What was flying off which carrier during the War?
Well, just about on a weekly basis:
Location of U.S. Naval Aircraft, World War II
Though watch out for some of the 1942 lists, some of the early reports are a little, umm, odd, as they show, for example, USS Yorktown (CV-5) as still about as of 9 July 42, even though she sank on 6 June, but noted as out of commission beginning in the 21 July report and no longer listed as of the 5 September report; but if you just want to look at squadrons and are interested in complements, this is the place to go.
With regard to the previously posted list:
F7F only operated for carrier acceptance trials, it was not. A navalized P-51D was also tested and, same day, ship, and location as these two, a PBJ was successfully launched and recovered. All pretty much a one time deal, though they came along later with some improvements to the F7F, but not enough for carrier deployment in a squadron.
Suspect 4FU is a typo of F4U. If we're to include TBF and TBM (never heard of the TBA) then also one might include with the F4U, the F3A and the FG-1. With the SB2C, you could include the SBW and the SBF. And let us not forget the FM series. Also the SOC-3A was used as a trainer aboard USS Charger on a fairly regular basis . . . and of course there were always the odd ship or squadron hack floating about, usually a trainer or utility type.
Additional after sleeping on it . . . we can't forget the SBC, the SBU, and the tiny L-5 which also operated off carriers during the war years. And just to keep it interesting, though not operating from carriers, let us not either forget the FO (navy operated P-38s for reconnaissance in the Mediterranean Theater, there were four of them, I believe), and VCS-8 operating P-51Cs in the invasion of southern France and VCS-7 flying Spitfire Vb's in the Normandy invasion. And then there's the RAF Spitfires which flew off USS Wasp to reinforce Malta, one of which actually made an unarrested landing aboard that ship.
Rich
US Aircraft / Aircraft Carriers
