Fighter catapult ships also known as Catapult Armed Ships were an attempt by the
Royal Navy to provide air cover at sea. Five ships were acquired and commissioned as Naval vessels early in the
Second World War, and these were used to accompany
convoys.
The concept was extended to merchant ships which were also equipped with rocket assisted launch systems and known as Catapult Aircraft Merchantmen (
CAM ships). Both classes could launch a disposable fighter (usually a
Hawker Hurricane) to fight off a threat, with the pilot expected to be rescued after either ditching the aircraft or bailing out close to the launching ship.
The ships
There were five fighter catapult ships, collectively known as the ''Pegasus'' class. Two, ''Patia'' and ''Springbank'', were lost during the war. They were each equipped with a single
Fairey Fulmar or "Hurricat" (an adapted
Hawker Hurricane Mk.1A).
See also
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List of ships of the Second World War
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List of aircraft carriers of the Second World War
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Merchant aircraft carrier
A merchant aircraft carrier (also known as a MAC ship, the Admiralty's official 'short name') was a limited-purpose aircraft carrier operated under British and Dutch civilian registry during World War II. MAC ships were adapted by adding a flig ...
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Aircraft cruiser
The aircraft cruiser (also known as aviation cruiser or cruiser-carrier) is a warship that combines the features of the aircraft carrier and a surface warship such as a cruiser or battleship.
Early types
The first aircraft cruiser was originally ...
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CAM ship
References
Citations
Sources
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Ship types
Merchant aircraft carriers
North Atlantic convoys of World War II
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