OK, the intent of this WI is not to change history. On December 8 1941, just before noon, 4 F4F-3’s of VMF-211 were flying patrol over Wake Island when a force of Japanese bombers were sighted moving towards the Island. The Four wildcats had broke up into two two-plane sections to cover as large an area as possible. The two planes who had spotted the incoming bombers realized shortly after that their radios were not working. With four more Wildcats on the ground ready to take off, and another 4 located nearby but with no protection. Ground defenses were caught unaware despite already manning their posts. All 8 planes on the ground would be destroyed, though one would later be recuperated. If the radios on the Wildcat’s had worked and a warning was sent out, would the four planes loaded and ready to take off have enough time to get airborne? What could they have done to the Japanese Bombers? How much more of a defeat would the Wake Island Invasion force have suffered with the additional planes? IMO the takeoff would have been close as the airfield was the first and main target of the attack. Possibly only two of the four planes would get off the ground safely, claiming maybe two of the attackers before it was over. Later on 11 December when the invasion force arrived, the two extra planes making a total of six (at least, maybe more) sorties between them could have been the difference in sinking two of the three cruisers instead of only damaging them. Regardless, the second attempt was supported by two carriers so the squadron would still have met their demise and Wake would be captured as historically occurred. Opinions?
