Aircraft ferry routes over the Pacific

[Felix C]

Is there a list of routes? Some progression westward expected as islands were captured.
Reading Louis Zamperini's book and the flight his aircraft crashed on was a search mission for another aircraft flying to Canton(Kanton) island.
Interested in how many aircraft were lost on these flights from non-warfare related causes.

[Buckeye30]

Hi Felix. These are the routes to June 1942 ( and subsequently) including USA-Australia; from 1943 to the Gilbert & Ellis Is, Marshalls and Marianas.
Also Study 33 the general account of Ferry and Transport Services......


http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/I/maps/AAF-I-11.jpg


http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/AAFHS/AAFHS-33.pdf


Losses for this area are in "Army Air Forces Statistical Digest WWII" (p.186 all losses overseas, p.209 losses enroute to overseas by Theatre/type). Note that "Pacific Ocean Area" (POA) is Seventh AF pre-July 1945 and Air Forces in Middle Pacific from July; "Far East Air Forces" (FEAF) is Fifth / Thirteenth AFs and Seventh from July; "Twentieth AF" is XX / XXI Bomber Commands to end of war.


https://media.defense.gov/2011/Mar/3...110331-045.pdf



Nick

[Felix C]

Many thanks. Well read it all.

[Buckeye30]

For comparison these are the 1944 routes (also ATC) showing the northern track which followed the pre-war "China Clipper" flying boat ones (at that time to China); from Gen. Arnold's Feb. 1945 report to the Secretary of War ("Nandi" is Fiji).
The Navy contibution was considerable ferrying aircraft to Theatre on escort carriers, mostly "Casablanca" class CVEs.
Note. "Ellis Is." above should be Ellice.
Nick



ferry1944 by Nicholas King, on Flickr