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1941 Master Index 1943

1942 Chronology of Aviation History
Major Aviation Events

1942 Aviation Records

  • Speed: (Nazi Germany), 623.85-mph, Heini Dittmar, Messerschmitt Me.163A “Komet”, 10/2/1941.

  • Distance: (Italy), 8,038-miles, Tondi, Degasso, Vignoli, Savoia-Marchetti “S.M.75”, 8/1/1939.

  • Altitude: (Italy), 56,046-feet, Mario Pezzi, Caproni “161bis”, 10/22/1938.

  • Weight: (USA), 140,000-lbs, Boeing, XB-29 “Superfortress”.

  • Engine Power: (Nazi Germany), 2,006-lbs thrust, Junkers “Motoren”, Jumo 004 B.

January 1942

  • January (USSR) — Lt. I.M. Chisov of the Red Air Force survives miraculous fall from 22,000 feet without a parachute after departing a heavily damaged Ilyushin Il-4 twin-engine medium bomber. After achieving a terminal velocity of about 150 mph, he is decelerated when he hits the lip of a snow-covered ravine, sliding down with decreasing speed until he stops at the bottom, suffering a broken pelvis and severe spinal injuries.

  • January 30 (Canada) — 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.

February 1942

  • No data.

March 1942

  • No data.

April 1942

  • April 18 (Japan) — Col. James Doolittle leads the first United States attack on the Japanese mainland, leading a force of sixteen North America B-25B “Mitchell's” flying from the USS Hornet against Tokyo in what comes to be known as the “Doolittle Raid”.

  • April 22 (Southeast Asia) — The USAAF forms China Ferry Command to support the Allied war effort in the China Burma India Theater.

May 1942

  • May 4-8 (Coral Sea) — The “Battle of the Coral Sea” is fought between United States 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 1942

  • June 4-7 (Midway Island) — The “Battle of Midway” is fought, the turning point in the Pacific War. Japan loses four carriers, the Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. The United States loses the USS Yorktown.

July 1942

  • July 18 (Germany) — 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.

August 1942

  • August 17 (France) — First raid by heavy bombers of United States Eighth Air Force against occupied France.

September 1942

  • September 30 (Germany) — German ace Hans-Joachim Marseille is killed when his plane catches fire. He had 158 victories at the time.

October 1942

  • October 3 (Germany) — 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 1942

  • November 28 (Great Britain) — Australian pilot F/Sgt Ron Middleton earns a posthumous VC for valor in bringing his crew and crippled bomber home after a raid on Turin, Italy.

December 1942

  • December 4 (Italy) — USAAF bombers make their first raid on Italy.

  • December 31 (Guadacanal) — Japanese troops withdraw from Guadalcanal after five months of bloody fighting against United States Forces.

1942 First Flights

  • January 7 (Great Britain) — First flight of the Supermarine “Seafire”.

  • January 14 (United States) — First flight of the Sikorsky XR-4 helicopter.

  • February 27 (Great Britain) — First flight of the Blackburn “Firebrand”.

  • March (Germany) — First flight of the Focke-Achgelis Fa.330 rotor kite.

  • March 20 (Japan) — First flight of the Mitsubishi J2M.

  • April 24 (Great Britain) — First flight of the Miles “"Martinet"” prototype (LR241).

  • April 26 (United States) — First flight of the North American XB-28 “Dragon”.

  • May 26 (United States) — First flight of the Northrop XP-61 “Black Widow”.

  • June 26 (United States) — First flight of the Grumman XF6F “Hellcat”.

  • July 3 (United States) — First flight of the Martin XPB2M-1 “Mars” prototype (BuNo 1520).

  • July 5 (Great Britain) — First flight of the Avro “York”.

  • July 10 (United States) — First flight of the Douglas A-26 “Invader”.

  • September 2 (Great Britain) — First flight of the Hawker “Tempest”.

  • September 12 (Great Britain) — First flight of the Miles “Messenger”.

  • September 21 (United States) — First flight of the Boeing XB-29 “Superfortress”.

  • November 15 (Germany) — First flight of the Heinkel He.219.

  • December 7 (United States) — First flight of the Bell P-63 “Kingcobra”.

  • December 7 (Germany) — First flight of the Messerschmitt Me.264.

1942 Aircraft Entering Service

  • January (United States) — The Grumman TBF “Avenger” entered service with Squadron VT-8 USN.

Works Cited

  1. Gunston, Bill, et al. Chronicle of Aviation. Liberty, Missouri: JL Publishing Inc., 1992. 14-17
  2. Parrish, Wayne W. (Publisher). "United States Chronology". 1962 Aerospace Yearbook, Forty-Third Annual Edition. Washington, DC: American Aviation Publications, Inc., 1962, 446-469.
  3. Wikipedia, 1942 in aviation
  4. Shupek, John (photos and card images), The Skytamer Archive. Skytamer.com, Whittier, CA

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