Pearl Harbour question

[Freebird]

What was the air complement of the US carriers on Dec 7 as they were returning to Pearl?
Did they have less than a full complement? (as they had just delivered aircraft to Midway etc)

 

[parsifal]

I have two sources, as follows. Browns figures are for the end of December....not sure about Polmars.

Some sources i have say that Lexington had exchanged her Buffaloes for Wildcats by the outbreak of the war.

Anyway, nice to hear from you again....

 

[R Leonard]

Lexington pulled into Pearl on 25 Jan 1942 and VF-2 flew into NAS Kaneohe Bay in their F2A's. The next day the squadron ferried their planes over to NAS Ford Island and traded them in for eleven F3F-3As to begin their transition. The F2A's went to MAG-21.

 

[renrich]

According to Lundstrom, 81 USN AC flew out to Enterprise from Pearl. It was supposed to be 83 but two would not start. I believe the Marine AC were in addition to these. Lexington carried 65 of her own AC plus the 18 SB2Us