Al Burgham, who was among the first fighter pilots to join 835 Squadron, writes of the Hurricane: “It was a plane I developed a great affection for. It was robust, reliable, manoeuvrable and forgiving, and I felt very comfortable flying it. Not being designed for carrier-operations, one had to land it in a nose-up attitude, which meant that one couldn’t see the batsman because of the engine-cowling; however, once one had mastered the technique of landing off a curved approach, deck-landings became fairly routine in most weather conditions.”
Hurricanes were a stop-gap. They filled the void between the time when old and obsolete British fighters (like the Sea Gladiator, Skua and Fulmar) were withdrawn from service and the time new and effective American fighters (like the Wildcat, Hellcat and Corsair) came into service. They did all that could have been expected of them. And more.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
SWORDFISH
Technical Data
Description: Carrier-based, torpedo-bomber-reconnaissance biplane: metal structure covered with fabric. Crew of 2 or 3.
Manufacturers: Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd., Hayes, Middlesex; subcontracted to Blackburn Aircraft.
Power Plant: One Bristol Pegasus III or XXX (690 or 750 h.p.)
Dimensions: Span 45 ft. 6 in; length 36 ft. 4 in; height 12 ft. 10 in; wing area 607 sq. ft.
Weight: 5,200 lb empty; 9,250 lb loaded.
Armament: One Vickers gun aft; one 18 in. torpedo or one 1,500 lb mine or bomb; or four depth charges or eight 60 lb rockets.
Performance: Maximum speed 95–110 kts; range 550 miles; endurance 5 hours; service ceiling 10,000 ft.
The Swordfish was one of the great planes in the history of aerial warfare. Judged by its appearance and performance, it should have been obsolete at the outbreak of war, yet such were its handling qualities and its reliability that it outlived a whole series of intended successors and was the only aircraft of any of the combatants to be both “in at the beginning of the war in Europe and in at the end”. Indeed more Swordfish were operational on the last day of hostilities than on the first.
Its longevity is testimony to the excellence of its design, the story of which is told in Chapter 1, pages 00 and 00. In a rapidly changing field, in which most aircraft had a useful life-span of two or at the most three years, the “Stringbag” remained operational for a whole decade. In 1934 the first Swordfish (No. K4190) made its first successful test flight. In 1944 the last Swordfish (No. NS205) left the sub-contractors’ factory at Brough. The latter had a slightly more powerful engine (a 750 hp Pegasus XXX rather than a 690 hp Pegasus III), its two rear cockpits had been merged into one, and it was festooned with sophisticated weaponry (ASVX, RATOG and RP etc); apart from this the two aircraft were so similar as to be virtually identical.
In the intervening decade 2,399 “Stringbags” were delivered to the Air Arm. Between them they flew more hours than any other type of allied aircraft and sank a greater tonnage of enemy shipping – substantially over a million tons. And what is perhaps more pertinent, they undoubtedly saved a large number of merchant seamen and merchant vessels from a watery grave. For they were, above all else, protectors of convoys. Once the war at sea had been fully joined, most of the Air Arm’s twenty-odd Swordfish squadrons were employed on convoy escort duty and it was the contribution of these archaic-looking but robust and dependable biplanes which, at a critical moment in the Atlantic, turned the possibility of defeat into the certainty of victory.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
WILDCAT
Technical Data
Description: Single-seat, carrier-borne fighter; all metal, stressed-skin construction.
Manufacturers: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Bethpage, Long Island, N.Y.
Power Plant: One 1,200-hp Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp S3C4-G.
Dimensions: Span 38 ft; length 28 ft 10 in; height 9’ 2½; wing area 260 sq ft.
Weight: Empty 4,650 lb; loaded 6,100 lb.
Armament: Six 0.50-calibre guns in wings.
Performance: Maximum speed 290 mph; cruising speed 240 mph; climb 3,300 ft per minute; range 1,150 miles; endurance 4 hrs 10 mts; service ceiling 28,000 ft.
Wildcat was the nickname of the Grumman Martlet, the standard fighter used by the US Navy and Marine Corps when America entered the war. They were tough, tubby, highly manoeuvrable little planes which bore the brunt of the initial flying in the Pacific, where they gave a good account of themselves. In particular a handful of Wildcats from Marine Fighting Squadron 211 defended Wake Island against the same sort of overwhelming odds that faced the Sea Gladiators “Faith”, “Hope” and “Charity” on Malta.
Wildcats first saw service with the Royal Navy towards the end of 1940. They were used for the defence of Scapa Flow and on Christmas Day, 1940, a Wildcat of 804 Squadron became the first American-built fighter to shoot down an enemy plane – a JU88. They were first used at sea in the autumn of 1941, when Wildcats and Swordfish operating from HMS Audacity proved in no uncertain manner the value of carrier-borne aircraft for protecting convoys against both U-boats and long-range bombers. They provided air cover for convoys to Malta and Russia, and helped to cover Allied landings in North Africa, Madagascar, Italy and Normandy; they also saw service in the Western Desert. But their greatest contribution to victory was their work in the Atlantic. Here, operating from MAC ships and escort carriers, they not only kept enemy shadowers and bombers at bay, but, working in conjunction with Swordfish, they prevented U-boats from operating on the surface.
Ken Atkinson, who flew both Sea Hurricanes and Wildcats with 835, compares the two aircraft. “The Wildcat was superior in all respects but two. The Hurricane had a broad undercarriage, and was very stable on take-off and landing, and when moving about the flight-deck. The Wildcat, on the other hand, had a narrow undercarriage and was much more unstable and prone to swing. This instability was particularly noticeable when the plane was parked with its wings folded, and it was not unknown, in heavy weather, for Wildcats to break their lashings and topple over the side. Their other disadvantage was that their undercarriage had to be raised by hand, by operating a crank-handle. Since this was positioned on the right-hand side of the cockpit, a pilot had, immediately after take-off, to hold the control column with his left hand - for those of us who were not left-handed a hazardous few moments. It was also advisable, when raising your undercarriage, to make sure that the RT leads from your helmet were well out of the way; otherwise with every turn of the crank-handle you wound your head progressively lower!”
In spite of these shortcomings, and in spite of the fact that by the end of the war in Europe it was short of both speed and firepower, the Wildcat was generally popular with its pilots. It was particularly liked for its manoeuvrability, its endurance (almost double that of a Seafire), and its rate-of-climb (almost double that of a Sea Hurricane), the latter attribute being especially important when it came to making interceptions from the deck of a carrier.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
My principal source of information has been the 835 Squadron Fair Flying Log which records every flight made by every aircraft in the Squadron from the day we were formed until the day we were disbanded. In addition, many aircrew have made contributions based on their own flying log books, letters home and personal recollections. Without their help my task would have been a labour of Hercules, not a labour of love. The publications listed below have provided additional source material.
Admiralty Records, The Development of British Naval Aviation 1919–1945 Vols I–IV, Historical Section, Admiralty, 1954 et seq.
Appleyard, J., Elements of Convoy Defence in Submarine Warfare, Historical Section, Admiralty, 1917
Beaver, P., The British Aircraft Carrier, Patrick Stevens, 1982 (2nd edn., 1984)
Behrens, C.B.A., Merchant Shipping and the Demands of War, HMSO, 1955
Broome, Captain J., Convoy is to Scatter, William Kimber, 1972
Cameron, Ian, Wings of the Morning, Hodder & Stoughton, 1962
Ca
mpbell, Vice-Admiral Sir Ian and Captain D. McIntyre, The Kola Run, Muller, 1958
Churchill, Sir Winston, The Second World War, Vols I–IV, Cassell, 1948–52
Costello, J, and T. Hughes, The Battle of the Atlantic, Collins, 1977
Cremer, Peter, U–333: The Story of a U-Boat Ace, Bodley Head, 1984
Cunningham, Admiral Sir Andrew, A Sailor’s Odyssey, Hutchinson, 1951
Doenitz, Admiral Karl, Handbook for U-Boat Commanders, German Admiralty, 1937; Ten Years and Twenty Days, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1959
Gretton, Vice-Admiral Sir Peter, Convoy Escort Commander, Cassell, 1964; Crisis Convoy, Peter Davies, 1974
Hough, Richard, The Longest Battle: the War at Sea 1939–45, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1986
Irving, David, The Destruction of PQ 17, William Kimber, 1980
Jones, Geoffrey, Autumn of the U-Boats, William Kimber, 1984; Defeat of the Wolf Packs, William Kimber, 1986
Kemp, P.K., Victory at Sea, Muller, 1957
Kilbracken, Lord, (formerly John Godley), Bring back my Stringbag, Peter Davies, 1979
Lamb, Commander C., War in a Stringbag, Cassell, 1977
Lewin, R., Ultra goes to War, Hutchinson, 1978
Lewis, M.L., History of the British Navy, Penguin, 1957
Macintyre, Captain Donald, The Battle of the Atlantic, Batsford, 1961
Middlebrook, M., Convoy, Morrow, 1976
Ministry of Information, Merchantmen at War, HMSO, 1944; The Battle of the Atlantic, HMSO, 1946
Morrison, S.E., U.S. Naval Operations in World War II, 15 vols., Little Brown, 1948–62; Vol. VII, The Battle of the Atlantic
Poolman, Kenneth, Armed Merchant Cruisers, Leo Cooper, 1985; The Catafighters and Merchant Aircraft Carriers, William Kimber, 1970; Escort Carrier, Ian Allan, 1972
Price, R., Aircraft and Submarine, Naval Institute Press, 1973
Robertson, Terrence, Walker RN, Evans, 1956
Roskill, Captain S.W., The War at Sea, HMSO, 1959; The Navy at War, 1939–1945, Collins, 1960
Ruegg, Bob, and Arnold Hague, Convoys to Russia 1941–1945, World Ship Society, 1992
Schoefield, Admiral B.B., The Russian Convoys, Batsford, 1964
Slader, John, The Red Duster at War, William Kimber, 1988; The Fourth Service, Hale, 1994
Sturtivant, R., The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm, Air Britain (Tonbridge) 1984
Terraine, John, The Right of the Line, Hodder & Stoughton, 1985; Business in Great Waters, Leo Cooper, 1989
Till, Geoffrey, Air Power and the Royal Navy, 1914–1945, Jane’s Publishing, 1979
Van der Vat, Dan, The Atlantic Campaign, Hodder & Stoughton, 1988
Waters, S.D., New Zealand in World War II, Official War History, New Zealand Government printer
Winton, John, The Defence of Sea Trade, Michael Joseph, 1983; Freedom’s Battle: The War at Sea 1939–45, Hutchinson, 1967
Wragg, David, Wings Over the Sea, David & Charles, 1979
Young, John M., A Diary of Ship Losses 1939–1945, Patrick Stephens, 1989
INDEX
A
Abbotsinch, RNAS, 63, 64, 118, 177
Activity, HMS, (ex SS Telemachus), 42, 44, 45, 81, 84, 86, 90
Adder patrols, 126
Allen, S/Lt C, 81, 182
Alligator patrols, 126
Allister, SS, 23–25, 27
Andalusia Star, SS, 12, 13, 15, 23
Arber, S/Lt G. (“Albert”), 12, 81, 91, 183
Arbroath, RNAS, 37, 39, 67, 112, 157
Archangel, 121, 122
Archer, HMS, 49
Arctic Circle, 126, 128, 141, 163
Argus, HMS, reported as “dismasted hulk”, 6; used for deck-landing training, 44; 62, 63
Ark Royal, HMS, 6, 67, 75
Armitage, Lt O.K. (“Bill”), 64, 81, 84, 93, 102, 137, 146, 160, 162, 165, 173; shoots down Ju88 and lands-on in Arctic hurricane, 174; 175, 176, 182, 185
Armstrong, PO J.W. (“Willy”), his part in locating the Bismark, 65–67; 86–88, 108
Arran, Ise of, 61–63
Arrowsmith, Lt Mike, describes work as Met Officer Nairana, 76, 77; 99, 123, 155; forecast for the great storm, 170, 171
Asdic (Sonar), 15, 17, 85, 86, 94, 122, 137
ASV and ASVX (Air to surface-vessel radar), 18; fitted to Swordfish, 39; 49; importance of in Battle of the Atlantic, 75, 76; 90, 97, 98, 100; fitting more sophisticated ASVX to Swordfish, 107, 108; 110, 132, 137, 138, 142, 150, 189
Atkinson, S/Lt Ken, 106, 118, 166, 182, 191
Audacity, HMS, 190
Aurora Borealis, 125, 163
Avengers (Grumman) 33, 59, 124, 125, 127, 132, 136
Avenger, HMS, 31
B
Bacon, SS (US “Liberty” ship), sunk by Junkers 88, 175; gallantry of crew, 176
Bahamas, HMS, 144, 156
Ball, Lt/Cdr Nigel, appointed Commander Flying, Nairana, 96; shot in arm by “friendly” cannon-fire, 102, 103; leaves Nairana, 106, returns, 109; 147, 172, 173
Ballyhalbert, RAF, 45, 46
Ballykelly, RAF, 51
Banak, 137, 145
Banborough Castle, HMS, sinks U387, 144, 145
Banham, Chief Air Artificer H.W.C., efficiency and ingenuity in maintaining squadron aircraft, 78, 79, 90, 115; work after the great storm, 172; 185
Bardufoss, 137, 145
Barringer, Lt/Cdr E.E. 1–111 passim; joins squadron, 3; appointed Senior Observer and Adjutant, 11; misadventures in the Clyde, 59, 60; appointed Commanding Officer, 88; promoted Lt/Cdr, 96; transfers to shore appointment, 109, 110; assessment of Surtees, 110, 111; leaves Nairana, 111; 181, 183
batsman (see also Lt Cameron and Lt Mathé), work on Nairana, 73–75
Battler, HMS, 48–51, 53, 56, 57, 59, 60, 71
Bay of Algeciras, 56, 92
Bay of Biscay, 16, 89, 90, 114, 116
Beal, S/Lt David, 112, 125; attacks U-boat, 150; 151; corresponds with Surtees, 179; 183, 185
Bear Island (Bjornaya), 137
Bellona, HMS, 148, 161
Bentzien, Kapitanleutant, 167
Bergen, 66, 67, 154
Bermuda, 31, 32
Berwick, HMS, 154, 158
Bevan, S/Lt J.S. (“Jock”), 112, 167; illustrates Valentine’s Day Card, 168; ditches in Arctic, 169, 170; 183
Bibby Lt/Cdr Edgar, describes duties as Commander Flying, 71–73; and camouflage of Sea Hurricanes, 80; 84, 88; given indefinite sick leave, 96
Birnie, Capt H.C., 53
Bismarck, 1, 7, 11; difficultiy of locating her in Norwegian fjords, 65–67
Blanco, S/Lt Peter, 112, 114, 146, 165, 173; shoots down Ju88 and lands-on in Arctic hurricane, 174; 175, 182, 185
Bletchley (and Ultra cryptographers), 16, 17
Blohm and Voss 138, shot down, 146, 186
Bluebell, HMS, sunk by acoustic torpedo, 169
Bonneville, SS, torpedoed, 53
Brown David, 2
Brown John (Shipbuilders), 69, 70
Brown, S/Lt R.H. (“Ron”), 112, 113, 138; crashes in Arctic, picked up by Cassandra then torpedoed, 142–144; 156; crashes in Arctic, 169, 170; 182
Brownrigg, Vice Admiral H.J.S., 53
Bruce Lt/Cdr, Chief Electrical Officer, Nairana, 73
Buckie, Lt W., 50, 81, 183
Bullen, S/Lt R., 182
buoyancy bomb, tests with from Argus, 62, 63
Burgham, Lt A.R. (“Al”), 58, 59, 86–88, 91, 95, 102; shoots down Ju290, 103, 104; 106; 118; strong words with Cdr Cartwright, 136; 146, 147, 160; shoots down Ju88, 166; 173, 182, 185, 188
Burscough, RNAS, 107–11, 172
C
Cairns, S/Lt W. (“Will”), 81–83; vanishes on patrol, 84; 184
CAM (Catapult Armed Merchantmen), 58, 188
Cameron Lt W., (“Bill”), batsman aboard Nairana, 75, 112
camouflage of squadron aircraft, 80
Campania, HMS, 69, 98, 123, 136, 137, 139, 141, 145, 148, 149, 152, 154, 158, 161–163, 166, 167, 171
Cardiff, HMS, 46
&
nbsp; Cartwright, Cdr F.J., joins Nairana 135; unpopularity of, 136; assesses sanity of Surtees, 140
Cassandra, HMS, rescues aircrew, 143; is torpedoed, 144; 150, 156
Central Air Medical Board, 156, 157
Chaser, HMS, 63
Churchill, Sir Winston S, on importance of Battle of the Atlantic, 14; compares sinking of a U-boat to 1,000-bomber raid on Berlin, 85; on need to help Russia, 121; 178
Clewett, S/L:t G., 184
Clover, HMS, 96
Clyde estuary, 12, 32, 33, 43, 44, 48–50, 56, 57, 59, 69, 80, 88, 92, 96, 105–107, 112, 118, 119, 134, 153, 156, 158
Coastal Command, 16, 42, 65, 66, 92, 134, 151, 176
Cobra patrols, 126, 132, 138
Commodores (in command of merchantmen in convoy), 53, 54, 105, 107, 124, 130, 136, 144, 161, 167
Condors, Focke-Wulf, 56, 58, 86
Constable, Lt, Seafire pilot, 56
Convoys, importance of in
Battle of the Atlantic, 15–17; our role in convoy protection, 1, 11, 14. Convoys protected by 835 Squadron:-
Gibraltar Convoys UK to Gibraltar 0S49, 51–55; Gibraltar to UK KMS 16XK9, 56–57; UK to Gibraltar 0S69/KMS43, 90, 91; Gibraltar to UK MK529, 92; UK to Gibraltar 0572/KMS46, 92, 93; Gibraltar to UK SL154/MKS43, 94–96; UK to Gibraltar KMF32, 106; Gibraltar to UK MKF32, 106, 107; UK to Gibraltar KMF34, 113, 114; Gibraltar to UK MKF34, 116–117
Mid-Atlantic Convoys
With HMS Furious (W. Indies to UK), 29–33; SL147 (Africa to UK), 84–88; SL157/MKS48 (Africa to UK), 97;SL158/MKS49 (Africa to UK), 97–105
Russian Convoys
Importance and difficulty of, 120–124; UK to Murmansk, JW61, 124–129; Murmansk to UK, RA61, 130–134; UK to Murmansk, JW62, 136–140; Murmansk to UK, RA62, 144–151; UK to Murmansk, JW64, 161–167; Murmansk to UK, 167–176 (Other convoys mentioned en passant in the text have not been indexed)