Wildcats used during operation Tungsten

[uhebeisen]

hello, I am searching for information about British Wildcats involved in the operation Tungsten on April 1944. So far I found pictures and informations to build a Fairey Barracuda and a Corsair but none for a Wildcat. The Wildcats and Hellcats are attacking the Tirpitz' AAF and they belong to the 800, 881 and 882 Sqns operating from the smaller carriers Searcher, Pursuer, Fencer and Emperor.
To build such a model it would be nice to know his serial number and the code (letters) his carrying on the side of the fuselage.
There is a nice kit around from Armahobby of a Wildcat Mk VI of that time but it isn't stated that it took part at the operation Tungsten, it is from a later time (HMS Searcher, 882 Sqn, March 1945 Operation Prefix).
Maybe somebody can provide me the missing data?

 

[MIflyer]

I have a book, "Wings of the Navy" by the justifiably famous Capt Eric Brown, that has a photo of a Wildcat Mk V of 882 Squadron about to take off from the HMS Searcher for the support of the Allied invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944.

I could scan that and provide it if you like.

 

[uhebeisen]

yes please @Mlflyer
this could be a first step for my model. If the photo is from August, then there are only a few weeks in between and the camouflage pattern and national emblems will not have changed yet as for the Pacific.
You may post the photo to this thread or if it is of high resolution send it to my email address mail-ät-uhebeisen.net (-ät- means the @ sign).

 

[MIflyer]

Here they are, as well as a color one I found. Good luck!

 

[cammerjeff]

Great color shots, but they were taken during carrier training on lake Michigan on one of the 2 coal powered, paddle wheel training carriers on the lake. So I don't know how accurate they would be for the model the OP is looking for. But thanks for posting them!

 

[MIflyer]

It never occurred to me that the RN would have used the USS Wolverine, USS Sable, and USS Wilmette for training but it makes sense that they did since they had training going on in both Canada and the US.

It is a good thing they did that, too. If not for the training aircraft recovered from Lake Michigan we would have a lot fewer around today. Our local Air museum has an FM-1 recovered from there.

 

[nuuumannn]

Great color shots, but they were taken during carrier training on lake Michigan on one of the 2 coal powered, paddle wheel training carriers on the lake.

A paddle-wheel. coal-fired. aircraft. carrier. It's like Jurassic Park.

Jeebus, that thing's churning out the smoke, I bet the sailors hated that posting.

 

[cammerjeff]

I don't think I would have minded that assignment, no torpedo's fired at me, no enemy A/C to worry about, home port of Chicago? It could be a lot worse. My Father qualified on the USS Wolverine, he didn't seem to mind it, other than the slow forward speed & small size of the flight deck.

 

[uhebeisen]

Great color shots, but they were taken during carrier training on lake Michigan on one of the 2 coal powered, paddle wheel training carriers on the lake. So I don't know how accurate they would be for the model the OP is looking for. But thanks for posting them!

no problem for me, but very interesting story parallel to my question. I knew that the British pilots were for training in Canda or the USA but I didn't know of the paddle wheel carriers.
As for the photo, the second one on the greyscale picture is very interesting: it is from the 882 Sqn and it is from August 1944. That's three month later than operation Tungsten took place and I can assume that this Wildcat was on board the HMS Searcher during Tungsten as well.
Nice to see the markings "6 C" around the roundel as well as on the front cowling.

 

[EwenS]

hello, I am searching for information about British Wildcats involved in the operation Tungsten on April 1944. So far I found pictures and informations to build a Fairey Barracuda and a Corsair but none for a Wildcat. The Wildcats and Hellcats are attacking the Tirpitz' AAF and they belong to the 800, 881 and 882 Sqns operating from the smaller carriers Searcher, Pursuer, Fencer and Emperor.
To build such a model it would be nice to know his serial number and the code (letters) his carrying on the side of the fuselage.
There is a nice kit around from Armahobby of a Wildcat Mk VI of that time but it isn't stated that it took part at the operation Tungsten, it is from a later time (HMS Searcher, 882 Sqn, March 1945 Operation Prefix).
Maybe somebody can provide me the missing data?

The Wildcat squadrons participating in Operation Tungsten were

Searcher - 882 and 898 both with Wildcat V
Pursuer - 881 and 896 both with Wildcat V
Fencer - 842 squadron fighter flight with 8 Wildcat V alongside 9 Swordfish II.

Emperor carried Hellcats of 800 and 804 squadrons, not Wildcats.

898, 896 and 804 were absorbed into 882, 881 and 800 squadrons respectively in June/July 1944.

Wildcat VI only began to arrive in the U.K. in April 1944, with 881 being probably the first operational unit to trade its Mk.V for Mk.VI in June 1944.

 

[MIflyer]

I read two things lately about the Wildcat that surprised me. A pilot who had flown one in recent times said it was real handful to land, tending to take off toward one side or another depending on which wheel hit first. But another pilot who flew them extensively in WWII said it was notably easier to land on a carrier deck than it was on land. I guess that the combination of the wind over the deck and the stabilizing effects of the arresting wire helped.

 

[Maxrobot1]

if you scroll down, there is a model of a Wildcat painted in Operation Tungsten colors. "Grumman Wildcat MkIV - 881/896 Sqn FAA, HMS PURSUER, Operation TUNGSTEN, February 1944." Martlet & Wildcat