VF-42
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{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=Fighting Squadron 42
|image=File:Fighting Squadron 42 (United States Navy) patch c1940.png
|caption=VF-42 unit insignia
|dates= May 1928 - 22 June 1942
|country= United States
|allegiance=
|branch= United States Navy
|type= Fighter
|role=
|size=
|command_structure=
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|nickname=
|motto=
|colors=
|colors_label=
|mascot=
|battles=World War II
|aircraft_attack=
|aircraft_fighter= SBU-1
F4F-3 Wildcat
|anniversaries=
}}
Fighting Squadron 42 or VF-42 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. Originally established as Scouting Squadron 1B (VS-1B) in May 1928, it was redesignated as VS-1S in 1930, redesignated as VS-1B in 1931, redesignated as VS-41 on 1 July 1937, redesignated as VF-42 on 15 March 1941 and disestablished on 22 June 1942. It was the first US Navy squadron to be designated as VF-42.{{cite vf lineage|access-date=6 October 2016}}
Operational history
File:Vought SBU-1 VS-1B 1930s.jpg in the 1930s]]
File:F4F-3 VF-42 at NACA Langley 1941.jpeg at NACA Langley in 1941]]
VS-1B was assigned to the {{USS|Ranger|CV-4|6}} in the 1930s.
In December 1941 VF-42 was embarked on {{USS|Yorktown|CV-5|6}} for deployment to the Pacific Theatre.{{cite book|last=Tillman|first=Barrett|title=Wildcat Aces of World War 2|url=https://archive.org/details/wildcatacesworld02till|url-access=limited|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=1995|isbn=9781855324862|page=[https://archive.org/details/wildcatacesworld02till/page/n91 6]}} VF-42 shot down 25 Japanese aircraft until the squadron was disestablished following the sinking of the Yorktown on 7 June 1942 during the Battle of Midway.{{rp|15}}