# Curtiss P-40 Carrier Operations



## pampa14 (Apr 4, 2014)

The Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British-American invasion of French North Africa, specifically Morocco and Algeria, in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942. The Operation Torch was the first Allied amphibious operation of the war. The USS Chenango loaded and shipped 72 P-40F airplanes of the 33rd Fighter Group at Norfolk, VA, on 10-21-42. The carrier steamed for North Africa on 10-21-42. The P-40s were launched off of the carrier on 11-10-42 and established a base at the airport at Port Lyautey, French Morocco. On 01-19-43, The USS Ranger launched USAAF P-40 aircraft off Accra, Gold Coast to reinforce Allied forces fighting in North Africa. Some photos of P-40’s transport and operations onboard US Carriers, can be found in the link:

Aviação em Floripa: Curtiss P-40 em Porta-Aviões


Hope you enjoy and thanks for visiting!

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## redcoat (Apr 4, 2014)

The invasion of Narvik in Norway in 1940, was the first Allied amphibious operation.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 4, 2014)

I suspect he might mean joint Allied amphibious operation, Redcoat. The Yanks were'nt in Norway in 1940.


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## Wurger (Apr 5, 2014)

But there were Poles and French.

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## redcoat (Apr 5, 2014)

Wurger said:


> But there were Poles and French.


Indeed, the nations involved in a war coalition against Germany called themselves the 'Allied' nations from the very beginning in September 1939.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 5, 2014)

Yes, sigh... I do think he specifically means between the USA and the UK armed forces.


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## redcoat (Apr 6, 2014)

nuuumannn said:


> Yes, sigh... I do think he specifically means between the USA and the UK armed forces.


In which case the using the term Allied is inappropriate, as this can also refer to a number of earlier operations.


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## stona (Apr 6, 2014)

Great pictures.

Steve


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## GrauGeist (Apr 6, 2014)

Instead of nitpicking his post, I read it all the way through and came away from the article that this was a joint UK/U.S. operation. Perhaps the information intended it to mean the first Allied landing that involved UK/U.S. assets.



pampa14 said:


> The Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the *British-American invasion* of French North Africa, specifically Morocco and Algeria, in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942. The Operation Torch was the first Allied amphibious operation of the war. The USS Chenango loaded and shipped 72 P-40F airplanes of the 33rd Fighter Group at Norfolk, VA, on 10-21-42. The carrier steamed for North Africa on 10-21-42. The P-40s were launched off of the carrier on 11-10-42 and established a base at the airport at Port Lyautey, French Morocco. On 01-19-43, The USS Ranger launched USAAF P-40 aircraft off Accra, Gold Coast to *reinforce Allied forces* fighting in North Africa. Some photos of P-40’s transport and operations onboard US Carriers, can be found in the link:
> 
> Aviação em Floripa: Curtiss P-40 em Porta-Aviões
> 
> ...

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## bobbysocks (Apr 7, 2014)

redcoat said:


> Indeed, the nations involved in a war coalition against Germany called themselves the 'Allied' nations from the very beginning in September 1939.



were they there fighting under their own countries flags or consolidated under the british flag?


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## redcoat (Apr 7, 2014)

bobbysocks said:


> were they there fighting under their own countries flags or consolidated under the british flag?


In Norway the French had a separate command structure to the British. I think the Poles fought under the command of the French.


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## bobbysocks (Apr 7, 2014)

thanks. havent read very much about norway...especially the very early part of the war.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 7, 2014)

> Instead of nitpicking his post, I read it all the way through and came away from the article that this was a joint UK/U.S. operation. Perhaps the information intended it to mean the first Allied landing that involved UK/U.S. assets.



Thanks Dave, as did I, and I'm sure that's what the writer meant to being with. The images are terrific (there are some real good stuff on that site if you go for a look around); I had not seen the close ups of the tail gear strop before. The 17th mage down is a P-40K; it has the enlarged vert stab and intake above the engine.


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 7, 2014)

There is a pretty good book on it called _Norway 1940 _by Francois Kersaudy (978-0803277878 ).

It goes into detail on all the error and bad decisions France and Britain made.


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## Hector (Jan 19, 2022)

redcoat said:


> The invasion of Narvik in Norway in 1940, was the first Allied amphibious operation.


The French conducted the first amphib landings on the Allied side. General Marie Emile Béthouart at the head of the 1st _Chasseur Light Division_ (28th _Chasseur Demi-Brigade_, _13th _Foreign Legion _Demi-Brigade_ and 1st Carpathian _Chasseur Demi-Brigade_) on 13 May. The Foreign Legion carried out the first opposed amphibious assault of the war, capturing Bjerkvik, at the top of Nerjangs Fjord, north of Narvik, without taking heavy casualties.

Yeah, over a decade late but if you're wrong you're wrong even after that many years.

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