Ahoy mates!

I'm trying to finish up my 1/700 Enterprise at Midway before diving into the Akagi. My question is, when Enterprise began launching at 0700, her flight deck was spotted with 37 SBD-2 and SBD-3 after the CAP fighters. Would all 37 SBDs been on the deck?

Here's a progress shot:

That's a really good question, Ken....I've studied the ships log report, to maybe give you a good answer, but unfortunately, haven't seen an exact listing of such....have you seen this?

I'm thing that they were all spotted on the deck. The deck crews could pack them in very tight. It just seems like a lot of aircraft on the flight deck. Anybody else have any ideas?

Gator

Kenny,

From the CV-6.org website:

When Enterprise began launching at 0700, her flight deck was spotted, first, with eight Wildcat fighters for Combat Air Patrol. Behind the Wildcats were 37 SBD-2 and SBD-3 bombers from Scouting and Bombing Six: six VS-6 SBDs carrying a single 500-lb bomb, thirteen with one 500-lb and two 100-lb bombs, and eighteen VB-6 SBDs armed with one 1000-pounder each bringing up the rear.

According to the rest of the narrative, the TBDs weren't brought up on deck until AFTER all the SBDs were launched. I recall reading the same thing in Prange's Miracle at Midway.


HTH,

So, all 37 Dauntlesses were on deck. I guess if they could squeeze 16 B-25s on the Hornet and still have room to take off then 37 SBDs wouldn't have been a problem.

Gator

Obviously they kept the wings folded up. I think what they did is start putting them down after they started taxiing into launch position. I've seen movies of them rolling down the flight deck as the wings unfolded

Lexington had a dozen TDBs, 25 SBDs and 10 F4F-3 (no folding wings) on her deck the morning of 5/7/42, so I think Big E (though smaller) could easily handle that deck spot.




Those were the TBDs - SBDs didn't have folding wings.

Or SB2Cs - Helldivers. My Devestators will be going in the hanger deck.

Here are some progress photos:

Dauntlesses galore. 37 to match the number that was spotted for the Big E's first strike.



Work on attaching the AA gun platforms. I'll use Trumpy's AA guns.

Gator -

Any more updates on this build?

I am about to start a 1/700 Mini Hobby version for a friend who was aboard her at Midway.

Amous Justice was a plank-owner on the Enterprise and was aboard her as she approached Pearl on December 7. He was also aboard during Midway. He was a Steward and his battle station was well below decks in the 5" powder room. Needless to say, he did not have a very "strategic" view of the battle, but his sea stories are superb anyway.

Amous is 93 years old and is the youngest son of a freed slave. Amous' father was born in 1847 on a plantation here in Wake County, NC. Anyway, he is a fascinating guy and my goal is to be able to give him the model as a present......hopefully before he passes on. (To hedge my bets, I also got a 1/1200 Revell kit that I will do first.)

Semper Fi,
Dave