Wildcat with invasion stripes ? WTF ?

[Maestro]

Greetings ladies and gentlemen.

I just found this picture of a RAF Wilcat with invasion stripes. I thought Wildcats were used on carriers only... And (as far as I know) there was no British carriers involved in the D-Day landings, since RAF fighters could take off from land bases in southern UK.

So, does anybody have more information on those Wilcats ? What branch of the RAF (FAA, Coastal Command, Fighter Command) ? Land-based or carrier-based ?

[Watanbe]

its not just a mock up?

[Graeme]

In June 1944 Wildcats of No. 846 Squadron participated in the widespread fighter activities over the landing-zones during the D-Day operations.

[antoni]

Hellcat Mk I, JV105/E.W of No 800 NAS, aboard HMS Emperor, off Kyhos, Greece, early September 1944, following the squadron’s part in the invasion of the south of France in August.

Avenger Mk I, of either No 849 or 850 NAS, both based at Perranporth, on anti-submarine patrol off Cornwall, August 1944.

Rocket-armed Swordfish Mk II NF????/Q of No 816 NAS, based at St.Merryn, looking for ‘trade’ off the French coast, July 1994. Avengers and Swordfish often had the white stripes outlined with a thin black stripe. Compare with the Wildcat and Hellcat.

Wellington GR Mk XIV, NB839/2.R of 407 Squadron RCAF, based at Limavady, Northern Ireland, June 1944. White bands also outlined in black.

[evangilder]

Hellcat at Chino 2006

[Maestro]

Thanks for the pictures. But does anyone have more information about those "invasion striped" Wildcats ? Were they from the FAA, Fighter Command or Coastal Command ? Carrier-based or land-based ?

You know, it makes me wonder because why would the RAF use carrier-based forces to do a job that land-based forces could easily do ? I don't see the use of sending a carrier in the English Channel to attack targets that could be reached by fighters from Tangmere or Hawkinge (as an example).

[Nostalgair]

Hi All,

The Grumman F4F Wildcat was used by the Royal Navy as part of the Fleet Air Arm and was part of the lend-lease program if I recall correctly. It was re-named the ‘Martlet’ in British service. They were carrier based and a number took part on D-Day. 846 squadron was one of the participants I believe.

Web Martlet.jpg

Cheers

Owen

[maxs75]

At least three carriers were involved in operation Neptune, the naval part of Overlord. They were to support ASW forces that had to stop U-boats eventually going from tha Bay of Biscay ports to the Channel.
HMS Emperor had 20 Hellcats Mk I (F6F-3) embarked, from No. 800 and No. 804 squadron
HMS Pursuer had about 20 Wildcats Mk V (FM-1) from No. 881 and No. 896 squadron
HMS Tracker had 12 Avengers Mk I (TBF-1) from No. 846 sqn. and 7 to 9 Wildcats Mk V from a det. of No. 1832 Squadron.
They could have been painted with invasion stripes.
All the planes mentioned before belonged to FAA, but there were many other naval squadrons land based in UK under RAF operational control.
They were most probably painted with stripes. There was a Naval Fighter Wing equipped with Seafire Mk III under ADGB, and several Avenger or Swordfish squadron under Coastal Command, not all of them operating on the Channel, however.

From HMS Tracker Story - Chapter 12 - The Stormy West Continued

D.Day

Greenock was full up just then, but the end of May was a sudden tinning of the ranks,
The big show was on. We were given a small part on the wing. We left the Tail O' the
Bank on the 3rd June and flew 12 Avenger [646 Squadron] and 9 fighters ["L Flight of
Squadron 1632. Again we were dodged by tragedy at the onset. One fighter pilot made
his first and last landing. He bounced on the flight deck and dived straight into the sea,
leaving no trace.
Two days out [the 5th of june] there was a rush to paint all the aircraft with the black and white "Bumble Bee" reorganization stripes.

Note that both squadron nos. are both wrong by 200 (no. 846 and 1832).

Max

[Marshall_Stack]

I'm an American and I had a hard time reading the HMS Tracker Story. It is kind of like watching Monty Python. It takes awhile before you get used to the British English.

[Maestro]

Okay... Thanks for the info, guys.

[maxs75]

Originally Posted by Marshall_Stack

I'm an American and I had a hard time reading the HMS Tracker Story. It is kind of like watching Monty Python. It takes awhile before you get used to the British English.

Why is it so difficult? Is it harder than Italian-English or French-English?

Max

[Marshall_Stack]

What does the following mean?

"For the work of oiling [which demanded large numbers to light the
hose aft when veering and keep it off the deck when heaving] had to be done by the watches
below."

[Elvis]

Marshall,

I think they're referring to pumping oil onto the ship.
Big hoses can be pretty heavy and I wouldn't be surprised if it took a team to man-handle it.

...and has anyone noticed that (so far), we're all showing the same airplane as an example of an F4F

Well far be it from me to break tradition, so here's that same plane, flying around...

YouTube - Grumman F4F Wildcat (Martlet)



Elvis

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by Nostalgair

It was re-named the ‘Martlet’ in British service.

FYI, British Wildcats were renamed "Martlet" only until 1944. They were then renamed to their original name of "Wildcat".

[R Leonard]

a US Navy Spitfire with invasion stripes? (Official USN Photo)