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I'm playing Scenario 2 vs. the AI. A 4 v 4 carrier battle in June 1942 shredded my carrier air groups but didn't result in serious damage to any of the carriers. In July the Wildcat groups will also try to expand from 27 to 36 and I'm very short of planes. I do have a couple Marine Wildcat groups. Is there any way to free up these planes for the carrier groups? All 6 USN fleet carriers are still afloat.

ORIGINAL: Don D

I'm playing Scenario 2 vs. the AI. A 4 v 4 carrier battle in June 1942 shredded my carrier air groups but didn't result in serious damage to any of the carriers. In July the Wildcat groups will also try to expand from 27 to 36 and I'm very short of planes. I do have a couple Marine Wildcat groups. Is there any way to free up these planes for the carrier groups? All 6 USN fleet carriers are still afloat.

I upgrade my USMC groups to F2As.

ORIGINAL: Don D

I'm playing Scenario 2 vs. the AI. A 4 v 4 carrier battle in June 1942 shredded my carrier air groups but didn't result in serious damage to any of the carriers. In July the Wildcat groups will also try to expand from 27 to 36 and I'm very short of planes. I do have a couple Marine Wildcat groups. Is there any way to free up these planes for the carrier groups? All 6 USN fleet carriers are still afloat.

Historically the Navy faced the same issue in early '42. They stripped the Marine squadrons to equip the carriers, leaving the VMF's with mostly F2A.

Thanks for the quick responses. I checked and unfortunately there are no Buffaloes or older model Wildcats left in my pools so I can't seem to downgrade. If I disband/withdraw the Marine squads, will those planes go to the pools? Is it possible to 'buy back' those squads later, like destroyed squads, or would they be gone forever? I suspect by the time I have enough fighters to fill out all the carriers with a comfort margin I won't miss a few more land based squads anyway, but I want to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.

Another thing you can do is put those VMFs on the carriers. In 1942 it's pretty much a necessity. I'll have VFs and VMFs filled with F4F-3s, -3as and -4s and F2As as well on deck. I'll also put VMSBs on deck.

If you are at all aggressive with the U.S. and your flattops don't end up in Davey Jones' locker, then you need to put some of those carrier-capable leathernecks on board.

Cheers,
CC

You could try disbanding the USMC units for 60/120 days (or whatever) and make sure you get the option to put all the pilots and planes into the pools (may have to disband at a big well supplied & supported airbase to insure that this happens). Pilots will hang around and wait for the new squadrdons to form but the planes will go straight into the pools and in theory be avialable for your depleted CV's in a couple of weeks (can somebody help me out regarding precise timelines of planes being recycled through the pools?)

If you disband squadrons, their planes are immediately available for re-distribution, even on the other side of the world.
Disbanding squadrons on the west coast is essential to keeping your planes flying in the pacific..
 

Thanx, that's what I thought