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aircraft carriers World War II -- technology naval campaigns ship types carriers
World War II Naval Ship Types: Country Carriers--British Royal Navy
Figure 1.-- The British Royl Air Force almost began World War II with biplane fighters. The Royal Navy Fleet Air arm not only did, but continued sing biplances for 2 years. The AA finally got a metal nonoplane fighter from the Americans. Here we see Grumman F4F Wildcat fighters which the British called Marlets and Supermarine Seafires in 1942 preparig to take off from the 'HMS Formidable'. Notice the armored deck. The British purchased the Wildcat as a replacement for the Fairey Fulmar, biplane fighter before the U.S. Navy committed to it. By this time, however, it was already outclassed by the Japanese Zero. It could be used in the Atlantic beyond the range of German fighters. The British never used their carriers for massed fleet oeration like the Americans and Japanese. Rather they were used individully for fleet actions against the Italians (Mediterranean) and German (North Atlantic) surface units. Early convoy escort duties exposed fleet carriers to U-boats. The British shifted to escort carriers for convoy protection. The fleet carriers like 'Formidable' were also used to support Mediteranean invasions (Nrth africa, Sicily, and Italy and eventually got advanced aircraft (F6F Hellcats and F4U Corsairs).
Royal Navy carriers were known as the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). There was some experimetatin with naval viation during World War I. At the end of the War, thr Royal Naval Air Service was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps (1918).
The FAA was formaly constituted (1924). At first it was a unit of the Royal Air Force which was then operating all aircraft embarked on Royal Navy ships. The FAA was not made part of the Royal Navy and direct control of the Admiralty until just before World War II. The British began the war ith seven carriers. Neither the Germas or the Italians had carrier, although the Grmans wre woring on one. The FAA operated aircraft on ships as well as land-based aircraft that defended the Royal Navy's shore establishments and facilities. British carriers unlike American carrier had armoured flight decks. This made them more resistntto air attacks, but also more difficult to epair battle damage. The primary focus of the Royal Navy during World War II was on the Battle of the Atlantic to keep the sea lanes open with America in the North Atlantic. Land based aircrft played role in this. Fleet carriers were not the ideal ship toescort convoys. The Royal Navy lost fleet carriers on convoy duty to U-boats before revising essort duty assignments. The answer proved to be small escort carriers. The RAF almost entered World War II with biplane fighters. he FAA did--the Fairey Swordfish which layed a role in the attack on Toranto ad the hunt for Bismarck. The first modern carrier airccraft received by the FAA was the American F4F Wildcat, called the Martlet by the British (1942). The Wildcat was obsolete the time the British received it, but the Bitish did not have to face advanced aircraft at sea. And the Wildcat was still effective in operations against German U-boats and surface units. Eventuallly the British got F4U Crsair and F6F Hellats. The British helped develop techniues that helped llowed Corsair operationd from carriers. The British carriers were primrily used in the Northtlantic and Mediterranean. They also saw service in the Indian Ocaen and in the final year of the War after VE-Day in the Pacific.
Fleet Air Arm
Royal Navy carriers were known as the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). There was some experimetatin with naval viation during World War I. At the end of the War, thr Royal Naval Air Service was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps (1918).
The FAA was formaly constituted (1924). At first it was a unit of the Royal Air Force which was then operating all aircraft embarked on Royal Navy ships. The FAA was not made part of the Royal Navy and direct control of the Admiralty until just before World War II.
Size of Force
The British began the war with seven carriers.
Design
British carriers unlike American carrier had armoured flight decks. This made them more resistntto air attacks, but also more difficult to repair battle damage.
Competiveness
Only three countries operated aircraft carriers during World War II: Britain, Japan, and the United States. It is fortunate that the British carriers were primarily used in the Atalnric during Workd War II. Neither the Germas or the Italians had carriera, although the Grmans were working on one. The FAA was simply not up to the standards of the American and Japanese carrier forces. There were two primary problems. First, the FAA well into the War was still using the iblilere Fairy Swordgish, a biplame affectiinally kbiown as the string bag. It is said that the Bismarck could not shoot down the attacking Swordfish vecause theit guns had aiming devives for modrrr fast flying planes. The swordfish un effect flew toi slow to be effectively targeted. Second, the FAA did nit develop deck operations permitting sizeable strikes. The famous Toiranto strike on the Italian fleet was done with a handful of planes. It was not until 143 when the FAA hiot advanced Anerican acarrier aircraft that they came up to Workd war II standards.
Carrier Aircraft
The RAF almost entered World War II with biplane fighters. he FAA did--the Fairey Swordfish which layed a role in the attack on Toranto ad the hunt for Bismarck. The first modern carrier airccraft received by the FAA was the American F4F Wildcat, called the Martlet by the British (1942). The Wildcat was obsolete the time the British received it, but the Bitish did not have to face advanced aircraft at sea. And the Wildcat was still effective in operations against German U-boats and surface units. Eventually the British got F4U Crsair and F6F Hellats. The British helped develop techniues that enabled the Corsair to operate from carriers.
Deployment
The British carriers were primrily used in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. They also saw service in the Pacific furing final year of the War.
Land Based Aircraft
The FAA operated aircraft on ships as well as land-based aircraft that defended the Royal Navy's shore establishments and facilities.
Escort Carriers
The primary focus of the Royal Navy during World War II was on the Battle of the Atlantic to keep the sea lanes open with America in the North Atlantic. Land based aircrft played role in this. Fleet carriers were not the ideal ship to escort convoys. The Royal Navy lost fleet carriers on convoy duty to U-boats before revising essort duty assignments. The answer proved to be small escort carriers.
