Apache on Ark Royal
Suspicion breeds confidence
Thread Starter
Apache on Ark Royal
Here
Also:
WTF has the RAF got to do with Taranto? The Navy would be just as well sending over a couple of Merlins - same speed (but maybe less range than a Swordfish) and not as well armed. 
Also:
Another notable visitor to the ship the day after the Apache trial was Rear Admiral Alan Massey, Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff. As a Captain, Admiral Massey was Ark Royal's commanding officer during the Iraq war.
The reason for his visit was twofold: to see for himself the ship's regeneration effort and to join her in commemorating the anniversary of the Fleet Air Arm's crushing raid on Mussolini's fleet at Taranto in 1940. To mark the occasion two RAF Tornado aircraft overflew the carrier.
The reason for his visit was twofold: to see for himself the ship's regeneration effort and to join her in commemorating the anniversary of the Fleet Air Arm's crushing raid on Mussolini's fleet at Taranto in 1940. To mark the occasion two RAF Tornado aircraft overflew the carrier.
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Navaleye,
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.3252
It looks like on the average day the FAA may have more serviceable Swordfish than Merlins
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.3252
It looks like on the average day the FAA may have more serviceable Swordfish than Merlins
Suspicion breeds confidence
Thread Starter
You are right! When Ocean goes into refit, have some basic arrestor gear stuck on the stern and we are back in the torpedo bomber business!
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Question however, If the RAF were able to reach Taranto to photograph it then why did they not bomb it? Were there no bombers in the area?
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Althenick,
Like many other of Britain's forces in Nov 1940, bomber resources were few and far between and being retained in Britain to attack Germany. Resources from Malta continued to be stretched for another 2 years and it was only the superb Joint efforts of all 3 services (together with a monumental failure by Hitler to appreciate the offensive significance of the Island to his Med and North African campaigns), but particularly the RAF and RN which allowed the Island to slowly build up again as an offensive base. That said, Swordfish with torps would still have offered the best weapons delivery solution against Taranto even if we'd have had bombers available.
I suspect that Archimedes will be along soon for a more informed data burst!
Regards,
MM
Like many other of Britain's forces in Nov 1940, bomber resources were few and far between and being retained in Britain to attack Germany. Resources from Malta continued to be stretched for another 2 years and it was only the superb Joint efforts of all 3 services (together with a monumental failure by Hitler to appreciate the offensive significance of the Island to his Med and North African campaigns), but particularly the RAF and RN which allowed the Island to slowly build up again as an offensive base. That said, Swordfish with torps would still have offered the best weapons delivery solution against Taranto even if we'd have had bombers available.
I suspect that Archimedes will be along soon for a more informed data burst!
Regards,
MM
Last edited by Magic Mushroom; 18th Nov 2006 at 16:08.
Suspicion breeds confidence
Thread Starter
Coastal Command did an outstanding job, often with poor equipment handed down from other commands and they deserve more credit than they got.
