1942 in aviation
| Years in aviation |
|---|
| 1937 |
| 1938 |
| 1939 |
| 1940 |
| 1941 |
| 1942 |
| 1943 |
| 1944 |
| 1945 |
| 1946 |
| 1947 |
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1942:
Events
January
- January 30 – Canadian Pacific Air Lines formed by the acquisition and merger of Arrow Airways and Canadian Airways, along with all the various subsidiaries of the latter.
April
- April 18 – Col James Doolittle leads the first US attack on the Japanese mainland, leading a force of sixteen B-25 Mitchells flying from the USS Hornet against Tokyo in what comes to be known as the "Doolittle Raid".
- April 22 – the USAAF forms China Ferry Command to support the Allied war effort in the China Burma India Theater.
May
- May 4-8 – the Battle of the Coral Sea is fought between US Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carriers. Japanese light carrier Shoho is sunk and Shokaku is badly damaged, and the USS Lexington is sunk.
June
- June 4-7 – the Battle of Midway is fought, the turning point in the Pacific War. Japan loses four carriers, the Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. The US loses the USS Yorktown
July
- July 18 – a Messerschmitt Me 262 prototype makes its first flight under jet power, test-piloted by Fritz Wendel. Previous flights had been driven by a propeller.
September
- September 30 – German ace Hans-Joachim Marseilles is shot down and killed. He had 158 victories at the time.
October
- October 3 – the first A4 rocket, later dubbed the V-2 flies from Peenemünde, covering 190 km (119 miles) in 296 seconds at five times the speed of sound, reaching an altitude of 84.5 km (53 miles).
November
- November 28 – Australian pilot F/Sgt Ron Middleton earns a posthumous VC for valour in bringing his crew and crippled bomber home after a raid on Turin, Italy.
December
- December 4 – USAAF bombers make their first raid on Italy.
First flights
January
- January 7 – Supermarine Seafire
- January 14 – Sikorsky XR-4
February
- February 27 – Blackburn Firebrand
March
- Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 rotor kite
- March 20 – Mitsubishi J2M
April
- April 24 – Miles Martinet prototype LR 241
- April 26 – XB-28 Dragon
May
June
July
September
- September 2 – Hawker Tempest
- September 12 – Miles Messenger
- September 21 – Boeing XB-29
November
December
Entered service
January
- Grumman TBF Avenger with Squadron VT-8 USN
|
List of aircraft | Aircraft manufacturers | Aircraft engines | Aircraft engine manufacturers Airports | Airlines | Air forces | Aircraft weapons | Missiles | Timeline of aviation |
Categories: Timeline of aviation | 1942