HAWKER HURRICANE | MARITIME DUTIES
THE URGENCY IN PROVIDING FIGHTER COVER TO ATLANTIC CONVOYS FROM MARAUDING FOCKE-WULF CONDORS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR LED TO SOME DESPERATE SOLUTIONS, AS ANDREW THOMAS OUTLINES.
Sea Hurricane IA Z4867/LU-Y being loaded onto a barge for transfer to a CAM ship.(R C B ASHWORTH)
When airfields in western France were captured in mid-1940, the Luftwaffe began long-range patrols over the Atlantic using Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of I./KG 40. Based at Bordeaux, the predatory Condors were soon making their presence felt, sinking 90,000 tons of shipping between August and November 1940. As maritime losses mounted, a counter to the Condors was desperately needed but there was an acute shortage of aircraft carriers and none were available for Atlantic convoy escort duties. Thus, the concept of the ‘catapult fighter’ was born.
An interceptor would be carried atop of a heavy catapult mounted on the bow or midships on a vessel, to be fired off by rockets when the presence of an intruder was detected. After conducting its flight, the pilot would then either attempt to reach land or bale out into the sea near an attendant escort. Four merchant ships were identified and adapted as fighte…
