SZ/CSA/81/6 - [Letter, Sir Caspar John to Sir Thomas Pike, 9/11/62]

SZ/CSA/81/6

Item

[Letter, Sir Caspar John to Sir Thomas Pike, 9/11/62]

1962

1 leaf Letters (typescript)

Hurricane (Fighter planes)
Skua (fighter planes)
Ark Royal (aircraft carrier)
Argus (ship)
World War, 1939-1945

John, Caspar,
Pike, Thomas,recipient

John gives details of an incident in November 1940 when six Hurricanes and one Skua ditched in the sea having left HMS "Ark Royal" and HMS "Argus" for Malta. A subsequent board of enquiry blamed pilot error. It was not an isolated incident, although 700 out of 746 fighters made it safely to Malta and enemy shore activity did not interfere with operations. John hopes that this will allay the Navy's fears of operating carriers within range of shore-based aircraft.