276:
180:
228:
252:
532:
594:
204:
192:
216:
264:
567:
240:
316:
673:
650:
396:
292:
520:
308:
385:
332:
619:
324:
614:
The Fairey
Swordfish was deployed from normal Royal Navy ships with floats through an aircraft catapult on board the ship in order to do recon or act as an artillery spotter for the ship. Artillery spotting involved the Swordfish tracking the fall of shot from its ship and relaying back where it
346:
The Fairey
Swordfish was the FAA's Torpedo bomber at the start of the war and probably the FAA’s most famous aircraft. It also was designed for reconnaissance/spotting and later in the war it was replaced in the frontline torpedo role and given anti-submarine duties from escort carriers.
275:
633:
The
Supermarine Walrus was a seaplane designed to be operated off battleships and cruiser for reconnaissance and as a spotter for the main armament. There were only two occasions on which it was used as a spotter but it was used for reconnaissance and
63:
The Skua was a fighter and a dive bomber; one of two fighter aircraft in the FAA at the onset of war, alongside the
Gloster Sea Gladiator. Armed with four fixed forward-firing machine-guns in the wings and a single flexibly-mounted
357:
The Fairey
Albacore was intended as a replacement for the Swordfish fulfilling the same roles with an improved engine and enclosed cabin. Went into service in 1940-1943 but was replaced by the Barracuda before the end of the war.
179:
121:
heavy machine guns, in widespread use from
September 1941. The Martlet was the British name for Grumman G-36A and G-36B aircraft in British service. Later in the war new acquisitions (FM-1 and FM-2) used the US Wildcat
531:
912:
Jones Ben, (ed). The Fleet Air Arm in the Second World War volume II, 1942–1943, the Fleet Air Arm in
Transition: the Mediterranean, Battle of the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. London: Routledge, 2018. ISBN
669:
The
Beaufort was derived from a medium bomber and was used by the Fleet Air Arm from 1940 until the end of the war. The Beauforts operated could use both torpedoes and bombs and lay naval mines.
34:
The FAA operated aircraft from Royal Navy ships, mainly aircraft carriers but also including capital ships and cruisers, as well as from land bases defending ports and attacking enemy shipping.
227:
251:
106:
Carrier-borne and catapult-ship variants of the
Hurricane introduced to service in 1941. All Sea Hurricanes, apart from the IA, were carrier-capable, being fitted with arrestor hooks.
476:
The successor to the Fairey Fulmar entering service in 1944 initially for armed reconnaissance flights and anti-shipping strikes. The observer was seated in the rear of the fuselage.
585:. These ships only had the facilities to launch the aircraft so that if no land bases were available nearby the pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft in the sea when fuel ran out.
1410:
638:
throughout the war. With improvements in radar it was removed from some of the capital ships as it was rendered obsolete in its other role in patrolling for axis subs with
53:
Carrier-borne version of the
Gladiator fitted with an arrestor hook. One of the two FAA fighters of World War II in service at the beginning alongside the Blackburn Skua.
491:
The Swordfish in later life served as anti-submarine aircraft operating off escort carriers in convoys. To fulfill this role the Swordfish Mark II was fitted with
1174:
Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. "The Annals of Sugar Baker Two Uncle". Air Enthusiast, Eight, October 1978–January 1979. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll. pp. 1–8, 74–79
92:
The Fulmar fighter/reconnaissance aircraft was introduced into service in May 1940 and was the first FAA fighter to have eight machine-guns and also had carried a
376:
This aircraft came into service by the FAA in November 1943. Was originally called Tarpon but was changed to Avenger when the FAA changed to using the US names.
366:
An all metal monoplane torpedo-bomber/dive bomber, the Barracude was the last British torpedo bomber to enter service during the war, serving from January 1943.
78:
The Roc was the turret-armed escort-fighter derived from the Skua, fitted with a four-gun hydraulically-operated turret aft of the cockpit, similar to the
593:
1400:
203:
239:
164:
heavy machine guns. It entered widespread service with FAA in early 1944 under the US Hellcat name. Was used in both Europe and the Mediterranean.
1405:
215:
191:
1311:
779:
750:
413:
Combined fighter and dive bomber -the Skua could carry a single 250lb or 500 lb. bomb under the fuselage and four 40lb bombs or eight 20lb
263:
519:
1274:
Bridgeman, Leonard, ed. "The Bristol 156 Beaufighter." Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Studio, 1946. ISBN 1-85170-493-0
687:
The Bristol Beaufighter was an interim heavy fighter based on the Bristol Beaufort. It was used for attacks on Axis shipping by FAA and
443:
Reconnaissance came from planes that had been designed to undertake this role as well as an offensive role such as a fighter or bomber:
460:
The Albacore was designed as a torpedo/bomber/reconnaissance aircraft. For reconnaissance operations, a third crewmember was carried.
172:
The Firefly was the last FAA carrier-fighter put into service in World War II, in July 1944, as a reconnaissance and strike fighter.
1376:
1358:
1340:
1260:
1208:
1157:
1132:
1107:
974:
949:
1005:
Styling, Mark. Corsair Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 8). London: Osprey Publishing, 1995. ISBN 1-85532-530-6
291:
836:
Brew, Alec. The Turret Fighters: Defiant and Roc. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press, 2002. ISBN 1-86126-497-6
566:
810:
Smith, Peter C Skua! the Royal Navy's Dive-Bomber. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Sword, 2006. ISBN 1-84415-455-6
723:
496:
991:
March, Daniel J. "British Warplanes of World War II". Westport, CT: AIRtime Publishing Inc., 1998. ISBN 1-880588-28-5
1085:
Kilbracken, Lord. Bring Back My Stringbag: A Swordfish Pilot at War. London: Pan Books Ltd, 1980. ISBN 0-330-26172-X
150:
The Corsair was used by the FAA from November 1943, with modifications to suit them to service on British carriers.
927:
March, Daniel J. (ed). British Warplanes of World War II. London: Aerospace Publishing. 1998. ISBN 1-874023-92-1
1059:
Harrison, William A. Fairey Firefly – The Operational Record. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife, 1992. ISBN 1-85310-196-6
68:
in the rear cockpit, the Skua carried a large bomb launched from a swivelling crutch under the centre fuselage.
315:
431:. Modified for British requirements, they were given the service name "Chesapeake". After brief service with
874:
Brown, David. Fairey Fulmar Mks I & II, Aircraft Number 254. London: Profile Publications, 1973. No ISBN
672:
282:
1019:
Thruelsen, Richard (1976). The Grumman Story. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, ISBN 0-275-54260-2
649:
1395:
696:
692:
452:
When carried, the observer was the third crewmember in addition to the pilot and "Telegraphist/Air gunner"
432:
421:
395:
1239:
Buttler, Tony. Bristol Beaufort (Warpaint Series No. 50). Luton, Warpaint Books Ltd., 2000. OCLC 64949059
65:
48:
700:
127:
101:
79:
796:
Matricardi, Paolo . Aerei Militari: Caccia e Ricognitori (in Italian). Milan: Mondadori Electa, 2006
688:
681:
370:
155:
137:
111:
1033:
Tillman, Barrett (1996). Hellcat Aces of World War 2. London: Osprey Aerospace, ISBN 1-85532-596-9
627:
504:
389:
145:
570:
CAM ships launched their fighters, in this case a Sea Hurricane, with a rocket-powered catapult
307:
1372:
1354:
1336:
1307:
1256:
1204:
1153:
1128:
1103:
970:
945:
775:
492:
663:
608:
508:
486:
447:
428:
362:
340:
455:
351:
581:
The Sea Hurricane mk IA was a catapult only aircraft that was carried and launched from
733:
635:
471:
407:
167:
58:
1389:
574:
547:
463:
87:
73:
24:
384:
414:
331:
28:
618:
403:
All FAA torpedo bombers except the Grumman Avenger could also act as dive bombers
1225:
London, Peter. British Flying Boats. Stoud, UK: Sutton., 2003. ISBN 0-7509-2695-3
615:
landed to help its ship make adjustments to their guns aim to be more accurate.
96:/Observer/Gunner to assist the pilot with navigation, reconnaissance and defence.
1291:. Aircraft in Profile Number 137. Leatherhead: Profile Publications. p. 16.
1203:. Vol. Five: Flying Boats (5th Impr ed.). London: Macdonald & Co.
161:
118:
323:
738:
703:
598:
20:
160:
Hellcat was a more developed aircraft than Wildcat, armed with six 0.5 inch
711:
639:
93:
142:
A navalised version of the Spitfire which entered service in November 1942.
582:
691:. The main variant used by the FAA was the Beaufighter Mk X as used by
427:
The British took over French order for 50 Vought Vindicators after the
1369:
Wings of the Navy, Flying Allied Carrier Aircraft of World War Two
671:
648:
617:
592:
565:
435:
in 1941 they were withdrawn from frontline and used for training.
394:
383:
330:
322:
314:
306:
1367:
Brown, Eric (1980). Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon (eds.).
707:
500:
597:
Fairey Swordfish floatplane is recovered aboard the battleship
82:. The Roc was not procured in large numbers, due to low speed.
537:
the AS/V radar on the Swordfish was fitted below the fuselage
676:
Beaufighter TF.X at RAF Museum with examples of its armament
117:
The Martlet was a carrier fighter, armed with four 0.5 inch
1255:. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 1988 (3rd revised edition).
728:
Small number used for training in Merlin engine management
503:
rockets. The Swordfish Kk III received the more advanced
495:, the first instance of a carrier aircraft equipped with
388:
Skuas just about to take off from the aircraft carrier
1152:. Combat Aircraft 16. Botley, UK: Osprey Publishing.
969:. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.
710:
rockets or a single torpedo. They were equipped with
1353:(4th ed.), London: Putnam Aeronautical Books,
19:This list deals specifically with aircraft of the
507:ASV Mk XI radar. This was used to destroy German
706:they carried, they were armed with either eight
553:Training after withdrawal as carrier fighter.
132:The Spitfire was used by land-based squadrons.
8:
1411:United Kingdom in World War II-related lists
774:. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. p. 6.
589:Reconnaissance & ship artillery spotters
965:Sturtivant, Ray and; Burrow, Mick (1995).
942:The Seafire: The Spitfire That Went to Sea
772:The British Fleet Air Arm in World War II
327:Fairey Barracuda with a Torpedo in flight
16:Fleet Air Arm World War Two Aircraft List
1186:
1102:. Marlborough: Crowood. pp. 77–80.
898:
848:
762:
512:
319:Fairey Albacore and torpedo in a museum
175:
525:Swordfish mk II in flight with torpedo
1371:. London: Jane's Publishing Company.
1335:, London: Putnam Aeronautical Books,
1071:
1045:
886:
860:
822:
751:List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
7:
1150:TBF/TBM Avenger Units of World War 2
967:Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945
603:after reconnaissance flight in 1941
1306:. London: Anness. pp. 48–49.
1289:The Bristol Beaufighter I & II
1201:War Planes of the Second World War
14:
1351:British Naval Aircraft Since 1912
1333:British Naval Aircraft Since 1912
1304:The World Encyclopedia of Bombers
497:air-to-surface-vessel (ASV) radar
1401:Lists of naval aviation aircraft
530:
518:
335:Side view of FAA Grumman Avenger
290:
274:
262:
250:
238:
226:
214:
202:
190:
178:
38:Carrier aircraft of World War II
699:. In addition to the four 20mm
1406:Lists of World War II aircraft
557:Non-carrier shipborne aircraft
1:
1100:Fairey Swordfish and Albacore
311:Fairey Swordfish with torpedo
1253:Bristol Aircraft Since 1910
944:. London: Greenhill Books.
724:Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
245:FAA Grumman Wildcat/Martlet
1427:
1287:Moyes, Philip J.R (1966).
1148:Tillman, Barrett (1999).
1123:Tillman, Barrett (1979).
653:RAF Beaufort with torpedo
297:Fairey Firefly FR.IV 1944
1199:Green, William (1972) .
233:Hawker Sea Hurricane IB.
1349:Thetford, Owen (1978),
1331:Thetford, Owen (1994),
1098:Harrison, W.A. (2002).
283:1840 Naval Air Squadron
697:728 Naval Air Squadron
693:772 Naval Air Squadron
677:
654:
623:
604:
571:
433:811 Naval Air Squadron
400:
392:
336:
328:
320:
312:
1127:. London: Ian Allan.
940:Brown, David (1989).
770:Barber, Mark (2008).
675:
652:
621:
596:
569:
398:
387:
334:
326:
318:
310:
185:Gloster Sea Gladiator
66:Vickers K machine gun
49:Gloster Sea Gladiator
128:Supermarine Spitfire
102:Hawker Sea Hurricane
80:Boulton Paul Defiant
1302:Crosby, F. (2007).
1276:. pp. 110–111.
689:RAF Coastal Command
682:Bristol Beaufighter
645:Land-based aircraft
468:Introduced in 1940.
257:Supermarine Seafire
138:Supermarine Seafire
1048:, p. 145–157.
678:
655:
628:Supermarine Walrus
624:
622:Supermarine Walrus
605:
572:
401:
393:
390:HMS Ark Royal (91)
337:
329:
321:
313:
269:FAA Vought Corsair
146:Vought F4U Corsair
1313:978-1-84477-511-8
913:978-0-8153-5507-6
781:978-1-84603-283-7
493:ASV Mark II radar
422:Vought Chesapeake
417:under the wings.
399:Vought Vindicator
1418:
1382:
1363:
1345:
1318:
1317:
1299:
1293:
1292:
1284:
1278:
1277:
1270:
1264:
1249:
1243:
1242:
1235:
1229:
1228:
1221:
1215:
1214:
1196:
1190:
1184:
1178:
1177:
1170:
1164:
1163:
1145:
1139:
1138:
1120:
1114:
1113:
1095:
1089:
1088:
1081:
1075:
1069:
1063:
1062:
1055:
1049:
1043:
1037:
1036:
1029:
1023:
1022:
1015:
1009:
1008:
1001:
995:
994:
987:
981:
980:
962:
956:
955:
937:
931:
930:
923:
917:
916:
908:
902:
896:
890:
884:
878:
877:
870:
864:
863:, p. 69–78.
858:
852:
846:
840:
839:
832:
826:
825:, p. 29–40.
820:
814:
813:
806:
800:
799:
792:
786:
785:
767:
664:Bristol Beaufort
609:Fairey Swordfish
576:Sea Hurricane IA
534:
522:
509:midget submarine
487:Fairey Swordfish
448:Fairey Swordfish
429:Battle of France
363:Fairey Barracuda
341:Fairey Swordfish
294:
278:
266:
254:
242:
230:
218:
206:
194:
182:
1426:
1425:
1421:
1420:
1419:
1417:
1416:
1415:
1386:
1385:
1379:
1366:
1361:
1348:
1343:
1330:
1327:
1322:
1321:
1314:
1301:
1300:
1296:
1286:
1285:
1281:
1272:
1271:
1267:
1250:
1246:
1237:
1236:
1232:
1223:
1222:
1218:
1211:
1198:
1197:
1193:
1185:
1181:
1172:
1171:
1167:
1160:
1147:
1146:
1142:
1135:
1122:
1121:
1117:
1110:
1097:
1096:
1092:
1083:
1082:
1078:
1074:, p. 7–20.
1070:
1066:
1057:
1056:
1052:
1044:
1040:
1031:
1030:
1026:
1017:
1016:
1012:
1003:
1002:
998:
989:
988:
984:
977:
964:
963:
959:
952:
939:
938:
934:
925:
924:
920:
910:
909:
905:
897:
893:
885:
881:
872:
871:
867:
859:
855:
847:
843:
834:
833:
829:
821:
817:
808:
807:
803:
794:
793:
789:
782:
769:
768:
764:
759:
747:
720:
660:
658:Torpedo bombers
647:
591:
564:
559:
544:
538:
535:
526:
523:
483:
456:Fairey Albacore
441:
382:
371:Grumman Avenger
352:Fairey Albacore
305:
303:Torpedo bombers
298:
295:
286:
279:
270:
267:
258:
255:
246:
243:
234:
231:
222:
219:
210:
207:
198:
195:
186:
183:
156:Grumman Hellcat
114:(later Wildcat)
112:Grumman Martlet
45:
40:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1424:
1422:
1414:
1413:
1408:
1403:
1398:
1388:
1387:
1384:
1383:
1377:
1364:
1359:
1346:
1341:
1326:
1323:
1320:
1319:
1312:
1294:
1279:
1265:
1244:
1230:
1216:
1209:
1191:
1189:, p. 340.
1179:
1165:
1158:
1140:
1133:
1125:Avenger at War
1115:
1108:
1090:
1076:
1064:
1050:
1038:
1024:
1021:. p. 181.
1010:
996:
982:
975:
957:
950:
932:
918:
903:
901:, p. 228.
891:
889:, p. 114.
879:
865:
853:
841:
827:
815:
801:
787:
780:
761:
760:
758:
755:
754:
753:
746:
743:
742:
741:
736:
734:Miles Martinet
730:
729:
726:
719:
716:
667:
666:
659:
656:
646:
643:
636:air sea rescue
631:
630:
590:
587:
563:
560:
558:
555:
551:
550:
543:
540:
539:
536:
529:
527:
524:
517:
515:
514:
513:
489:
482:
481:Anti-submarine
479:
478:
477:
474:
472:Fairey Firefly
469:
466:
461:
458:
453:
450:
440:
439:Reconnaissance
437:
425:
424:
411:
410:
408:Blackburn Skua
381:
378:
304:
301:
300:
299:
296:
289:
287:
280:
273:
271:
268:
261:
259:
256:
249:
247:
244:
237:
235:
232:
225:
223:
220:
213:
211:
208:
201:
199:
197:Blackburn Skua
196:
189:
187:
184:
177:
174:
173:
170:
168:Fairey Firefly
165:
158:
152:
151:
148:
143:
140:
134:
133:
130:
124:
123:
115:
108:
107:
104:
98:
97:
90:
84:
83:
76:
70:
69:
61:
59:Blackburn Skua
55:
54:
51:
44:
41:
39:
36:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1423:
1412:
1409:
1407:
1404:
1402:
1399:
1397:
1396:Fleet Air Arm
1394:
1393:
1391:
1380:
1378:0-7106-0002-X
1374:
1370:
1365:
1362:
1360:0-370-30021-1
1356:
1352:
1347:
1344:
1342:0-85177-861-5
1338:
1334:
1329:
1328:
1324:
1315:
1309:
1305:
1298:
1295:
1290:
1283:
1280:
1275:
1269:
1266:
1262:
1261:0-85177-823-2
1258:
1254:
1251:Barnes, C.H.
1248:
1245:
1240:
1234:
1231:
1226:
1220:
1217:
1212:
1210:0-356-01449-5
1206:
1202:
1195:
1192:
1188:
1187:Thetford 1978
1183:
1180:
1175:
1169:
1166:
1161:
1159:1-85532-902-6
1155:
1151:
1144:
1141:
1136:
1134:0-7110-0957-0
1130:
1126:
1119:
1116:
1111:
1109:1-86126-512-3
1105:
1101:
1094:
1091:
1086:
1080:
1077:
1073:
1068:
1065:
1060:
1054:
1051:
1047:
1042:
1039:
1035:. p. 78.
1034:
1028:
1025:
1020:
1014:
1011:
1006:
1000:
997:
992:
986:
983:
978:
976:0-85130-232-7
972:
968:
961:
958:
953:
951:1-85367-039-1
947:
943:
936:
933:
928:
922:
919:
914:
907:
904:
900:
899:Thetford 1994
895:
892:
888:
883:
880:
875:
869:
866:
862:
857:
854:
850:
849:Thetford 1978
845:
842:
837:
831:
828:
824:
819:
816:
811:
805:
802:
797:
791:
788:
783:
777:
773:
766:
763:
756:
752:
749:
748:
744:
740:
737:
735:
732:
731:
727:
725:
722:
721:
717:
715:
713:
709:
705:
702:
701:Hispano Mk.II
698:
694:
690:
685:
684:
683:
674:
670:
665:
662:
661:
657:
651:
644:
642:
641:
637:
629:
626:
625:
620:
616:
612:
611:
610:
602:
601:
595:
588:
586:
584:
579:
578:
577:
568:
561:
556:
554:
549:
548:Hawker Osprey
546:
545:
541:
533:
528:
521:
516:
510:
506:
502:
498:
494:
490:
488:
485:
484:
480:
475:
473:
470:
467:
465:
464:Fairey Fulmar
462:
459:
457:
454:
451:
449:
446:
445:
444:
438:
436:
434:
430:
423:
420:
419:
418:
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27:(FAA) during
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25:Fleet Air Arm
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1176:. p. 8.
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281:Hellcats of
33:
29:World War II
18:
704:autocannons
505:centimetric
162:M2 Browning
119:M2 Browning
1390:Categories
1325:References
1072:Brown 1980
1046:Brown 1980
887:Brown 1980
861:Brown 1980
823:Brown 1980
739:Target tug
21:Royal Navy
712:ASV radar
640:ASV radar
583:CAM ships
94:Navigator
745:See also
562:Fighters
43:Fighters
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600:Malaya
499:, and
757:Notes
718:Other
542:Other
122:name.
1373:ISBN
1355:ISBN
1337:ISBN
1308:ISBN
1257:ISBN
1205:ISBN
1154:ISBN
1129:ISBN
1104:ISBN
971:ISBN
946:ISBN
776:ISBN
708:RP-3
695:and
501:RP-3
285:FAA.
23:'s
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