aircraft climbed to 20,000 feet and opened fire on the Japanese plane without achieving any results.

Spent Ammunition and Frozen Guns

The chase took the Corsairs up to 38,000 feet, well above their service ceiling. Klingman fired as many as 2,000 rounds. Reusser's ammunition ran out, leaving Klingman to finish the job. When he lined up for the shot, he discovered his machine guns had frozen because of the high altitude. The frozen weapons would not respond.

The Propeller as a Weapon

Klingman resolved the situation with a decision he announced out loud: he was going to hit the Japanese plane with his own aircraft. With no other option, he positioned himself behind the "Nick" and cut the aircraft's rudder with his Corsair's propeller. He pulled back on the stick and brought the propeller down onto the tail of the Japanese twin-engine plane.