The Vought Corsair played a key role with the Royal Navy during fighter sweeps over Sumatran airfields. Andrew Thomas describes some dramatic action
To support US operations in the Pacific, and a potential invasion of Japan, a large British fleet was formed. Thus, in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) on November 22, 1944, Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser hoisted his flag as Commander in Chief of the British Pacific Fleet with its core of three armoured fleet carriers, HMS Victorious, Indomitable and Illustrious. These were later joined by sister ships Formidable, Indefatigable and Implacable.
For reasons of quality and to ensure logistical commonality with the much larger US Navy, the ships were largely equipped with American aircraft provided under lend-lease, including the Chance Vought F4U Corsair. The carriers’ fighters were formed into Wings – HMS Victorious had the Corsair-equipped 47th Naval Fighter Wing (NFW, 1834 and 1836 Squadrons) led by the only Royal Marines fighter ace, Maj Ronnie Hay. Corsairs also formed the 15th NFW (1830 and 1833 Squadrons) under Lt Cdr Mike Tritton on HMS Illustrious, while Indomitable’s fighters were Grumman Hellcats of the 5th NFW (1839 and 1844 Squadrons).
The Corsair units had already seen combat when, on…
