The range comparison gives the PBY Catalina a one-way reach of 2,520 miles against 2,598 miles between Kodiak and Hawaii. A patrol needed fuel to reach its search area, conduct the search, and return, so its useful radius was much shorter and left a broad gap between the bases. The command map used here shows wartime boundaries, although the prewar areas were broadly similar. American planning concentrated reconnaissance toward the Philippines, where an attack seemed more likely. Lightly built Japanese ships had suffered damage in rough weather, making the stormy northern route seem an unattractive choice for a fleet already at a numerical disadvantage. The shortage of worthwhile targets in the far north reinforced that expectation.
Chapter · 16:22-20:40
The North Pacific search gap between Kodiak and Hawaii
Command boundaries, Catalina endurance, northern weather, and assumptions about Japanese ship strength created a broad reconnaissance gap along the attack route.