General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: Role of Englands Carriers during WW 2
Posted by:
Rainer
()
Date: July 27, 2009 10:09PM
Why the Royal Navy did not help the US more in the carrier battles of the Pacific?
Well, the Royal Navy had seven fleet carriers available in September 1939, but all except HMS ARK ROYAL were older than 20 years. A modernization was underway with five of six ordered fleet carriers under construction.
But by December 1941 two years of war had taken its toll:
Three carriers lost by enemy action (HMS COURAGEOUS, HMS GLORIOUS, HMS ARK ROYAL)
HMS EAGLE, HMS FURIOUS and HMS HERMES under refit
HMS FORMIDABLE and HMS ILLUSTRIOUS under repair in USA after damaged by bombs in the Mediterranean
HMS INDOMITABLE under repair after damaged by grounding on shake down in the Caribbean
HMS INDEFATIGABLE and HMS IMPLACABLE still under construction (delayed to built more urgently needed escort ships)
This left the Royal Navy with only two (!) active fleet carriers when Japan attacked:
HMS VICTORIOUS with the Home Fleet and the reserve carrier HMS ARGUS pressed in service with the Force H at Gibraltar after the recent loss of HMS ARK ROYAL
Moreover the British carriers had to operate with obsolete and slow aircraft, unsuited for the long range combat in the Pacific. It had been planned to equip the new fleet carriers with more modern aircraft, but the development had been delayed due to the concentration on building fighters to defend Britain and heavy bombers to hit Germany. In fact, the majority of the aircraft operating from British carriers in 1944/45 were US built.
The three modern carriers returning to service after refit or repair in early 1942 were immediately sent to the Indian Ocean, where the old HMS HERMES was sunk by the Japanese before the Eastern Fleet could be organized. In July 1942 the US Navy suggested to send HMS ILLUSTRIOUS to the Pacific, but the Admiralty not agreed - apparently fearing a Japanese advance towards India.
The Royal Navy began 1943 reduced to only six fleet carriers:
1942 saw two more war losses (HMS HERMES and HMS EAGLE)
HMS INDOMITABLE under repair after being damaged by bombs in the Mediterranean
HMS INDEFATIGABLE and HMS IMPLACABLE still under construction, but ten Colossus class carriers were laid down in 1942/43.
HMS ARGUS, HMS FURIOUS, HMS FORMIDABLE and HMS VICTORIOUS supporting the landings in North Africa (Operation Torch) and escorting convoys to Russia.
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS guarding the Indian Ocean and in need of a refit.
Nevertheless it was decided to loan HMS VICTORIOUS to the US Navy after losses and damages had reduced the active US fleet carriers in late 1942. The carrier sailing for Pearl Harbor to be equipped with US aircraft and carry out exercises with US fleet carriers. This took two months and in mid 1943 she went into action together with USS SARATOGA to support the Allied landings in New Georgia.
In 1943 at least one carrier had to be on station with the Home Fleet to guard TIRPITZ in Norway and the remaining carriers supported the Allied landings on Sicily and other operations in the Mediterranean, where HMS INDOMITABLE was once more damaged by an air attack. With HMS INDOMITABLE under repair and the old HMS ARGUS transferred to training duties, the strength of the carrier force was further reduced - forcing the Royal Navy to use the aircraft maintenance and repair carrier HMS UNICORN as fleet carrier.
The situation only improved in mid 1944 when HMS INDEFATIGABLE and HMS IMPLACABLE finally entered service and TIRPITZ was sunk, but the old HMS FURIOUS had to be withdrawn to training duties too. In late 1944 the Royal Navy finally had assembled a carrier task force in the Indian Ocean, which compromised five of the six fleet carriers in operational service (HMS FORMIDABLE being under refit).
In 1945 all six fleet carriers were sent to the Pacific to support US fleet operations, to be joined by the first three Colossus class carriers as soon as they entered service but they were finished too late to see action.
As you see the Royal Navy and the US Navy both had seven fleet carriers in service when they went to war, but the British shipyards were unable to replace the war losses and obsolete carriers until 1945. The US fleet lost four carriers in 1942 and the US shipyards delivered seven Essex class carriers until late 1943 and seven more in 1944.
Best regards
Rainer
Crew member of uboat.net
Well, the Royal Navy had seven fleet carriers available in September 1939, but all except HMS ARK ROYAL were older than 20 years. A modernization was underway with five of six ordered fleet carriers under construction.
But by December 1941 two years of war had taken its toll:
Three carriers lost by enemy action (HMS COURAGEOUS, HMS GLORIOUS, HMS ARK ROYAL)
HMS EAGLE, HMS FURIOUS and HMS HERMES under refit
HMS FORMIDABLE and HMS ILLUSTRIOUS under repair in USA after damaged by bombs in the Mediterranean
HMS INDOMITABLE under repair after damaged by grounding on shake down in the Caribbean
HMS INDEFATIGABLE and HMS IMPLACABLE still under construction (delayed to built more urgently needed escort ships)
This left the Royal Navy with only two (!) active fleet carriers when Japan attacked:
HMS VICTORIOUS with the Home Fleet and the reserve carrier HMS ARGUS pressed in service with the Force H at Gibraltar after the recent loss of HMS ARK ROYAL
Moreover the British carriers had to operate with obsolete and slow aircraft, unsuited for the long range combat in the Pacific. It had been planned to equip the new fleet carriers with more modern aircraft, but the development had been delayed due to the concentration on building fighters to defend Britain and heavy bombers to hit Germany. In fact, the majority of the aircraft operating from British carriers in 1944/45 were US built.
The three modern carriers returning to service after refit or repair in early 1942 were immediately sent to the Indian Ocean, where the old HMS HERMES was sunk by the Japanese before the Eastern Fleet could be organized. In July 1942 the US Navy suggested to send HMS ILLUSTRIOUS to the Pacific, but the Admiralty not agreed - apparently fearing a Japanese advance towards India.
The Royal Navy began 1943 reduced to only six fleet carriers:
1942 saw two more war losses (HMS HERMES and HMS EAGLE)
HMS INDOMITABLE under repair after being damaged by bombs in the Mediterranean
HMS INDEFATIGABLE and HMS IMPLACABLE still under construction, but ten Colossus class carriers were laid down in 1942/43.
HMS ARGUS, HMS FURIOUS, HMS FORMIDABLE and HMS VICTORIOUS supporting the landings in North Africa (Operation Torch) and escorting convoys to Russia.
HMS ILLUSTRIOUS guarding the Indian Ocean and in need of a refit.
Nevertheless it was decided to loan HMS VICTORIOUS to the US Navy after losses and damages had reduced the active US fleet carriers in late 1942. The carrier sailing for Pearl Harbor to be equipped with US aircraft and carry out exercises with US fleet carriers. This took two months and in mid 1943 she went into action together with USS SARATOGA to support the Allied landings in New Georgia.
In 1943 at least one carrier had to be on station with the Home Fleet to guard TIRPITZ in Norway and the remaining carriers supported the Allied landings on Sicily and other operations in the Mediterranean, where HMS INDOMITABLE was once more damaged by an air attack. With HMS INDOMITABLE under repair and the old HMS ARGUS transferred to training duties, the strength of the carrier force was further reduced - forcing the Royal Navy to use the aircraft maintenance and repair carrier HMS UNICORN as fleet carrier.
The situation only improved in mid 1944 when HMS INDEFATIGABLE and HMS IMPLACABLE finally entered service and TIRPITZ was sunk, but the old HMS FURIOUS had to be withdrawn to training duties too. In late 1944 the Royal Navy finally had assembled a carrier task force in the Indian Ocean, which compromised five of the six fleet carriers in operational service (HMS FORMIDABLE being under refit).
In 1945 all six fleet carriers were sent to the Pacific to support US fleet operations, to be joined by the first three Colossus class carriers as soon as they entered service but they were finished too late to see action.
As you see the Royal Navy and the US Navy both had seven fleet carriers in service when they went to war, but the British shipyards were unable to replace the war losses and obsolete carriers until 1945. The US fleet lost four carriers in 1942 and the US shipyards delivered seven Essex class carriers until late 1943 and seven more in 1944.
Best regards
Rainer
Crew member of uboat.net
