US Navy Air groups - 1941
INDEX
Pacific Fleet
Lexington
Saratoga
Enterprise
Atlantic Fleet
Yorktown
Ranger
Wasp
Hornet
Long Island
Pacific Fleet
CV-2 Lexington
| VF-2 |
16 |
F2A-3 |
Brewster |
Buffalo |
| VB-2 |
15 |
SBD-2 |
Douglas |
Dauntless |
| VS-2 |
15 |
SBD-3 |
Douglas |
Dauntless |
| VT-2 |
14 |
TBD-1 |
Douglas |
Devastator |
| VMSB-231 |
18 |
SB2U-3 |
Vought |
Vindicator (to Midway) |
At the time of Pearl Harbour attack, Lexington was delivering the SB2U Vindicators of the Marine squadron VMSB-231 to increase the Midway defences.
Anyway the Pearl Harbour attack forced the carrier to turn back with all her Vindicators still on board.
The squadron arrived on Midway after a record long range flight on 17 december.
A similar duty involved Enterpise.
CV-3 Saratoga
| VF-3 |
7 |
F4F-3 |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| " |
2 |
F4F-3A |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| VB-3 |
21 |
SBD-3 |
Douglas |
Dauntless |
| VS-3 |
22 |
SBD-3 |
Douglas |
Dauntless |
| VT-3 |
12 |
TBD-1 |
Douglas |
Devastator |
| VMF-221 |
14 |
F2A-3 |
Brewster |
Buffalo (to Hawaii) |
Soon after Pearl Harbour attack, Saratoga took on board VMF-221 for transportation from San Diego (CA) to Pearl Harbour (TH).
CV-6 Enterprise
| VF-6 |
16 |
F4F-3A |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| VB-6 |
17 |
SBD-2 |
Douglas |
Dauntless |
| VS-6 |
10 |
SBD-2 |
Douglas |
Dauntless |
| " |
8 |
SBD-3 |
Douglas |
Dauntless |
| VT-6 |
18 |
TBD-1 |
Douglas |
Devastator |
| VMF-211 |
12 |
F4F-3 |
Grumman |
Wildcat (to Wake) |
At the time of Pearl Harbour attack, Enterprise was coming back to Hawaii after delivering the F4F of the Marine squadron VMF-211 to increase the defences of Wake.
A similar duty involved Lexington.
Atlantic Fleet
CV-5 Yorktown ("on loan" from Pacific fleet)
| VF-42 |
18 |
F4F-3 |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| VB-5 |
19 |
SBD-3 |
Douglas |
Dauntless |
| VS-5 |
19 |
SBD-3 |
Douglas |
Dauntless |
| VT-5 |
14 |
TBD-1 |
Douglas |
Devastator |
Yorktown was temporaly detatched from Pacific fleet to perform Neutrality Patrol in Atlantic Ocean. War caught her VF-5 swapped with Ranger's VF-42.
CV-4 Ranger
| VF-5 |
18 |
F4F-3/3A |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| VF-41 |
17 |
F4F-3 |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| VS-41 |
8 |
SB2U-1 |
Vought |
Vindicator |
| " |
2 |
SB2U-2 |
" |
" |
| " |
3 |
TBD-1 |
Douglas |
Devastator |
| VS-42 |
9 |
SB2U-1 |
Vought |
Vindicator |
| " |
6 |
SB2U-2 |
" |
" |
War caught Ranger's VF-42 swapped with Yorktown's VF-5.
VT-4 was officially commissioned on 10th january 1942 with 6 TBD-1.
CV-7 Wasp
| VF-71 |
18 |
F4F-3 |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| VF-72 |
17 |
F4F-3 |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| VS-71 |
4 |
SB2U-1 |
Vought |
Vindicator |
| " |
13 |
SB2U-2 |
" |
" |
| " |
2 |
TBD-1 |
Douglas |
Devastator |
| VS-72 |
18 |
SB2U-2 |
Vought |
Vindicator |
CV-8 Hornet (working up)
| VF-8 |
19 |
F4F-3 |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| " |
2 |
F4F-3A |
Grumman |
Wildcat |
| VB-8 |
19 |
SBC-4 |
Curtiss |
Helldiver |
| VS-8 |
20 |
SBC-4 |
Curtiss |
Helldiver |
| VT-8 |
8 |
TBD-1 |
Douglas |
Devastator |
| " |
7 |
SBN-1 |
Brewster |
(Built by NAF) |
Carrier Hornet was commissioned on october 1941, and was not ready before Pearl Harbour.
The biplane SBC Helldiver was to be replaced by SBD Dauntless. The squadrons weren't combat ready.
AVG-1 Long Island
| VS-201 |
7 |
F2A-3 |
Brewster |
Buffalo |
| " |
12 |
SOC-3A |
Curtiss |
Seagull |
| " |
1 |
SOC-1A |
Curtiss |
Seagull |
Long Island was the first auxiliary carrier. She was a converted cargo, so she was considerably slower, smaller and less capable than the fleet carriers.
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Copyright (Maxs75),
2005.