A flight deck in heavy weather
Ark Royal brought aircraft within reach of Bismarck on 26 May 1941. Somerville’s report records ten Swordfish taking off on the morning search. Fulmars were also available, but the weather prevented their planned use to increase search coverage. Aircraft carried aboard and aircraft usable for a particular task were different measures of strength. B04
The sea affected work before an aircraft ever left the deck. Spray made the surface slippery, and machines slid bodily across it. The report describes the stern’s rounded flight-deck edge rising and falling dramatically. Deck handling, take-off and recovery had to be managed alongside the search itself. B04
Search, shadow and strike
Once contact had been gained, aircraft fitted with long-range tanks helped maintain it. Shadowing meant following the enemy and sending updated reports so that other forces could find him. These machines were performing a different job from the torpedo force being prepared aboard the carrier. B04
The first striking force mistakenly attacked Sheffield. One aircraft had already returned after take-off; others released weapons against the friendly cruiser, while some recognised the error and held their torpedoes. It would be misleading to count every aircraft launched as a completed attack on Bismarck. B04
Turning aircraft around
The second force also numbered fifteen aircraft. Because serviceable machines were limited, most had to be drawn from those just returned, refuelled and rearmed. This was another mission flown largely with reused aircraft, not fifteen fresh machines waiting untouched in reserve. B04
The armourers changed the torpedo firing mechanisms and depth settings. Crews received instructions to contact Sheffield before attacking. The second attempt therefore combined a new weapon configuration with a corrected route to the target. B04
Bringing the crews home
After the evening attack, insufficient light remained for another strike. Somerville judged that finding the target, recognising friendly ships and recovering aircraft would all become too difficult. The remaining effort went into shadowing and preparing for dawn. B04
Ark Royal’s contribution was an operating system of ship, aircraft, information and people. Her nominal capacity alone cannot tell us how many useful sorties she could generate in those conditions. Full hull, machinery and dated air-group specifications remain a separate research task.
Follow the operation through Contact Regained and the carrier attacks.
