Fighting Squadron 42 | |
---|---|
![]() VF-42 unit insignia | |
Active | May 1928 - 22 June 1942 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Navy |
Type | Fighter |
Engagements | World War II |
Aircraft flown | |
Fighter | SBU-1 F4F-3 Wildcat |
Fighting Squadron 42 or VF-42 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. Originally established as Scouting Squadron 1B (VS-1B) in May 1928, it was redesignated as VS-1S in 1930, redesignated as VS-1B in 1931, redesignated as VS-41 on 1 July 1937, redesignated as VF-42 on 15 March 1941 and disestablished on 22 June 1942. It was the first US Navy squadron to be designated as VF-42.[1]
Operational history
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Vought_SBU-1_VS-1B_1930s.jpg/250px-Vought_SBU-1_VS-1B_1930s.jpg)
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/F4F-3_VF-42_at_NACA_Langley_1941.jpeg/250px-F4F-3_VF-42_at_NACA_Langley_1941.jpeg)
VS-1B was assigned to the USS Ranger in the 1930s.
In December 1941 VF-42 was embarked on USS Yorktown for deployment to the Pacific Theatre.[2] VF-42 shot down 25 Japanese aircraft until the squadron was disestablished following the sinking of the Yorktown on 7 June 1942 during the Battle of Midway.[2]: 15
See also
- History of the United States Navy
- List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
References
- ^ "Lineage for Fighter Squadrons" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
- ^ a b Tillman, Barrett (1995). Wildcat Aces of World War 2. Osprey Publishing. p. 6. ISBN 9781855324862.