Uncovered – Seafires’ success at Salerno landings in 1943

Feature

An Air Liaison Officer reveals the full extent of the Fleet Air Arm’s contribution to the Allied landings at Salerno in Italy, as detailed in the November 26, 1943 issue of The Aeroplane

Credit is due to the Army Air Liaison Officer (ALO) who wrote this piece after witnessing the part played by Seafire pilots in providing air cover for the Salerno landings. He was keen to enlighten readers of The Aeroplane to the full part played by the Fleet Air Arm, which he felt had been mostly overlooked by an Air Commodore.

FORMIDABLE FIGHTER . – A Supermarine Seafire I, with arrestor hook extended, landing on the deck of H.M.S. Formidable during the operations at Salerno. The ships reported to have taken part in this action were the 23,000-ton carriers Illustrious and Formidable, covered by the Nelson and Rodney, and the escort carriers Attacker, Battler, Hunter, Stalker, and Unicorn, covered by light cruisers and destroyers.
FORMIDABLE FIGHTER . – A Supermarine Seafire I, with arrestor hook extended, landing on the deck of H.M.S. Formidable during the operations at Salerno. The ships reported to have taken part in this action were the 23,000-ton carriers Illustrious and Formidable, covered by the Nelson and Rodney, and the escort carriers Attacker, Battler, Hunter, Stalker, and Unicorn, covered by light cruisers and destroyers.

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Originally published in Key.Aero