30 April 1942
Burma
Japanese complete the conquest of central Burma
HMS Edinburgh sunk
Great Britain
938 civilians killed and 998 injured during April
War in the Air
The Bell P-39 Airacobra makes its American combat debut in the hands of pilots of the 8th Fighter Group, based close to Port Moresby (New Guinea). They claim four victories on their first mission.
Related Books
Bell P-39 Airacobra, Robert F. Dorr with Jerry C. Scutts (Crowood Aviation). A detailed looked at the development and service history of this controversial American fighter aircraft. The P-39 had a poor reputation amongst British and American pilots, and Dorr examines the reasons why, as well as looking at why the same aircraft was so much more popular in Soviet Service. Scutts provides a chapter on the P-63 Kingcobra, and the book also covers the numerous Bell fighter projects that failed to enter production.
How to cite this article: Rickard, J (28 December 2007), 30 April 1942, http://www.historyofwar.org/secondworldwar/date/1942_04_30.html
