A Grumman F4F-4 <i>Wildcat</i> (BuNo 5246) of Fighting Squadron 72 (VF-72) from the aircraft carrier USS <i>Hornet</i> (CV-8) after landing aboard USS <i>Enterprise</i> (CV-6) during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October 1942. The aircraft had been flown by Ensign Philip E. Souza. It was heavily damaged by Mitsubishi A6M2 <i>Zero</i>s from the aircraft carrier <i>Zuihō</i> while escorting a strike from <i>Hornet</i> at circe 0900 hrs. Souza reached the <i>Enterprise</i> circa at 1120 hrs, shortly before the carrier was attacked by dive bombers from the Japanese aircraft carrier <i>Junyō</i>. The <i>Wildcat</i> 5246 broke loose during the evasive maneouvering and slid across the deck with a collapsed landing gear. It was quickly pushed over the side.
U.S. Navy photo <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/explore/photography/wwii/wwii-pacific/wwii-pacific-guadalancanal/naval-battles/santa-cruz-islands/80-g-42562.html">80-G-42562</a>