The Fleet Air Arm

The fleet air arm originated almost 100 years ago. The Royal Aero Club lent the Admiralty two aircraft with which to train pilots. Because the response for flying training was so great, the Admiralty was directed by the government to form the Royal Naval Air Service, the first aerial fighting force in Europe.

The first Royal Naval Air Service aircraft were seaplanes which took off from modified ships, and on the completion of their flight they landed in the sea and were hoisted on board. Although by modern standards these first aircraft were puny they were nevertheless very successful in the 1914/18 war, carrying out raids on enemy harbours, airship bases and ships. In 1917 the first aircraft carrier H.M.S. Argus came into being, closely followed by H.M.S. Furious on whose deck the first successful deck landing was made by a Sopwith Pup.

Progress continued throughout the inter-war years and in the 1939/45 war the Fleet Air Arm was faced with the arduous task of assisting in keeping the world's sea lanes open. This called for the seeking out and destroying of enemy submarines, fast surface raiders and aircraft. Notable in their battles was the prominent part that they played in the destruction of the German pocket battleships and in the crippling of the Italian fleet at Taranto. The war proved beyond all doubt that the Fleet Air Arm was an essential part of the Royal Navy.

Since the 1939/45 war the evolution of the aircraft and ship has continued, culminating in those we now find today in the Royal Navy. In order that the navy can make the most of the aircraft with which it is equipped, it is essential that the men concerned with their maintenance and operation be highly trained, responsible and trustworthy individuals.

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