AHTL: Force de Raide or keeping the RN carrier strike

Foxhunter
5th June 1938

In a meeting with the representatives of the french navy, The Admiralty concludes that the force de Raide or hunting groups based on the french model are the best possible use of the Royal Navies new Illustrious class aircraft carriers and the new KGV class battleships.

The first hunting group consisting of the aircraft carriers Ark Royal and Furious, the battlecruiser Repulse, the Heavy cruiser Norfolk, the light cruiser Southampton and eight destroyers including two tribal class destroyers.

Rear admiral Lumley Lyster is given command of the *foxhunter* battle group. Part of the work up and tactics the Admiralty give Rear admiral Lumley Lyster the order to carry out a mock strike on the home fleets main anchorage at Scapa Flow.

On the night of the 12th June aircraft from Ark Royal and Furious launch 80 swordfish bi plane torpedo bombers carrying flares simulating bombs and torpedoes launch 250 miles north west of Scapa Flow. The swordfish strike catches the home fleet completely by surprise. The aircraft carrier Courageous along with Hood are sunk and the seaplane carrier Pegasus are mock sunk as well as six destoyers , four cruisers are mock damaged but the anti aircraft guns fire tracers shooting down 12 and damage another 20. At 0200 the swordfish return to the carriers.

When the exercise is concluded it is found that Scapa Flow is undefendable unless RDF, picket ships mines and airfields are created to defend the fleet. The Admiralty concludes that the best way to protect the home fleet is to move them closer to freindly land based fighter cover.
 
Last edited:
FAA
14th July 1938

The Admiralty contact Westland aircraft company to build their twin engined cannon armed fighter the whirlwind for the fleet air arm. When the first prototype tries to land on Ark Royal it is found that due to the high landing speed it's Impossible to land on Ark Royal. Also contacted is the Gloster aircraft company about their prototype F.5/34. The first prototype successfu0lly lands on Ark Royal. The Admiralty places an order for 150 Gloster G.5/34 which is called the goshawk.

29th October

The first 15 Goshawk fighters with reinforced landing gear are delivered to 800 squadron operating from Ark Royal . The Goshawk is armed with four Vickers 50 cal heavy machine guns.
 
Excuse the nitpick, but for 80 Swordfish, you will need at least another carrier- Furious' air wing was 36 and Ark Royal's was 72 on paper but closer to 50-60 in practice. Assuming some Skuas are in the mix, simulating escorts, one more deck would be a welcome addition.

Granted, if the goal was just to practice with Swordfish and launching them all simultaneously, it could be done.
 
Excuse the nitpick, but for 80 Swordfish, you will need at least another carrier- Furious' air wing was 36 and Ark Royal's was 72 on paper but closer to 50-60 in practice. Assuming some Skuas are in the mix, simulating escorts, one more deck would be a welcome addition.

Granted, if the goal was just to practice with Swordfish and launching them all simultaneously, it could be done.

The skua is not in service yet and this is the first time someone has tried multiple carrier strikes in the RN. At the moment Ark Royal is carrying 62 aircraft mostly swordfish granted this is 1938. Until the Goshawk is built in sufficient numbers the skua is going to be the fighter/ dive bomber of the fleet.
 
The skua is not in service yet and this is the first time someone has tried multiple carrier strikes in the RN. At the moment Ark Royal is carrying 62 aircraft mostly swordfish granted this is 1938. Until the Goshawk is built in sufficient numbers the skua is going to be the fighter/ dive bomber of the fleet.

Ah true, it was October 1938 that the Skua was introduced in quantity, it would have been Sea Gladiators before that.

Carry on!
 
New priorities
November 1938

With the Illustrious class Carriers building and the new Goshawk fighter finally starting to be built in numbers, The third sea lord Admiral Henderson starts design work on a larger design of the Illustrious class Carriers with a 16 foot high double hanger capable of carrying 80 aircraft internally.

The first design for a 23 000 tonne aircraft carrier is regarded as too small for the amount of aircraft to be carried. The replacement for the Swordfish the Barricuda would not be able to be carried in sufficient numbers for the required for a torpedo strike.

The next design is for a 27 000 tonne aircraft carrier with a single 16 foot high hanger. While larger than the Illustrious class it is still not large enough for the required number of aircraft.

The third and final design is for a 35 000 tonne aircraft carrier capable of 32 knots and a range of 11 000 miles at 16 knots. This is the design that is chosen.
 
Top