So you want to build an early WWII USS Enterprise but your not sure what armament you will need for the time period you want to build. Well here is a time line that should help.
USS Enterprise CV-6
7-16-34 Laid down
10-03-36 Launched
5-12-38 Commissioned ( 8 ) 5"/38 cal (4) 1.1" (24) .50cal mg
9-39 Moved from San Diego to Pearl Harbor
9-39/11-41 Training and resuppling Pacific bases
Enterprise Is painted Ms 1 Dark Gray 5-D and Light Gray 5-L
Flightdeck is painted Norfolk 250 Flight deck stain
Hangar deck is painted Deck Gray 20-G
Hangar deck bulkheads and overhangs are painted White
Exterior decks are painted Deck Blue 20-B
Aircraft are painted Blue Gray (FS 35189) over Gray (FS 36440)(602 Non- Specular Light Gray) and would remain so until 1943
Aircraft fuselage codes were to be painted flat black(not all complied)
11-28-41 Leaves Pearl Harbor to deliver Pilots and their planes to Wake
Island
12-2-41 Pilots and planes delivered
Bad weather slows Enterprise's return to Pearl Harbor
12- 7-41 Enterprise is 150 to 200 miles west of Pearl Harbor
12 -8-41 Enterprise enters Pearl Harbor (takes on fuel and supplies)
12- 9-41 Enterprise leave Pearl Harbor to patrol the waters around the
Hawaiian Islands
12-10-41 Enterprise sinks enemy sub
In January 42 Red and White tail stripes are added to A/C
officially 7 red and 6 white stripes (not all complied with regulation orders)
1-11-42 Enterprise leaves Pearl Harbor for the Marshall Isl. raid ( 8 )
5"/38 cal (4) 1.1" (24/26) .50 cal mg
2-14-42 Wake Isl. raid
3- 4-42 Marcus Isl. raid
Enterprise returns to Pearl Harbor
At this time Enterprise receives 32x 20mm guns to replace most of her .50cal mgs.
Enterprise gets a new paint job
Measure 11( 5-S Sea Blue).
4- 8-42 Enterprise leaves Pearl Harbor for the Tokyo Raid ( 8 ) 5'/38cal
(4) 1.1" (32) 20mm (6) .50 cal mg
4-13-42 Enterprise rendezvous with Hornet
4-18-42 Planes are launched
4-26-42 Enterprise returns to Pearl Harbor
4-30-42 Enterprise and Hornet leave Pearl Harbor for the Coral Sea
In mid May the Navy issues ALNAV Dispatch 062230 that orders the removal of the Red tail stripes and Red circles from the National Insignias(crews had already started to do so before the ALNAV dispatch)
5-24-42 Enterprise returns to Pearl Harbor
5-28-42 Enterprise and Hornet leave Pearl Harbor for Midway
(8) 5"/38 cal (4) 1.1" (32) 20mm (6) .50cal
6- 4-42 Battle of Midway
6-13-42 Enterprise returns to Pearl Harbor --Enterprise gets an overhaul-
fifth 1.1' is added to the bow, two 20mm are added (cutouts)
in the aft flight deck rolldown and large double search light
platfrom on both sides ot the Island are reduced in size to mount
search light.
7-15-42 Enterprise leaves for the Solomon Islands (8) 5"/38cal (5) 1.1"
(32) 20mm (?) .50cal
8- 7-42 Guadalcanal Invasion
8-24-42 Battle of the Eastern Solomon Islands Enterprise recieves 3
direct bomb hits and 4 near misses
9-10-42 Enterprise returns to Pearl Harbor for repairs 4 quad 40mm
mounts replace the four 1.1" mounts by the island mark 4
radar is added small forward crane at front of island is
removed. It is replaced by a smaller crane/hoist. A 2nd 20mm
mount is added to the aft flt deck rolldown
flightdeck rolldown and 8 more to the catwalks. The forward
lower bridge on island is removed. SG and SC-! radars added.
10-16-42 Enterprise sails for the Solomon Islands (8) 5"/38 cal (4) 40mm
quad mounts (1) 1.1" (44) 20mm
10-26-42 Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands Enterprise receives 2 bomb
hits and two near misses
10-26-42 Enterprsie is the last operational carrier in the Pacific
10-27-42 "Enterprise vs Japan"
10-30-42 Enterprise enters Noumea, New Calidonia for repairs
10-11-42 Enterprise sails for Guadalcanal
11-11/15-42 Naval Battle for Guadalcanal
Enterprise returns to Noumea to complete her repairs
12- 3-42 Enterprise trains out of Espiritu Santo 1-29/30-43 Battle of Rennal Island Enterprise is covering the damaged
cruiser Chicago
5-27-43 Enterprise returns to Pearl Harbor
7-20-43 Enterprise enters Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton,Wa.
for a complete overhaul.
This is just a start .
Additions and corrections welcome and wanted.
Gordon
References:
www.cv6.org
Squadron/Signal Pub. Warhips No 5 US Carriers in Action part 1
Steve Ewings' book "USS Enterprise CV6"
Classic Warships "Warship Pictorial #9 Yorktown Class Carriers"
"Airwar" Edward Jablonski Doubleday 1971
Aircraft Profile #53 Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat
Pictorial Histories Pub A Glorious Page in Our History "The battle of Midway" Cressman/Ewing
Squadron Signal Aircract No 191 F4F Wildcat in Action
Squadron Signal Aircraft No 84 F4F Wildcat in Action
Squadron Signal Aircraft No 64 SBD Dauntless in Action
Squadron Signal Aircraft No 97 TBD Devestator in Action
Ship Craft #3 "Yorktown Class Aircraft Carriers" Roger Chesneau
Posts over the last couple years by
Rich Mathsen
Michael Varrasi
Mike Pajewski
Dick J