HMS Hermes departs San Diego, Dec 6, 1941

That would be even better, but of course that the US had planned to reinforce Wake to that extent, but could not without further construction. The infrastructure for a composite air group was not ready. A emergency insertion of a small fighter group may have been possible had the will existed.

With twenty to fighters operational on the island continual CAP may have been practical for a week or two, which makes the Japanese air raids a lot more problematic. A handful of strafing attacks on the first invasion flotilla wrecked havoc. A dozen aircraft strafing the landing force would compound that.


Could Hermes refuel from US Navy tankers? I think the IJN and the USN used different refueling techniques, for one. Did the USN and RN use the same technique, and equipment? I don't know what Hermes' range is; would she even need refueling on the trip from Oahu to (near) Wake and back?

Hermes would need escorts, including another carrier I would think. What is the earliest that Hermes could leave for Wake, in this particular scenario? She might have to sail with the relief force.

The Hermes would not need to refuel on that mission. Destroyer escorts would. That was one of the issues with Fletchers attempt to assist Wake island. As for time, that would have to be traced out to see if this idea is practical.
 
If Hermes could join up with Force Z and Indominable stays seaworthy, what might be the RN plans?
 
Regarding F4F Wildcats - the Folding wing F4F-4 variant which had folding wings was not available before roughly June 1942 where it had replaced most of the F4F-3s in those Squadrons involved in the Battle of Midway.

According to Grumman 5 F4F-4s took up the same space as 2 F4F-3s

So unfortunately in Nov 1941 - no folding wing Wildcats
 
There weren't folding wing Wildcats but there were folding wing Martlets. However, there were no two-stage Martlets.

I know there was folding wing Martlet IIs but as I understand it the models delivered by sea to the UK by Nov 41 were not folding wing variants and the folding wings were later retrofitted in the UK due to very slow production up to that point.

So a mix of various F36as, including French and Greek orders taken over the the UK and loaned F4F-3s - all originally non folding wing as far as I can tell

Subsequent 'True folding wing' F4F-4 Wildcat / Martlets IVs effectively started being delivered after the OPs POD

It looks like Job 127 was the main British order for the folding wing fighters - comprising 80 Folding and 10 none folding planes

10 'non folding' F36a fighters (Martlet III) delivered March 41

10 Grumman G-36a Martlet III direct order for British Purchasing Commission, Grumman Job No 127.
Serial Numbers: AM954-AM963
Deld 3.41 (AM954)
Sqdn AM956 778 sqdn 6.41 Arbroath
First op sdqn 802 sqdn 9.41 (AM955)
Most lost in HMS Audacity 21.12.41

Then 36 'Delivered' in Oct 41 but not 'delivered' until 12th Dec 41

36 Grumman G-36b Martlet III direct order for British Purchasing Commission, Grumman Job No 127.
Serial Numbers: AM964-AM999
Deld 10.41. ALL shipped from Norfolk, Va in HMS Illustrious 12.12.41 (eg AM964
Sqdn 881 sqdn 5.42 AM964

And then 53 of the remaining 54 G36Bs of order 127 sent to Bombay in March and April 42

54 Grumman G-36b Martlet II direct order for British Purchasing Commission, Grumman Job No 127.
Serial Numbers: AJ100 – AJ153
AJ150 to UK, remainder to Far East.
First deld 12.41, shipped NY to Bombay 3.42 (AJ100) others also shipped same date or in 4.42
Sqdn 806 7.42 HMS Indomitable (AJ100)
Last – AJ152 derelict in blister hangar at Exeter 1948-1952

So Folding Wing G-36Bs were available for this pod - just!

But technically while they may have been available for this POD I suspect that they were not just idly sitting on an airport apron somewhere for months but instead were being further modified for British use and/or being inspected - snagged?

Certainly I do not believe that they could have been stood up as a fighter unit on board HMS Hermes within the timeframe of this POD
 
So Folding Wing G-36Bs were available for this pod - just!

But technically while they may have been available for this POD I suspect that they were not just idly sitting on an airport apron somewhere for months but instead were being further modified for British use and/or being inspected - snagged?

Certainly I do not believe that they could have been stood up as a fighter unit on board HMS Hermes within the timeframe of this POD

Certainly, I believe that the unbelievable is yet to come.
 
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