Comments by "doveton sturdee" (@dovetonsturdee7033) on "HMS Illustrious and Operation Excess - Fliegerkorps X marks the spot" video.

  1. ​ @ArmouredCarriers  Text of a signal from Vice Admiral, Naval Air Stations. to the Admiralty, 21 September, 1941:- Selection of Hurricanes for conversion to Sea Hurricanes Be pleased to represent to Their Lordships that the Vice Admiral Naval Air Stations does not consider that the selection of Hurricanes for conversion to Sea Hurricanes has up to the present been altogether satisfactory. 2. Many of those selected have been of the L.P. and N. series, and most of these have had previous service in Royal Air Force Operational Squadrons. One particular case may be quoted; N. 2455 has since October 1939 been in two different Royal Air Force Squadrons, took part in the Battle of Britain, and was twice extensively damaged, once by forced landing and once by enemy action, before being converted to Sea Hurricane. 3. All these old aircraft suffer from a multitude of minor defects and the Stations have had to expend many weeks’ work in rendering them fit for allotment to a Squadron, and although after this work had been completed the aircraft can be considered as serviceable, it is thought from consideration of their age and previous history that it is most likely that they will continue to suffer from minor defects during their remaining life. 4. It is further considered that even if they can be maintained serviceable, the effect on morale of allotting aircraft of this type to a new Squadron forming is deplorable. Many of the Pilots joining will be young and enthusiastic officers, joining an Operational Squadron for the first time, and to be given an aircraft which can only be described as a ‘cast off from the Royal Air Force’ causes a considerable damping of their ardour. 5. It is submitted that in future only new Hurricanes or those with a minimum of flying hours should be selected for conversion to Sea Hurricanes. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minute from Prime Minister to Secretary of Chiefs of Staff Committee [ADM 116/ 5348] 30 September 1941 :- Fighters for aircraft carriers When I visited INDOMITABLE last week, I was astonished to learn that the handful of Hurricanes to be allotted to this vital war unit were only of the lower type Hurricane Ones. I trust it may be arranged that only the finest aeroplanes that can do the work go into all aircraft-carriers. All this year it has been apparent that the power to launch the highest class fighters from aircraft-carriers may reopen to the Fleet great strategic doors which have been closed against them. The aircraft-carrier should have supreme priority in the quality and character of suitable types. =============================================== The Air Ministry, of course, ignored this. When PQ18 sailed for Russia a year later, the aircraft aboard the escort carrier 'Avenger' were the Sea Hurricane equivalent of the Mark 1, yet aboard the merchantmen were many crated versions of a much later mark. Mind you, in May, 1941, when there were virtually no modern British fighters in Greece, Crete, or the Middle East, the Air Ministry had 56 squadrons of fighters & fighter bombers carrying out regular, and pointless, fighter sweeps over Northern France. Whose side was the Air Ministry on in WW2, I wonder?1
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  2.  @ArmouredCarriers  Cunningham's remark in his autobiography that a small number of RAF squadrons could have saved Crete always struck me as masterful in being so restrained, given what I suspect his true feelings were.
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  3. 'The Regia Marina itself was easily more powerful than the total RN' Don't be silly. In 1939 only the US navy came close.
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  4. Unfortunately, acquisition of aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm was in the hands of the Royal Navy's most intransigent enemy, the Royal Air Force, until 1939. Consequently, the funds available were spent predominantly on bombers (which, of course, would 'always get through') then fighters, with a small amount going to Coastal Command, and, seemingly, what was found in Trenchard's pockets after a night out at his club being devoted to the Fleet Air Arm.
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  5. The first Sea Hurricanes for carrier operation only appeared in July, 1941. Illustrious' lifts were not wide enough for Sea Hurricanes in any case.
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  6. No, a fleet carrier with an armoured flight deck. Better able to resist bomb hits, but able to carry fewer aircraft.
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  7. Goering was quite eager for the Luftwaffe to sink a British capital ship such as a battleship, battle cruiser, or carrier. It never happened, as the biggest RN warship sunk by the Luftwaffe was a light cruiser.
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