Were the Barras replaced with Avengers because, as the British Fleet was to finally fully enter the Pacific Theater (US Navy grounds) after the strikes at Sumatra (The NEI were closer to the CBI than to the Central Pacific TO), someone wanted standarization for the sake of supplies? Or was the design just too inferior? It´s true that they looked a bit odd, but I think operations in Norway against the remains of the Kriegsmarine showed their worth; besides, the Union Jack ships were left without truly dedicated dive bombers. Also, I didn´t know the British attacked Truk, even if the place, by the time, was just a little more than an underwater graveyard...
The Avenger had better range (So important in Pacific) and also it was good to have the same torpedo plane (well, not often used as torpedo bomber, but often with rockets and bombs) as USN. Anyway the RN light carriers arrived in Pacific equipped with Corsairs and Barracudas, so FAA for sure had all Barracuda's spare parts at Sydney and Manus. Yes, Truk wasn't the same as in February 1944, when TF58 made the famous raid. It was often bombed by USAAF B-24, IIRC from march 1944. But it was good for live training, as were many bypassed islands. Max
Operation Inmate, Strikes on Truk, June 14 & 15 1945 HMS Implacable: 803 Squadron: Seafire L.III; Lt Cdr(A) L.D. Wilkinson, DSC, RNVR 880 Squadron: Seafire L.III & FR.III; Lt Cdr(A) R.M. Crosley, DSC & bar, RNVR 1771 Squadron: Firefly I; Lt Cdr W.R.J. MacWhirter, DSC, RN 828 Squadron: Avenger II; Lt Cdr F.A. Swanton, DSC, RN Regards, Rich Rich, the first squadron of Implacable is No. 801, not 803. Max
BPF, July 1945, RN unless otherwise noted: Commander Carrier Task Force 37 - VAdm Sir Bernard Rawlings, KCB, KBE Implacable - Capt CC Hughes-Hallett, CBE 38th Naval Fighter Wing - ???? 880 Squadron (Seafire) - Lt Cdr RM Crosley, DSC (w/Bar) 801 Squadron (Seafire) - Lt Cdr S Jewers, RNVR 828 Squadron (TBM) - Lt Cdr FA Swanton, DSC 1771 Squadron (Firefly) - Lt Cdr WRJ MacWhirter, DSC Indefatigable Capt QD Graham, CBE, DSO 24th Naval Fighter Wing - Lt Cdr NG Hallett, DSC (w/Bar) 887 Squadron (Seafire) - Lt Cdr AJ Thomson, DSC, RNVR 894 Squadron (Seafire) - Lt Cdr J Crossman, DSO, RNVR 820 Squadron (TBM) - Lt FL Jones, DSC (w/Bar), RNVR 1770 Squadron (Firefly) - Maj VBG Chessman, DSO, MBE, DSC, RM Victorious Capt MM Denny, CB, CBE 47th Naval Fighter Wing - Lt Col RC Hay, DSO (w/Bar), DSC, RM 1834 Squadron (F4U) - Lt Cdr PN Charlton, DFC 1836 Squadron (F4U) - Lt Cdr JB Edmundson, DSC 849 Squadron (TBM) - Lt Cdr AJ Griffiths, RN Formidable Capt P Ruck-Keene 6th Naval Fighter Wing - Lt Cdr RL Bigg-Wither, DSC (w/Bar), RNVR 1841 Squadron (F4U) - Lt Cdr Bigg-Wither 1842 Squadron (F4U) - Lt Cdr DG Parker, DSC, RNVR 848 Squadron (TBM) - Lt Cdr TGV Percy King George V (FltFlg) Capt BB Schofield, CBE ComCruSquad4 - RAdm EJP Brind, CB CBE Newfoundland (FlgCruSqd4) Capt RW Ravenhill, CBE, DSC Black Prince Capt GV Gladstone Euryalas Capt RS Warne, CBE Achilles (RNZN) Capt FJ Butler, MBE Uganda (RCN) Capt ER Mainguy, RCN Gambia (RNZN) Capt RAB Edwards, CBE Grenville (4thDesFlot) Capt RG Onslow, DSO Udine Cdr TC Robinson, DSC Urania Lt Cdr DHP Gardiner, DSC Urchin Lt Cdr AF Harkness, OBE, DSC, RD, RNVR Ulysses Lt Cdr BGB Bordes, DSC Undaunted Lt Cdr CER Sharp Quiberon (RAN) Cdr GS Stuart, RAN Quickwatch (RAN) Lt Cdr OH Becher, DSC, RAN Quality Cdr Viscount Jocelyn Quadrant Lt Cdr PC Hopkins Troubridge (2DesFlot) Capt GF Burghard Tenacious Lt Cdr GC Crowley, DSC Termagent Lt Cdr DC Beatty, DSC Terpsichore Cdr RT White, DSC Teazer Lt Cdr TF Taylor, DSC Indefatigable: No 1772 squadron, not 1770 Firefly from june 1945. Max
I've been reading the thread about US carriers with teak decks ... very interesting. But how about the great battleships of WW1 and WW2 vintage in general, and RN battleships in particular? Was Vanguard the RN's last operational battleship? (When I was a boy I remember going on board Vanguard ... but can't remember whether she had a metal or a teak deck.) Did the great battleships of WW1 have teak decks? And how about the decks of earlier battleships (eg in the Russo-Japanese War) ... did they have teak decks? It seems strange given that the explosive power of the shells was so great even in those early days. Thanks in advance for comments ... M
I've been reading the thread about US carriers with teak decks ... very interesting. But how about the great battleships of WW1 and WW2 vintage in general, and RN battleships in particular? Did the great battleships of WW1 have teak decks? No. Only carriers had wooden decks
