Story of HMS Vindex, a British-built escort carrier in WWII, and her famous 825 Squadron flying obsolete Swordfish biplanes. Operating day and night in the Atlantic and on dangerous Russian convoy runs, facing U-boats in extreme conditions. Characteristics ISBN-10 0436377055 Book cover finish(es) Hardcover ( round back binding ) Special Features • Dust jacket Condition Like NEWBut small tear at the bottom of the first page Author(s) Kenneth Poolman Publisher Leo Cooper/Secker & Warburg Number of pages 216 Published date 1983 Language(s) English Size 19.5 x 25.5 x 2 cm Categorie(s) • AVIATION NAVALE• SECONDE GUERRE MONDIALE• BIOGRAPHIES Description In World War 2 the Allies, with no aircraft carriers to spare for the mid-Atlantic air defence of merchant shipping serving Britain, and some of the merchantmen themselves took some of them into Escort Carriers. One of these was HMS Vindex, originally laid down as a refrigerated cargo/passenger liner.Most Royal Navy escort carriers were US-built, on loan, with modern welded seams, wide wooden flight decks, catapults, cafeterias, soda fountains, laundries and bunks. Vindex was British-built. Her plates were riveted, and there was no catapult on her narrow, steel flight deck. Her seamen slung hammocks, and washed their clothes in a bucket.For her first sorties against U-boats in the Atlantic Vindex embarked a famous air squadron. Men of No. 825 had made the suicidal attack on the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau under Esmonde VC, others had flown in blinding snow on Russian convoys. Before the war it had been the first unit to receive the Swordfish biplane. The Stringbag was obsolete in 1943 but the Squadron was still equipped with it, as well as half a dozen Sea Hurricane fighters.Trained by their ex-aviator Captain and thrusting Commander (Flying) this was the first escort carrier unit to operate by night, and the new men of 825 found themselves flying round the clock. Short of aircrews, Stringbags patrolled and attacked in gales, thick fog and darkness. Some were shot down, some struggled back to a pitching flight deck only to crash on board. The ship's aircraft lift broke down in a gale, and could not be raised, with aircraft sti In World War 2 the Allies, with no aircraft carriers to spare for the mid-Atlantic air defence of merchant shipping serving Britain, and some of the merchantmen themselves took some of them into Escort Carriers. One of these was HMS Vindex, originally laid down as a refrigerated cargo/passenger liner. Most Royal Navy escort carriers were US-built, on loan, with modern welded seams, wide wooden flight decks, catapults, cafeterias, soda fountains, laundries and bunks. Vindex was British-built. Her plates were riveted, and there was no catapult on her narrow, steel flight deck. Her seamen slung hammocks, and washed their clothes in a bucket. For her first sorties against U-boats in the Atlantic, Vindex embarked a famous air squadron. Men of No. 825 had made the suicidal attack on the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau under Esmonde VC, others had flown in blinding snow on Russian convoys. Before the war it had been the first unit to receive the Swordfish biplane. The Stringbag was obsolete in 1943 but the Squadron was still equipped with it, as well as half a dozen Sea Hurricane fighters. Trained by their ex-aviator Captain and thrusting Commander (Flying), this was the first escort carrier unit to operate by night, and the new men of 825 found themselves flying round the clock. Short of aircrews, Stringbags patrolled and attacked in gales, thick fog and darkness. Some were shot down, some struggled back to a pitching flight deck only to crash on board. The ship's aircraft lift broke down in a gale, and could not be raised, with aircraft still in the air… One Swordfish, with two depth-charges still in its racks, struck the bridge and caught fire… Another, hit by a U-boat's cannon fire, pressed on for the kill… Then Vindex, and 825, went to Russia. On the long Murmansk convoy run, beset by U-boats, the overworked Swordfish night fliers in their open cockpits patrolled in the freezing darkness. For a ditching aircrew, survival in the icy sea was a matter of minutes. In the short Arctic day, the Sea Hurricanes struck with rockets, and a landing on Vindex's short deck was always an event in the air... One Swordfish, with two depth-charges still in its racks, struck the bridge and caught fire... Another, hit by a U-boat's cannon fire, pressed on for the kill...Then Vindex, and 825, went to Russia. On the long Murmansk convoy run, beset by U-boats, the overworked Swordfish night fliers in their open cockpits patrolled in the freezing darkness. For a ditching aircrew, survival in the icy sea was a matter of minutes. In the short Arctic day the Sea Hurricanes struck with rockets, and a landing on Vindex's short deck was always an event...
