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Photo # 80-G-66154:  Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighter of VF-3 at NAS Kaneohe, 29 May 1942. This plane was flown by LCdr. John S. Thach on 4 June 1942, during the Battle of Midway

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- World War II in the Pacific -- Battle of Midway --

Carrier Planes at Oahu Airfields, late May 1942


This page features views of U.S. Navy carrier aircraft at Oahu air bases in late May 1942, before they flew out to join the "flat-tops" Yorktown, Enterprise and Hornet as the ships were en route to take part in the Battle of Midway.

For other views of U.S. ships and carrier aircraft preparing for the Battle of Midway, see:

  • U.S. Forces Assemble for Action, 26 May - 3 June 1942; and
  • The U.S. Carrier Force en route to Midway, 28 May-2 June 1942.

    For links to other images of preparations for the Battle of Midway, see:

  • Preparations for Battle, March 1942 to 4 June 1942.

    For links to views of other aspects of the Battle of Midway, see:

  • Battle of Midway, Overview and Special Image Selection.

  • If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: 80-G-61533

    Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" Fighters
    ,
    of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3)

    Receiving maintenance in a revetment at Naval Air Station, Kaneohe, Oahu, 29 May 1942, shortly before VF-3 joined USS Yorktown (CV-5) to participate in the Battle of Midway.
    The plane on the left is Bureau # 5167. That on the right is Bureau # 5149.
    Note camouflage netting covering the open top of this revetment.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-66154

    Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" Fighter
    (Bureau # 5171),
    of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3)

    At Naval Air Station, Kaneohe, Oahu, on 29 May 1942, with ground crewmen folding the starboard wing.
    On 4 June 1942, in the Battle of Midway, this plane was flown by Lieutenant Commander John S. Thach, VF-3's Commanding Officer, during the afternoon combat air patrol defending USS Yorktown (CV-5), wherein Thach probably shot down Lieutenant Joichi Tomonaga, leader of the attacking Japanese torpedo planes.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 595 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     


    For other views of U.S. ships and carrier aircraft preparing for the Battle of Midway, see:

  • U.S. Forces Assemble for Action, 26 May - 3 June 1942; and
  • The U.S. Carrier Force en route to Midway, 28 May-2 June 1942.

    For links to other images of preparations for the Battle of Midway, see:

  • Preparations for Battle, March 1942 to 4 June 1942.

    For links to views of other aspects of the Battle of Midway, see:

  • Battle of Midway, Overview and Special Image Selection.

  • NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 25 April 1999
    Coding updated 23 April 2009