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AN AMAZING PICTURE OF A SWORDFISH TORPEDO-BOMBER TAKING OFF FROM THE DECK OF THE ARK ROYAL. USUALLY, ONLY A SHORT "RUN" IS NECESSARY. Help
AN AMAZING PICTURE OF A SWORDFISH TORPEDO-BOMBER TAKING OFF FROM THE DECK
OF THE ARK ROYAL. USUALLY, ONLY A SHORT "RUN" IS NECESSARY.
FLEET AIR ARM SECTION:
Dive-bombers and Torpedo 'Planes
T>LANES of the Fleet Air Arm include single -
seater fighters (usually the Gloster Gladiator),
dive-bombers, torpedo-bombers, and various types
of reconnaissance aircraft.
The types vary considerably, but it is essential
that they should have several features in common.
*£bey must have a reasonably low stalling, speed
to permit landing on the confined space of a
pitching flight deck. They must be designed with
folding wings to enable them to be taken down
in the lifts to the hangars below the deck. They
must be fitted with internal flotation gear because
most of their operations are over the sea. And
they must be equipped with deck landing hooks
which catch in special rubber wires and "brake"
the landing run.
These "musts" always weigh a little against
performance, and, compared with equivalent land
types, F.A.A. planes are at a slight disadvantage.
Until recently they were all biplanes, because the
wings were easier to fold; but in the last few
years have been developed the Blackburn Skua
THIS REMARKABLE PICTURE shows a badly launched torpedo smashing in two with the impact against the water. Correct torpedo attack needs fine judgment, deadly accuracy. Help
THIS REMARKABLE PICTURE shows a badly launched torpedo smashing
in two with the impact against the water. Correct torpedo attack
needs fine judgment, deadly accuracy.
THE RUBBER ARRESTER WIRE, which "brakes" the landing speed ot an air craft, can be seen in this picture of a Skua returning home. Help
THE RUBBER ARRESTER WIRE, which "brakes" the landing speed ot an air
craft, can be seen in this picture of a Skua returning home.
and the Fairey Fulmar, two-seater monoplanes, In
appearance rather like the famous Spitfires. With
these planes the gap in performance between
R.A.F. machines and Fleet Air Arm machines
has been narrowed considerably.
The Fairey Fulmar, known already as the
"Hurricane of the Navy," is the fastest of all Fleet
Air Arm machines, and has already revolutionised
the Navy's part in air warfare, A larger ^dition
of the Hawker Hurricane, it carries eight machine
guns set along the leading edge of the wing.
Planes which have already proved their value
in active service with the Fleet Air Arm and'
their uses are:—
GLOSTER SEA GLADIATOR. — Single-seater
fighter biplane.
FAIREY FULMAR. — Two-seater fighter mono
plane.
BLACKBURN SKUA.—Two-seater fighter dive
bomber monoplane.
FAIREY SWORDFISH.—Three-seater torpedo
bomber biplane.
FAIREY ALBACORE. Three-seater torpedo
and dive-bomber biplane.
SUPERMARINE WALRUS.—Spotter reconnais
sance amphibian flying-boat.
Problems of Design
The problems of designing aircraft for the Fleet
Air Arm and the problems of flying them once
they are built are many. The very fact that
wings have to be collapsible produces a vast crop
of technical difficulties. So does the low landing
speed so essential if a plane is to make a nice
"three pointer" on the 900ft. flight deck of a ship
steaming at 31 knots in a heavy sea.
Taking-off is not such a great problem.. For
one thing, the aircraft carrier steams at full speed
into the wind while the .planes are flown off. This
provides a 40 or 50 m.ph. wind over the deck for
a start, so that if a plane normally becomes air
borne at 70 m.p.h. it needs to accelerate only 30
m.p.h. over the deck before it is flying.
Coming back to roost is a more intricate matter;
The carrier may be dodging air attacks from
the enemy. She will have dg-zagged far away
from the position where the planes left her. She
may be hiding behind smokescreens. And wire
less communication between carrier and planes is
generally taboo during battle. The plane first
has to find the aircraft carrier. This Job alone
might be very difficult, because, contrary to popu
lar belief, visibility above the sea from an aircraft
is often only five or six miles.
Having found the carrier, the pilot then has to
land on a deck which, from a thousand feet or
so, looks like a tennis-court floating in the sea.
FLEET AIR ARM PLANES are all fitted with collapsible wings to permit them . to be lowered in the lifts of an aircraft carrier to "the hangars below V deck. This reacts aaainst nerformanre Help

FLEET AIR ARM PLANES are all fitted with collapsible wings to permit them

. to be lowered in the lifts of an aircraft carrier to "the hangars below
V deck. This reacts aaainst nerformanre

FIRST FLEET AIR ARM MONOPLANE was the; deadly Blackburn Skua linhtpr rlivp.hnmhor U/hirh in £ IirfO/l forrifir rinmnna AH fUa ItnliAne Help

FIRST FLEET AIR ARM MONOPLANE was the; deadly Blackburn Skua

linhtpr rlivp.hnmhor U/hirh in £ IirfO/l forrifir rinmnna AH fUa ItnliAne

Returning planes then have to circle round the
carrier to await their turn to land. The deck
arrester hook is lowered. The carrier is steaming
into the wind. The pilot circles above the carrier
once, and then makes his landing approach from
the stern of the ship.

The landing officer, permanently on the flight
deck, is there to signal if anything goes wrong.
The pilot watches the plume of smoke on the
carrier, which acts as a "windsock." As his plane
roars in toward the ship the landing officer signals
whether the approach is being made correctly or
not, and whether conditions for landing on the
deck are propitious. If they are not the pilot is
instructed to carry out another circuit.

Once on the flight deck the pilot's troubles are
over. The rubber arrester wire catches in the
hook beneath the fuselage of the plane, bringing
her to a standstill before she can run off the end
of the flight deck. Wings are folded, and the
machine is taken down in the lift to the hangars,
to be tuned up ready for the next natrol.

KEENNESS AND DETERMINATION—the domi nating principles of the Fleet Air Arm—are shown in this study of an F.A.A. officer. Help

KEENNESS AND DETERMINATION—the domi

nating principles of the Fleet Air Arm—are

shown in this study of an F.A.A. officer.

The first man to achieve the desperately
hazardous feat of flying off a ship under way at
sea was a British naval officer two or three years
before the Great War.

Taxied Along Big Guns!

In a primitive, boxlike plane he taxied along
rails fixed to the top of the two guns in the
forward turret of a battle-ship, which steamed
furiously into a strong wind to give the plane the
maximum air pressure wider the wings.

To-day the Fleet Air Arm pilot has better
facilities, but he also has a tremendous respon
sibility, and his career is never free from study.
He must know everything that any R.AJP. pilot
knows, and must then keep on learning.

His observer, too, is a man of considerable
erudition, and because of his importance the Ad

miralty gives observer officers and pilot officers
equal status, and both are eligible for the post of

^squadron commander. The observer must know

all types of signalling; he must havefirst-class
knowledge of naval tactics and the way fleet
formations are handled (to enable him to report
correctly on the operations of an enemy fleet);
he must have a deep knowledge of the problems
of gunnery, so that he can "spot" efficiently few
ships during a naval bombardment. He must also
know ship recognition, air navigation, meteorology
mid photography, and must have an insight into
many other matters—military, mathematical, and
scientific—before he can take his "master's ticket"
of the air.

In action the observer is the captain of the
plane, and everybody, including the pilot must
obey his orders.

'GROUND" STAFFS stand by While a Skua makes a perfect landing on the flight deck of a carrier. In heavy weather the job calls for great skill and courage. Help

'GROUND" STAFFS stand by While a Skua makes a perfect landing on the flight deck of a carrier.

In heavy weather the job calls for great skill and courage.

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