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89-725: The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation . It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by it thereafter. The Hudson was a military conversion of the Model 14 Super Electra airliner, and was the first significant aircraft construction contract for Lockheed —

178-676: A medium bomber ) each had variants with 8 or more forward-firing machine guns for ground strafing missions. Later variants of the Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber were adapted to the role of ground attack against tanks armed with 37 mm cannon , and the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver (a U.S. Navy dive bomber adopted later in World War II when that design role was beginning to disappear) also was assigned to ground attack sorties using its cannon , bombs and rockets . The light bomber, as

267-724: A Hudson of the 396th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) , United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). A Hudson of No. 113 Squadron RCAF became the first aircraft of the RCAF's Eastern Air Command to sink a submarine, when Hudson 625 sank U-754 on 31 July 1942. A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Hudson was involved in the Canberra air disaster of 1940, in which three ministers of the Australian government were killed. On 10 August 1942 RAAF 13 squadron sank IJN auxiliary netlayer Fukuei Maru No. 15 off Beco, Portuguese Timor . In 1941,

356-626: A bomb load of 50–400 kg. Two of the most famous were the Airco DH.4 designed by Geoffrey de Havilland , and the Breguet 14 designed by Louis Breguet . The same type often also served as reconnaissance aircraft; examples include the Albatros C.III , Avro 504 , DFW C.V , LVG C.II , Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 , Rumpler C.I and Voisin III . The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was even modified as

445-606: A carrier. The Air Arm continued with high-powered prop aircraft alongside the new jets resulting in the FAA being woefully outpowered during the Korean War . Nevertheless, jets were not yet wholly superior to propeller aircraft and a flight of ground attack Hawker Sea Furies downed a MiG-15 and damaged others in an engagement. As jets became larger, more powerful and faster they required more space to take off and land. The US Navy simply built much larger carriers. The Royal Navy had

534-730: A cutaway drawing of the Model 14 to various publications, showing the new aircraft as a civilian aircraft and converted to a light bomber. This attracted the interest of various air forces and in 1938, the British Purchasing Commission sought an American maritime patrol aircraft for the United Kingdom to support the Avro Anson . The Commission ordered 200 aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force and

623-575: A discrete aircraft type, began to be superseded as World War II opened. The growth of engine power from the 1,000 hp to the 2,000 hp class during the war produced single-engine fighters with greater performance, offensive and defensive capabilities than the light bombers of only a few years earlier. This gave rise to the fighter-bomber type, notably the Fw 190 F and G models, Hawker Typhoon and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt . Multirole twin-engine designs capable of hauling bomb loads greater than 2,000 lbs such as

712-417: A few large carriers built and completed after the end of the war but another solution was sought. This was partly overcome by the introduction of a Royal Navy idea to angle the flight deck away from the centre line so that the aircraft landing had a clear run away from the usual forward deck park. An associated British invention, intended to provide more precise optical guidance to aircraft on final approaching

801-639: A few years). During the early stages of World War II , the above-mentioned designs of the late 1930s often saw considerable action. In some cases, they became the basis of newer, faster light bombers, such as the Martin Baltimore ( U.S. designation A-23/A-30 developed from the Maryland), as well as medium bombers with more powerful engines and heavier payloads . Twin-engine light bombers were successful when converted into airborne radar -equipped night fighters during World War II; examples include

890-647: A maximum of around 80 to hopefully equip four "deployable squadrons". In April 2022, the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Richard Knighton, told the House of Commons Defence Select Committee that the MoD was in discussions to purchase a second tranche of 26 F-35B fighters. Plans for frontline F-35B squadrons had been modified and now envisaged a total of three squadrons (rather than four) each deploying 12-16 aircraft. In surge conditions 24 F-35s might be deployed on

979-485: A naval vessel. The Germans were taken prisoner and the submarine taken under tow when Royal Navy ships subsequently arrived on the scene. A PBO-1 Hudson of the United States Navy squadron VP-82 became the first US aircraft to destroy a German submarine, when it sank U-656 southwest of Newfoundland on 1 March 1942. U-701 was destroyed on 7 July 1942 while running on the surface off Cape Hatteras by

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1068-529: A pioneering night fighter in attempts to shoot down German Zeppelins . By the early 1930s many air forces were seeking to replace their older biplane aircraft (for example, the RAF 's Hawker Hart and VVS 's Polikarpov R-5 ) with more modern and higher performance monoplane designs. Specialised light bomber designs were single-engine or twin-engine aircraft with a bomb load of about 500–1,000 kg. Typical single-engine light bombers of this era included

1157-491: A self-defense measure; even the bomb load was minimised towards this design goal. Early examples were the Bristol Blenheim and Dornier Do 17 (both introduced in 1937). A weakness of the fast bomber design concept was that improvements in the speed of bombers were, in most cases, quickly matched in subsequent fighter designs (which would additionally eclipse the load -carrying ability of light bomber aircraft within

1246-511: A similar bomb load as the Invader) medium bomber. The substantial increases in performance, load -carrying ability, and multirole versatility of new combat aircraft designs (including the advent of jet aircraft ) by the end of World War II signaled the end of the dedicated light bomber type. Attack aircraft , strike fighters , counter-insurgency aircraft and combat UAVs are types which today carry out technologically enhanced equivalents of

1335-549: A target. During World War I some air forces began to distinguish between light bombers and the earliest purpose-built attack aircraft which carried out ground attack, close air support , anti-shipping and similar missions. After World War I, attack aircraft were typically identifiable by their ability to carry multiple fixed machine guns , automatic cannons and rockets in addition to bombs . Light bombers have often served as attack aircraft and vice versa. Purpose-built light bombers disappeared from military aviation by

1424-646: A total of six squadrons including the OCU and OEU. Under the Strategic Defence and Security Review of November 2015, the UK Government made a commitment to buying 138 F-35B, with at least 24 available for carrier use by 2023. Subsequently, following on the 2021 defence review , the First Sea Lord indicated that the new envisaged number was to be 60 aircraft initially and "then maybe more", up to

1513-440: Is a tri-Service organisation consisting of civilian and military instructors (including Naval instructors and a Naval Air Squadron) that take the student from basic flying through to more advanced flying such as instrument flying, navigation, formation and captaincy. Its aviators fly one of four types of helicopters: The HC4/4A AW101 Merlin (nicknamed "Junglie Merlin") serves as a medium lifter and troop transporter in support of

1602-661: Is also a Fleet Air Arm museum inside the Museum of Transport & Technology in Auckland , New Zealand. On display there is a full-size replica Fairey Swordfish , along with historic items and memorabilia. In 1938, Admiralty Fleet Orders 2885 announced the formation of an Air Branch of the Royal Naval Reserve . Thirty three unmarried men signed up for eighteen months full-time flying training; however, before these first volunteers were able to gain their wings Britain

1691-785: Is the FAA's primary anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter, having replaced the Sea King HAS6 in the role. It is presently deployed with various ships of the Royal Navy. Merlin HM2 also incorporates an airborne early warning and surveillance (AEW) variant, known as Crowsnest, which replaced the ASaC7 variant of the Sea King . The first Merlin HM2 test flight with Crowsnest was completed in April 2019. However, initial operating capability of

1780-476: Is then conducted on the Grob Prefect T1 . From there, pilots are streamed to either Rotary or Fast-Jet. Observer grading and training is done using four Beechcraft Avenger T1 before observers join their frontline aircraft. Today the largest section of the FAA is the rotary wing section. Pilots designated for rotary wing service train under No. 1 Flying Training School at RAF Shawbury . The school

1869-657: The Invincible -class anti-submarine warfare ships (known as "through deck cruisers") were built and equipped with the Sea Harrier a derivative of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier VTOL aircraft. These carriers incorporated an upswept forward section of the flight deck that deflected the aircraft upward on launch and permitted heavier loads to be carried by the Harrier, for example in weaponry, and

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1958-792: The Admiralty , naming it the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). By the outbreak of the First World War, in August 1914, the RNAS had more aircraft under its control than the remaining RFC. The roles of the RNAS were fleet reconnaissance, patrolling coasts for enemy ships and submarines, attacking enemy coastal territory and defending Britain from enemy air raids, along with deployment along the Western Front. In April 1918

2047-521: The Battle of Dunkirk . On 23 July 1941 a Hudson shot down a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor , while escorting a shipping convoy off Ireland. On 27 August 1941, a Hudson of No. 269 Squadron RAF , operating from Kaldadarnes, Iceland , attacked and damaged the German submarine  U-570 causing the submarine's crew to display a white flag and surrender – the aircraft achieved the unusual distinction of capturing

2136-577: The Breda Ba.65 , Ilyushin Il-2 Šturmovík , Northrop A-17 , and Vultee V-11 initially differed little in armament and operational role from light bombers. As World War II progressed, specialised attack designs became increasingly focused on low altitude strafing of surface targets, armed with automatic cannons , heavy machine guns and newly-developed rockets ; the A-20 and B-25 Mitchell (type-classed as

2225-454: The Bristol Blenheim , Douglas A-20 Havoc (as the P-70), and Dornier Do 17 . Light bombers were selected as a basis for night fighters during this time because early airborne radar systems, used to find and track targets in the dark, were bulky and often required a dedicated operator in the crew ; most smaller day fighters of that era were unsuited to such extra weight and personnel. Conversely,

2314-745: The Dunkirk evacuation and the commencement of the Battle of Britain , the Royal Air Force soon found itself critically short of fighter pilots. In the summer of 1940, the RAF had just over 800 fighter pilots and as personnel shortages worsened; the RAF turned to the Admiralty to ask for help from the Fleet Air Arm. Fleet Air Arm crews under RAF Fighter Command were either seconded individually to RAF fighter squadrons or entire as with 804 and 808 Naval Air Squadrons. The former provided dockyard defence during

2403-510: The F-4K (FG.1) Phantom II and Buccaneer S.2 to the Royal Air Force, and cancellation of large replacement aircraft carriers, including the CVA-01 design. The last conventional carrier to be retired was HMS  Ark Royal in 1978. When HMS Hermes was converted in 1980/81 to a STOVL carrier to operate Sea Harriers, a 'Ski-jump ramp' was fitted to aid take-off. A new series of small carriers,

2492-645: The Fairey Battle , Kawasaki Ki-32 (later known by the Allied reporting name "Mary"), Mitsubishi Ki-30 ("Ann"), Mitsubishi Ki-51 ("Sonia"), PZL.23 Karaś , and Sukhoi Su-2 . Contemporaneous twin-engine light bombers included the Bristol Blenheim , Douglas B-23 Dragon , Kawasaki Ki-48 ("Lily"), Martin Maryland (also known as the A-22), Lockheed Hudson , Tupolev SB , and Mitsubishi G3M ("Nell"). While

2581-564: The Italian Caproni Ca 30 and British Bristol T.B.8 , both built in 1913. The T.B.8 was a single engine biplane built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company . It was fitted with a prismatic bombsight in the front cockpit and a cylindrical bomb carrier in the lower forward fuselage capable of carrying 12 x 10 lb (12 x 4.5 kg) bombs, which could be dropped individually or all together. The T.B.8

2670-593: The Lockheed P-38 Lightning , Junkers Ju 88 and de Havilland Mosquito also supplanted earlier 1930s-era light bomber designs during the war. One of the last light bombers to be introduced in World War II, the U.S. Douglas A-26 Invader , replaced the earlier A-20 Havoc type and also was designated by the USAAF as a replacement for its Martin B-26 Marauder (which had the same engines and

2759-752: The Petlyakov Pe-3 , which had been designed as a night fighter, was often used a light bomber. Many other aircraft which originally had been designed as fighters or other mission-specific bombers but fit the size, performance and payload requirements for the light bomber role would also be adapted to perform such missions during World War II. Most dive bombers , such as the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka and Vultee Vengeance were light bombers by definition, as these aircraft typically carried bomb loads of one ton or less. Likewise, many torpedo bombers were light bombers according to their size and warload and it

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2848-674: The RAF's Harrier GR7 fleet to form Joint Force Harrier . The Fleet Air Arm began withdrawing the Sea Harrier from service in 2004 with the disbandment of 800 NAS . 801 NAS disbanded on 28 March 2006 at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron ) . 800 and 801 NAS were then combined to form the Naval Strike Wing , flying ex-RAF Harrier GR7 and GR9s. On 1 April 2010, NSW reverted to the identity of 800 Naval Air Squadron. The Harrier GR7 and GR9 retired from service in December 2010 following

2937-977: The Royal Marines . The FAA received the Merlin HC3/HC3A fleet from the RAF, replacing the Commando Sea King in September 2014. These have been marinised and replaced with HC4s/HC4As, under the Merlin Life Sustainment Programme (MLSP) that was placed on contract in December 2013. The AW159 Wildcat : the BRH (Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter) replaces the Westland Lynx as the Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter of

3026-655: The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 . Two new Queen Elizabeth -class carriers able to operate the F-35B short take-off and landing variant of the US Lockheed Martin Lightning II aircraft were constructed. In the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 , it was announced that the carriers would enter service "from 2018". The procurement plan is for a force of 138 F-35 aircraft, which are intended to be operated by both

3115-613: The U.S. Air Force 's 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base , Florida, for training on the F-35B. 809 Naval Air Squadron will be the first FAA unit to operate the F-35B and will be based at RAF Marham . Helicopters also became important combat platforms since the Second World War. Initially used in the search and rescue role, they were later developed for anti-submarine warfare and troop transport ; during

3204-653: The "high readiness" aircraft carrier. Challenges involved in the Crowsnest program have led the Royal Navy to seek a replacement for its helicopter-based AEW platform with a new fixed-wing UAV, under Project Vixen , by 2030. As of 2024, the Royal Navy operated a number of small UAVs, including the AeroVironment Puma AE and Ebee Vision. In 2024, the Navy reported that there were a total of nine qualified Puma teams, six of which were dedicated to supporting

3293-691: The 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder two-row radial. The RAF also obtained 380 Mk IIIA and 30 Mk IV Hudsons under the Lend-Lease program. By February 1939, RAF Hudsons began to be delivered, initially equipping No. 224 Squadron RAF at RAF Leuchars , Scotland in May 1939. By the start of the war in September, 78 Hudsons were in service. Due to the United States' neutrality at that time, early series aircraft were flown to

3382-510: The 1700 and 1800 ranges were also used for operational squadrons. An additional flying unit of the Royal Navy is the FOST Helicopter Support Unit based at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall. This unit is not part of the Fleet Air Arm, but is directly under the control of Fleet Operational Sea Training , operated by British International Helicopters (BIH). BIH also support various Royal Navy and NATO exercises with passenger and freight transfer services and transfers by hoist, for ships exercising both in

3471-467: The 1956 Suez Crisis they were used to land Royal Marine Commando forces, the first time this had ever been done in combat. Originally operated only from carriers, the development of the Westland Wasp in the 1960s allowed helicopters to operate on all ships of frigate size or larger. Wasps, Sea Kings and Wessex helicopters all played an active part in the 1982 Falklands War, while Lynx helicopters played an attack role against Iraqi patrol boats in

3560-425: The 1991 Gulf War and Commando Sea King HC4s as well as the Lynx HMA Mk 8 from HMS Argyll , assisted in suppressing rebel forces in the British intervention in the Sierra Leone Civil War in 2000. The Fleet Air Arm has a museum near RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron ) in Somerset , England, at which many of the great historical aircraft flown by the Service are on display, along with aircraft from other sources. There

3649-422: The Atlantic and the North Sea. The Royal Navy share both operational and training duties on the Lightning II with the RAF under a banner organisation called the Lightning Force , which will operate in the same manner as Joint Force Harrier . Until March 2019, the Fleet Air Arm had responsibility for the Royal Navy Historic Flight , a heritage unit of airworthy aircraft representing the history of aviation in

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3738-474: The Battle of Britain with Sea Gladiators . In British home waters and out into the Atlantic Ocean, operations against Axis shipping and submarines in support of the RN were mounted by RAF Coastal Command with large patrol bombers, flying boats and land-based fighter-bombers. The aircraft carrier had replaced the battleship as the capital ship of the RN and its aircraft were now its principal offensive weapons. The top scoring fighter ace with 17 victories

3827-474: The British re-armament programme) and renamed the Air Branch of the Royal Navy. At the onset of the Second World War, the Fleet Air Arm consisted of 20 squadrons with only 232 frontline aircraft, and 191 additional trainers. By the end of the war the strength of the Fleet Air Arm was 59 aircraft carriers, 3,700 aircraft, 72,000 officers and men and 56 Naval air stations. During the war, the FAA operated fighters, torpedo bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Following

3916-462: The Canada–US border, landed, and then towed on their wheels over the border into Canada by tractors or horse drawn teams, before then being flown to Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) airfields where they were then dismantled and "cocooned" for transport as deck cargo, by ship to Liverpool . The Hudsons were supplied without the Boulton Paul dorsal turret, which was installed on arrival in the United Kingdom. Although later outclassed by larger bombers,

4005-490: The FAA. Along with the Commando Merlin, these squadrons operate under Commando Helicopter Force , which provides airborne support to UK Commando Force of the Royal Marines. The Wildcat HMA2 became the standard small ship borne helicopter in the FAA, with 28 Wildcats replacing the Lynx HMA8 in 2017. Twenty-eight AW159 Wildcat HMA2 helicopters perform a range of roles including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare and airborne surveillance. The Merlin HM2 ("Grey Merlin")

4094-459: The Fleet Air Arm continue to be known as WAFUs. WAFU ("wet and f**king useless") is said to actually derive from "Weapon and Fuel Users", a stores category for clothing. The RNR Air Branch was commissioned at RNAS Yeovilton on 16 July 1980, and shortly afterwards 38 ex-regular aircrew began refresher training. Today the RNR Air Branch comprises approximately 250 ex-regular service Officers and Ratings, covering all aviation trades, tasked to support

4183-404: The Fleet Air Arm. The Air Branch has its roots in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Air Branch, whose members served with distinction between 1937 through the Second World War until 1950 when it was disbanded. Formed on 3 April 1980, the Air Branch was initially established to provide additional Pilots and Observers to the Royal Navy, but later expanded to include all trades and specialisations of

4272-403: The Fleet Air Arm. Currently comprising some 320 personnel, HMS Pegasus is one of the biggest Units in the Royal Naval Reserve. The name HMS Pegasus has a long and interesting history in the Royal Navy, dating back to 1585. The second HMS Pegasus was commanded by Prince William Henry, who later became King William IV, known as the Sailor King. In late 1786, the third HMS Pegasus was stationed in

4361-472: The Hudson achieved some significant feats during the first half of the war. On 8 October 1939, over Jutland , a Hudson became the first Allied aircraft operating from the British Isles to shoot down an enemy aircraft (earlier victories by a Fairey Battle on 20 September 1939 over Aachen and by Blackburn Skuas of the Fleet Air Arm on 26 September 1939 had been by aircraft based in France or on an aircraft carrier ). Hudsons also provided top cover during

4450-432: The Japanese pilots in a dogfight for more than 10 minutes. It was only after Sakai scored hits on the rear/upper turret that the Hudson could be destroyed. Its crew made such an impression on Sakai that, after the war's end, he sought to identify them. In 1997, Sakai wrote formally to the Australian government, recommending that Cowan be "posthumously awarded your country's highest military decoration ". On 23 November 1942,

4539-453: The Mitsubishi G3M was classified by the Imperial Japanese Navy as a medium bomber , it was a land-based day bomber with bomb loads as small as 800 kg (1,800 lb) and had a secondary role as a torpedo bomber . Many of these aircraft were also used in other non-offensive roles, such as reconnaissance and maritime patrol . A sub-type of light bomber also emerged in the 1930s, the fast bomber (German Schnellbomber ), which prioritised speed as

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4628-443: The Queen Elizabeth-class carriers but a routine deployment would likely involve 12 aircraft. In January 2019, initial operating capability for the UK's F-35B was announced with 18 F-35Bs jointly delivered to the UK. As of December 2022, 26 aircraft were operational in the UK and were based at RAF Marham . These aircraft regularly deployed for operations on the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. Another 3 F-35s remained in

4717-414: The RAF and FAA from a common pool, in the same manner as the Joint Force Harrier. With the introduction of the F-35, the Fleet Air Arm will return to the operation of fixed-wing strike aircraft at sea. In 2013, an initial cadre of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots and aircraft maintenance personnel were assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps ' Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 ( VMFAT-501 ), part of

4806-433: The RN's Royal Naval Air Service with the British Army 's Royal Flying Corps . The FAA did not come under the direct control of the Admiralty until mid-1939. During the Second World War, the FAA operated aircraft on ships as well as land-based aircraft that defended the Royal Navy's shore establishments and facilities. British naval flying started in 1909, with the construction of an airship for naval duties. In 1911

4895-403: The RNAS, which at this time had 67,000 officers and men, 2,949 aircraft, 103 airships and 126 coastal stations, merged with the RFC to form the Royal Air Force . On 1 April 1924, the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force was formed, encompassing those RAF units that normally embarked on aircraft carriers and fighting ships. The year was significant for British naval aviation as only weeks before

4984-412: The Rolls Royce engine that powered the BAE Sea Harrier. And, of course, the Parachute Regiment use Pegasus as their emblem. The FAA is known for its use of the 'Fleet Air Arm Zig Zag': a light blue zig zag on a dark blue background. The pattern is thought to have belonged to the "Perch Club", membership of which was restricted to those who had completed 100 deck landings without an accident. The zig zag

5073-401: The Royal Marines in 40 and 45 Commando . The FAA's inventory was further boosted with the addition of the Peregrine rotary-wing UAV which started trials on HMS Lancaster in August 2024. A number of unmanned systems are under development for the Fleet Air Arm including fixed-wing UAVs, envisaged for potential operation from the Queen Elizabeth -class carriers. These programs are in

5162-410: The Royal Navy graduated its first aeroplane pilots at the Royal Aero Club flying ground near Eastchurch , Isle of Sheppey under the tutelage of pioneer aviator George Bertram Cockburn . In May 1912, naval and army aviation were combined to become the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). The Naval Wing of the RFC lasted until July 1914 when the Royal Navy reformed its air branch, under the Air Department of

5251-409: The Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers . The first Fleet Air Arm squadron to operate the F-35B is 809 Naval Air Squadron which formally stood-up in December 2023, joining other F-35B squadrons within the RAF that are formally part of No. 1 Group RAF . An initial order of 48 airframes was made in 2012 to equip the air wings of the two Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carriers, with

5340-426: The Royal Navy's total strength (excluding Royal Marines ). The Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Aviation & Carriers) , the professional head (and also Rear Admiral Fleet Air Arm), is Rear Admiral Martin Connell as of February 2019. Under First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin ’s plans, the professional head of the Fleet Air Arm is set to shortly change to a one-star role, headed by a Commodore . Members of

5429-425: The US for testing and evaluation purposes. While 33 F-35B aircraft (including 3 or 4 based in the U.S.) were in the U.K. inventory by March 2024, former U.K. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace reported that the RAF and Royal Navy faced a considerable challenge in providing even the existing modest F-35B fleet with qualified pilots. As of late 2022 there were only 30 qualified British pilots (plus three exchange pilots from

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5518-427: The USAAF began operating the Hudson; the Twin Wasp-powered variant was designated the A-28 (82 acquired) and the Cyclone-powered variant was designated the A-29 (418 acquired). The US Navy operated 20 A-29s, redesignated the PBO-1 . A further 300 were built as aircrew trainers, designated the AT-18 . Following Japanese landings at Kota Bharu during the Malayan campaign , Hudsons from No. 1 Squadron RAAF became

5607-407: The United States and Australia) for the F-35. The average wait time for RAF trainee Typhoon and F-35 pilots, after completing the Military Flying Training System, was approximately 11 and 12 months respectively. A further gap of 68 weeks existed between completing Basic Flying Training and beginning Advanced Fast Jet Training. The resulting pilot shortage was a factor in delaying the ability to stand up

5696-419: The West Indies under then Captain Horatio Nelson, earning three of her four Battle Honours. The fourth and last HMS Pegasus served as a prototype fighter catapult ship, originally commissioned as HMS Ark Royal, serving primarily on convoy duty in the Second World War. The name Pegasus has associations outside of the Royal Navy, including the Bristol Aeroplane Company engine that powered the Fairey Swordfish and

5785-604: The basis for development of the Lockheed Ventura resulting in them being withdrawn from front line service from 1944, though many survived the war to be used as civil transports, primarily in Australia and a single example was briefly used as an airline crew trainer in New Zealand. Data from Lockheed Aircraft since 1913 General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Light bomber The earliest light bombers were intended to drop their bombs in level flight over

5874-550: The company to produce the 250th aircraft seven and a half weeks before the deadline. A total of 350 Mk I and 20 Mk II Hudsons were supplied (the Mk II had different propellers ). These had two fixed Browning machine guns in the nose and two more in the Boulton Paul dorsal turret . The Hudson Mk III added one ventral and two beam machine guns and replaced the 1,100 hp Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9-cylinder radials with 1,200 hp versions (428 produced). The Hudson Mk V (309 produced) and Mk VI (450 produced) were powered by

5963-525: The conceptual or planning stages under a program known as Project Vixen . A Fleet Air Arm flying squadron is formally titled Naval Air Squadron (NAS), a title used as a suffix to the squadron number. The FAA assigns numbers in the 700–799 range to training and operational conversion squadrons and numbers in the 800–899 range to operational squadrons. Exceptions to the 700–799 include operational conversion squadrons which also hold some form of operational commitment where they are then titled 800–899. During WWII

6052-586: The crew of a No. 3 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Hudson Mk IIIA, NZ2049 , ( 41-46465 ) after spotting an enemy convoy near Vella Lavella , was engaged by three Japanese floatplane fighters. After skilled evasive manoeuvring at an altitude of less than 50 feet (15 metres), by the Hudson's captain, Flying Officer George Gudsell, the crew returned with no casualties to Henderson Field , Guadalcanal. Hudsons were also operated by RAF Special Duties squadrons for clandestine operations; No. 161 Squadron in Europe and No. 357 Squadron in Burma . After

6141-418: The deck, was the Fresnel lens optical landing aid . Another Royal Navy invention was the use of a steam-powered catapult to cater for the larger and heavier aircraft (both systems were adopted by the US Navy). Defence cuts across the British armed forces during the 1960s and 1970s led to the withdrawal of existing Royal Navy aircraft carriers, transfer of Fleet Air Arm fixed-wing jet strike aircraft such as

6230-486: The end of World War II, as advancements in propulsion and aeronautical design enabled newer attack/strike aircraft, fighter-bombers , and multirole aircraft types to deliver equal or greater bomb loads while also having superior performance, range and defensive capabilities. Modern aircraft carrying out similar missions include light attack aircraft , strike fighters , and counter-insurgency aircraft . The first aircraft purposely designed for bombing missions were

6319-447: The first Allied aircraft to make an attack in the Pacific War , sinking a Japanese transport ship, the Awazisan Maru , off Kota Bharu at 0118h local time, an hour before the attack on Pearl Harbor . Its opponents found that the Hudson had exceptional manoeuvrability for a twin-engine aircraft; it was notable for the tight turns achievable if either engine was briefly feathered . High-scoring Japanese ace Saburō Sakai , praised

6408-609: The first Fleet Air Arm Squadron (809 Squadron) on a timely basis. In February 2023, the Chief of the Air Staff , Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, reported that the number of F-35 pilots had grown to 34 UK pilots with a further 7 to complete training by August 2023. Four types of fixed wing aircraft are operated by the FAA for training purposes: Pilot Grading is carried out using the Grob Tutor T1. Elementary flying training

6497-508: The first aircraft started flight trials from Burbank, California on 10 December 1938. The flight trials showed no major issues, and deliveries to the RAF began on 15 February 1939. Production was sped up after the British indicated they would order another 50 aircraft if the original 200 could be delivered before the end of 1939. Lockheed sub-contracted some parts assembly to Rohr Aircraft Corp of San Diego and increased its workforce, allowing

6586-483: The first people sent aloft in tethered balloons to spot the fall of shot were Royal Artillery observers. It was these observers who became early members of the Royal Flying Corps. Aircrew wear flying badges, such as pilots wearing a pair of gold albatross wings. The wings badges also feature a crown and fouled anchor in the centre, to reflect the maritime element of the flying undertaken. Wings are worn on

6675-543: The former light bomber role. Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm ( FAA ) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five RN fighting arms . As of 2023 it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the F-35 Lightning II carrier-based stealth fighter jointly with the Royal Air Force . The RAF was formed by the 1918 merger of

6764-508: The founding of the Fleet Air Arm, the Royal Navy had commissioned HMS  Hermes , the world's first ship to be designed and built as an aircraft carrier. Over the following months RAF Fleet Air Arm Fairey IIID reconnaissance biplanes operated off Hermes, conducting flying trials. On 24 May 1939 the Fleet Air Arm was returned to Admiralty control under the " Inskip Award " (named after the Minister for Co-ordination of Defence overseeing

6853-586: The initial RAF order for 200 Hudsons far surpassed any previous order the company had received. The Hudson served throughout the war, mainly with Coastal Command but also in transport and training roles, as well as delivering agents into occupied France . It was also used extensively with the Royal Canadian Air Force 's anti-submarine squadrons and by the Royal Australian Air Force . In late 1937 Lockheed sent

6942-528: The left sleeve of naval aviators, unlike their other service counterparts. The FAA operates fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. It uses the same aircraft designation system as the RAF. The introduction of the F-35B Lightning II saw a restoration of fixed wing, front-line operations to the FAA after the retirement of Joint Force Harrier in 2010. The Lightning Force is a joint RAF-Fleet Air Arm formation with all F-35Bs capable of operating from

7031-476: The operation split between the FAA and the Royal Air Force , as was the case with Joint Force Harrier. 809 Naval Air Squadron was announced as the second UK unit to fly the F-35B (the first being 617 Squadron RAF ) and is the first FAA unit to operate the aircraft. It is understood that at least two further frontline squadrons will stand up in the future alongside 809, 617, 17(R) Test and Evaluation Squadron and an RAF-numbered Operational Conversion Unit, creating

7120-606: The skill and fighting abilities of an RAAF Hudson crew killed in action over New Guinea after being engaged by nine highly manoeuvrable Mitsubishi A6M Zeroes on 22 July 1942. The crew, captained by P/O Warren Cowan, in Hudson Mk IIIA A16-201 (bu. no. 41-36979 ) of No. 32 Squadron RAAF , was intercepted over Buna by nine Zeroes of the Tainan Kaigun Kōkūtai led by Sakai. The Hudson crew accomplished many aggressive and unexpected turns, engaging

7209-559: The system was significantly delayed. While Crowsnest was deployed with the U.K. carrier strike group in 2021, it experienced operating challenges and finally achieved initial operating capability in July 2023. Full operating capability is expected in 2024/25. While all Merlins in the Royal Navy will be equipped to operate Crowsnest, only ten kits for the system are being acquired. It has been reported that initially five Merlins will be equipped with Crowsnest, three of these being normally assigned to

7298-669: The system was used extensively in the Falklands War, with both Hermes and Invincible part of the Task Force. At the end of the Cold War in 1989 the Fleet Air Arm was under the command of the Flag Officer Naval Air Command , a rear admiral based at RNAS Yeovilton . The inventory of the Fleet Air Arm in 1989 consisted of the following aircraft: In 2000 the Sea Harrier force was merged with

7387-465: The war the FAA needed to fly jet aircraft from their carriers. The jet aircraft of the era were considerably less effective at low speeds than propeller aircraft, but propeller aircraft could not effectively fight jets at the high speeds flown by jet aircraft. The FAA took on its first jet, the Sea Vampire , in the late 1940s. The Sea Vampire was the first jet credited with taking off and landing on

7476-552: The war, numbers of Hudsons were sold by the military for civil operation as airliners and survey aircraft. In Australia, East-West Airlines of Tamworth, New South Wales (NSW), operated four Hudsons on scheduled services from Tamworth to many towns in NSW and Queensland between 1950 and 1955. Adastra Aerial Surveys based at Sydney's Mascot Airport operated seven L-414s between 1950 and 1972 on air taxi, survey and photographic flights. A total of 2,941 Hudsons were built. The type formed

7565-708: Was Commander Stanley Orr , the Royal Marine ace was Ronald Cuthbert Hay with 13 victories. A number of Royal Marines were FAA pilots during the war. Notable Fleet Air Arm operations during the war included the Battle of Taranto , the sinking of the Bismarck , the attempt to prevent the Channel Dash , Operation Tungsten against the Tirpitz and Operation Meridian against oil plants in Sumatra . After

7654-684: Was at war. At the end of hostilities in 1945 the RNVR(A) was 46,000 strong, with over 8,000 aircrew. Post war the RNVR(A) comprised 12 dedicated reserve squadrons, grouped regionally into Air Divisions. However, defence cuts in 1957 disbanded the five Air Divisions, and the following year the RNVR was merged with the RNR. As of 1 December 2013, the Regular Fleet Air Arm has a reported strength of 5,000 personnel, which represents approximately 20% of

7743-558: Was common for these aircraft to also be used for level bombing missions. The Bristol Beaufort , Nakajima B5N and Grumman TBF Avenger , while designed as torpedo bombers, saw some action purely in the light bomber role. Types designed before the war as heavy fighters were also frequently adapted as light bombers, including the Messerschmitt Bf 110 , Potez 633 , Fokker G.I , Kawasaki Ki-45 , Bristol Beaufighter , and Lockheed P-38 Lightning . Light attack aircraft such as

7832-651: Was purchased for use both by the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). The Eastbourne RNAS Squadron , operating the T.B.3, carried out the first bombing attack of World War I: on 25 November 1914, under the command of Charles Rumney Samson , the squadron attacked coastal gun batteries operated by German Empire forces, at Middelkerke , Belgium . Most bombers used on World War I battlefields were in fact light bombers: typically single- engine biplanes with

7921-476: Was thought to have been taken from a Creeping Line Ahead, a parallel search pattern performed by FAA aircraft in a carrier task group. Today, the dark blue background represents the Royal Navy; the colour of the zigzag represents the Royal Flying Corps, from which the Royal Naval Air Service was born; and the zigzag shape represents a nod to the Royal Artillery (red zigzag on blue background), given that

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