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.
