Comments on: 2 April 1942 https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/ Important Dates in Aviation History Tue, 01 Apr 2025 13:25:35 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jim Wallace https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-26620 Mon, 04 Apr 2022 04:16:02 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-26620 Since the B25’s occupied the entire flight deck, Hornet had no air defense. So she was accompanied by Enterprise to provide it. America risked 2 of our best carriers to deliver a message. For the pilots, this was a 1-way mission, as all knew. The B25’s ofc could not return to and land on Hornet.

]]> By: Boat Guy https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-26614 Sun, 03 Apr 2022 09:20:29 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-26614 Not TBD’s but SBD’s. Presume TBD’s would have had their wings folded. They look like SBD’s regardless

]]> By: Brian https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-26613 Sat, 02 Apr 2022 19:33:24 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-26613 Halsey command was from enterprise not hornet.

]]> By: Bill Stevens https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-26611 Sat, 02 Apr 2022 18:30:35 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-26611 https://www.navsource.org/archives/02/08.htm

]]> By: Kenneth R Seals https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-25304 Sat, 03 Apr 2021 01:18:09 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-25304 @ William Wiseman – Your second sentence states the USS Ranger was carrying the B-25s. This story says it is the USS Hornet. The rest of your post is very interesting, thanks.

]]> By: Ernest Walk https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-25303 Fri, 02 Apr 2021 20:20:31 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-25303 Commissioned in Oct 41, shakedown cruise done, embarked on significant cross-Pacific mission Apr 42. Now we can’t fix new carriers after four or five years of trying.

]]> By: Matthew Merrell https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-25302 Fri, 02 Apr 2021 16:26:58 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-25302 I had no idea the USS Hornet had a catapult in the hangar decks that launched laterally. That blew my mind.

]]> By: Hugh Greenwood https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-25301 Fri, 02 Apr 2021 14:59:13 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-25301 Steve. Actually, I believe those two are Douglas TBDs.

]]> By: Bryan Swopes https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-24122 Sun, 12 Apr 2020 12:13:56 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-24122 In reply to Steve Johnson.

Steve, they had Wildcats hanging from the overhead on the hangar deck.

]]> By: Steve Johnson https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-april-1942/#comment-24120 Sun, 12 Apr 2020 03:47:22 +0000 http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/?p=695#comment-24120 Interesting. I don’t think I ever noticed any other planes on Hornet’s deck beside the Mitchells. First photo shows 2 Wildcats tied down on the starboard edge of the deck in front of the last B-25. Must have run out of room below because they sure couldn’t use them until the bombers were gone.

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