Supermarine Seafire ch.2

Jirgin sama mai saukar ungulu HMS Triumph wanda aka dauki hotonsa a Subic Bay a Philippines a lokacin da sojojin ruwa na Amurka suka yi amfani da su a cikin Maris 1950, jim kadan kafin fara yakin Koriya. A baka na FR Mk 47 Seafire 800th AH, a babban jirgin sama na Fairey Firefly.

Kusan daga farkon aikinsa a cikin Rundunar Sojan Ruwa ta Royal, an maye gurbin Seafire tare da mayaka masu karfin fada da kuma mafi dacewa da sabis akan masu jigilar jirage. Duk da haka, ta kasance tare da sojojin ruwa na Birtaniya tsawon lokaci don shiga yakin Koriya.

Arewacin Faransa

Sakamakon jinkirin shiga cikin sabis na HMS Indefatigable - mai ɗaukar jirgin sama na sabbin jiragen ruwa na Implacable - squadrons Seafire na jira daga 24th Fighter Wing (887th da 894th NAS) sun sami kansu wani aiki. An kafa shi a RAF Culmhead a cikin tashar Turanci, sun yi tafiya a kan Brittany da Normandy, ko dai suna gudanar da "leken asiri" ko kuma rakiya da mayakan Hawker Typhoon. Tsakanin Afrilu 20 da Mayu 15, 1944, sun yi jimillar jirage 400 a kan Faransa. Sun ci karo da hari a kasa da sama, inda suka yi hasarar jiragen sama guda biyu daga gobarar tsaro ta sama (daya daga kowace tawagar), amma ba su taba yin karo da abokan gaba a cikin iska ba.

A halin da ake ciki, an yanke shawarar cewa 3rd Naval Fighter Wing zai fi amfani fiye da na teku wajen jagorantar wuta ta jiragen ruwa a lokacin da ke gabatowa na Normandy. Kwarewar da aka samu daga saukar jiragen da aka yi a baya ya nuna cewa jiragen ruwan sojojin ruwa da ke wannan aikin ba su da karfin kai hari daga mayakan makiya. A cikin Afrilu, 886. NAS da 885 sun kasance musamman "tayar da su" don wannan lokacin. NAS an sanye su da Seafires L.III na farko, kuma 808th da 897th NAS an sanye su da Spitfires L.VB. Bangare na uku, wanda aka fadada kuma da haka, ya kunshi jiragen sama 3 da matukan jirgi 42. Tare da ƙungiyoyin RAF guda biyu (60 da 26 Squadrons) da kuma rundunar sojan ruwa ta Amurka ɗaya sanye da Spitfires (VCS 63), sun kafa Wing na 7th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing wanda ke Lee-on-Solent kusa da Portsmouth. Laftanar R. M. Crosley na 34 Amurka ya tuna:

A tsayin ƙafafu 3000, Seafire L.III yana da ƙarfin dawakai 915 fiye da Spitfire Mk IX. Har ila yau, ya fi nauyi kilo 200. Mun kara sauƙaƙa Sifires ɗinmu ta hanyar cire rabin kayansu da kuma bindigu guda biyu. Jirgin da aka gyaggyarawa ta wannan hanyar yana da radius mai ƙarfi mai ƙarfi da jujjuyawar juyi da juzu'i sama da Mk IX Spitfires har zuwa ƙafa 200. Wannan fa'idar za ta yi mana amfani sosai nan ba da jimawa ba!

Crosley ya ambaci cewa Seafire sun cire fukafukan su. Wannan ya haifar da ƙimar juzu'i da yawa da sauri mafi girma, amma yana da tasirin da ba a zata ba:

An gaya mana cewa za a kāre mu da kyau daga Luftwaffe ta hanyar sintiri na wasu mayaka 150, da aka jibge a tsayin ƙafa 30 [000 9150 m]. Amma ba mu da masaniyar irin gajiyar da ta kasance ga dukkan waɗancan matukan jirgin na RAF da na AmurkaAF. A cikin sa'o'i 72 na farko na mamayewar, babu ko ADR guda [radar jirgin sama] da ya bi diddigin abokan gabansu, waɗanda ba za su iya gani da kansu a ko'ina ba gwargwadon iya gani. Don haka suka dubeta cikin sha'awa. Sun gan mu muna zagaya biyu-biyu a kusa da gada. Wani lokaci muna yin tafiyar mil 20 a cikin ƙasa. Sun ga fikafikan mu na anguwar kuma sun rikitar da mu a matsayin mayaka na Jamus. Ko da yake muna da manyan ratsan baki da fari a fikafikan mu da gyale, sun kai mana hari akai-akai. A cikin kwanaki uku na farko na mamayewar, babu abin da muka ce ko muka yi da zai hana su.

Wata barazanar da sojojin ruwan mu suka sani kuma ita ce gobarar jiragen sama. Yanayin da ke D ya tilasta mana mu tashi sama da tsayin ƙafa 1500 kawai. A halin da ake ciki, sojojinmu da na ruwa suna ta harbe-harbe a kan duk abin da za a iya isa, don haka ne, ba a hannun Jamus ba, mun yi hasara mai yawa a ranar D-day da washegari.

A ranar farko ta mamayewa, Crosley sau biyu ya jagoranci wuta a kan yakin Warspite. Sadarwar rediyo na "spotters" tare da jiragen ruwa a tashar Turanci ya kasance sau da yawa ya rushe, don haka matukan jirgin da ba su da haquri suka ɗauki mataki kuma suka yi ta harbe-harbe ba bisa ka'ida ba a wuraren da suka hadu da su, suna shawagi a ƙarƙashin mummunar wuta na tsaron iska na Poland, a wannan karon Jamusanci. daya. Da yammacin ranar 6, 808, 885, da 886, Amurka ta yi hasarar jirgin sama daya kowanne; An kashe matukan jirgi biyu (S/Lt HA Cogill da S/Lt AH Bassett).

Mafi muni, abokan gaba sun fahimci mahimmancin "masu tabo" kuma a rana ta biyu na mamayewa, mayakan Luftwaffe sun fara farautar su. Kwamanda Laftanar S.L. Devonald, kwamandan rundunar NAS ta 885, ya kare harin da Fw 190s takwas suka kai na tsawon mintuna 109. A hanyarsa ta dawowa, jirginsa da ya lalace sosai ya rasa injina kuma ya tashi. Shi kuma kwamandan J.H. Keen-Miller, kwamandan sansanin a Lee-on-Solent, an harbe shi a wani karo da Bf 886s shida kuma aka kama shi da fursuna. Bugu da ƙari, 109th NAS ya rasa Seafires uku zuwa gobarar iska. Daya daga cikinsu shi ne L/Cdr PEI Bailey, shugaban tawagar da aka harba daga hannun manyan bindigogi. Da yake ƙasa da ƙanƙanta don amfani da parachute, ya buɗe ta a cikin jirgin kuma aka fitar da shi. Ya farka a kasa, an yi masa mugun duka, amma yana raye. Kudancin Evrecy, Laftanar Crosley ya yi mamaki kuma ya harbe Bf XNUMX guda ɗaya, mai yiwuwa daga sashin bincike.

A safiyar rana ta uku ta mamaye Ulgeit, Laftanar H. Lang 8 na NAS sun kai hari a goshi ta hanyar Fw 886s guda biyu kuma suka harbe daya daga cikin maharan cikin hanzari. Bayan ɗan lokaci, shi da kansa ya sami bugu kuma an tilasta masa yin saukar gaggawa. Laftanar Crosley, wanda ya ba da umarnin wuta a kan jirgin ruwan Ramillies a wannan rana, ya tuna:

Ina neman abin da aka ba mu ne kawai lokacin da gungun 'yan Spitfires suka kai mana hari. Mun yi watsi da shi, yana nuna rashin kunya. A lokaci guda, na kira rediyo zuwa Ramilis ya tsaya. Babu shakka matukin jirgin da ke wancan gefen bai fahimci abin da nake magana akai ba. Ya ci gaba da ce mani "dakata, shirya". A wannan lokacin, muna bin juna, kamar dai a kan babban carousel, tare da Spitfires talatin. Babu shakka wasunsu suna harbin ba mu kadai ba, har ma da juna. Ya kasance mai ban tsoro sosai, saboda "namu" gabaɗaya ya harbe fiye da snags kuma ya nuna tashin hankali. Jamusawa, suna kallon wannan duka daga ƙasa, tabbas sun yi mamakin abin da muka yi hauka.

An sami wasu karin fadace-fadace da mayakan Luftwaffe a wannan rana da kuma kwanaki masu zuwa, amma ba tare da sakamako mai ma'ana ba. Yayin da manyan gada suka fadada, adadin abubuwan da za a iya kaiwa ga rundunar ya ragu, don haka an umurci “masu tabo” da su rika yin wuta kadan kadan. Wannan haɗin gwiwar ya sake tsananta tsakanin 27 ga Yuni da 8 ga Yuli, lokacin da jiragen ruwa na Rodney, Ramillies da Warspite suka yi ruwan bama-bamai a Caen. A lokaci guda kuma, an ba da ma'aikatan jirgin ruwa na Seafire don magance ƙananan jiragen ruwa na Kriegsmarine da suka yi barazanar mamaye jiragen ruwa (ɗaya daga cikinsu ya yi mummunar lalacewa ta hanyar jirgin ruwa na Poland ORP Dragon). Wadanda suka fi samun nasara su ne matukan jirgi na runduna ta 885 na Amurka, wadanda suka nutse uku daga cikin wadannan kananan jiragen ruwa a ranar 9 ga watan Yuli.

Tawagar ta Seafire sun kammala shiga cikin mamayar Normandy a ranar 15 ga Yuli. Jim kadan bayan haka, an wargaza Wing na Naval Fighter Wing na 3. Sannan an hade NAS na 886 da NAS ta 808, sannan ta 807 da NAS ta 885. Ba da daɗewa ba bayan haka, an sake sawa dukkan squadrons da Hellcats.

Supermarine Seafire jirgin saman yaki na iska daga 880. NAS yana tashi daga jirgin HMS Furious; Operation Mascot, Tekun Norwegian, Yuli 1944

Norway (Yuni-Disamba 1944)

Yayin da akasarin sojojin kawance a Turai suka 'yantar da Faransa, sojojin ruwa na Royal sun ci gaba da bin mamaya a Norway. A matsayin wani bangare na Operation Lombard, a ranar 1 ga Yuni, jirgin saman Hukumar Kula da Jiragen Sama ta Amurka ya tashi daga wani ayarin motocin ruwa kusa da Stadlandet. Corsairs Nasara Goma da Furious Seafires guda goma sha biyu (801 da 880 US) sun yi harbi kan jiragen rakiya da ke rakiyar jiragen. A wannan lokacin, Barracudas sun nutse da raka'a biyu na Jamus: Atlas (Sperrbrecher-181) da Hans Leonhardt. C / Laftanar K.R. Brown, daya daga cikin matukan jirgin na 801st NAS, ya mutu a wata gobarar tsaron iska.

A lokacin Operation Talisman - wani yunƙurin nutsar da jirgin yaƙin Tirpitz - a ranar 17 ga Yuli, Sifires daga 880 NAS (Furious), 887 da 894 NAS (Indefagable) ya rufe jiragen ruwa na tawagar. Operation Turbine, wanda aka gudanar a ranar 3 ga Agusta don kewayawa a yankin Ålesund, bai yi nasara ba saboda matsanancin yanayi. Yawancin jiragen sama daga duka masu dako sun juya baya, kuma Seafires takwas ne kawai daga 887th. Amurka ta kai ga gabar teku inda ta lalata gidan rediyon da ke tsibirin Vigra. Mako guda bayan haka (Agusta 10, Operation Spawn), Indefagable ya dawo tare da jigilar jiragen sama guda biyu masu rakiya, wadanda Avengers suka hako hanyar ruwa tsakanin Bodø da Tromsø. A wannan lokaci, jiragen sama takwas na Seafire daga cikin 894. NAS sun kai hari a filin jirgin sama na Gossen, inda suka lalata Bf 110 guda shida da suka yi mamaki a kasa da kuma eriyar radar Würzburg.

A ranakun 22, 24 da 29 ga Agusta, a matsayin wani ɓangare na Operation Goodwood, Sojojin ruwa na Royal sun sake yin ƙoƙarin kashe Tirpitz da ke ɓoye a Altafjord. A ranar farko ta aikin, lokacin da Barracudas da Hellcats suka yi ƙoƙarin jefa bama-bamai a cikin jirgin ruwan yaƙi, Seafires takwas daga cikin 887. Amurka ta kai hari a filin jirgin saman Banak da ke kusa da tashar jirgin ruwa. Sun lalata jiragen ruwa guda hudu na Blohm & Voss BV 138 da jiragen ruwa guda uku: Arado Ar 196s guda biyu da Heinkla He 115. An harbe Lieutenant R. D. Vinay. Da yammacin wannan rana, Laftanar H.T. Palmer da s / l R. Reynolds na 894. Amurka, yayin da suke sintiri a North Cape, sun ba da rahoton harbo jiragen BV 138 guda biyu cikin kankanin lokaci. na daya kawai. Ya kasance na 3./SAGr (Seaufklärungsgruppe) 130 kuma yana ƙarƙashin umarnin laftanar. Agusta Elinger.

Rundunar sojojin ruwa ta Royal ta gaba a cikin ruwan Norway a ranar 12 ga Satumba shine Operation Begonia. Manufarsa ita ce hako ma'adinan jigilar kayayyaki a yankin Aramsund. Yayin da Avengers na masu rakiya jirgin Trumpeter suka jefar da nakiyoyinsu, masu rakiyansu - 801st da 880th US - suna neman manufa. Ta kai wa wani karamin ayari hari, inda ta nutse da kananan ’yan rakiya guda biyu, Vp 5105 da Vp 5307 Felix Scheder, da harbin bindigogi. An kashe S/Lt MA Glennie na 801 NAS a wata gobarar tsaro ta iska.

A wannan lokacin, 801st da 880th NAS za a ajiye su akan sabon jigilar jirgin, HMS Implacable. Duk da haka, shigarsa sabis ya jinkirta, saboda haka, a lokacin Operation Begonia, dukkanin squadrons sun dawo cikin sauri da fushi, wanda wannan shi ne jirgin na karshe a tsawon aikinsa. Daga nan sai suka koma wani sansani na kasa, inda a hukumance aka kafa su zuwa runduna ta 30 na Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment. A karshen watan Satumba, 1th Wing (24th da 887th NAS) suma sun tafi gabar teku, kuma jirginsu mai ɗaukar nauyi Indefagable (na iri ɗaya da Implacable) ya koma tashar jirgin ruwa don ƙaramin zamani. Saboda haka, lokacin da Implacable ya ba da rahoton shirye-shiryen shirye-shiryen sabis jim kaɗan bayan haka, Wing na 894 ya kasance na ɗan lokaci ya hau a matsayin ƙwararren mai ɗaukar jirgin sama na wannan nau'in.

Manufar tafiyarsu ta farko ta haɗin gwiwa, wadda ta faru a ranar 19 ga Oktoba, ita ce bincikar tudun na Tirpitz da sanin ko har yanzu jirgin yaƙi yana nan. An gudanar da wannan aiki ne ta hanyar mayakan Firefly masu kujeru biyu; a lokacin, Seafires ya ba da kariya ga jiragen ruwa na tawagar. Na biyu kuma na ƙarshe na Wing na 24 a cikin jirgin Implacable shine Operation Athletic, wanda ke da nufin wucewa cikin yankunan Bodø da Lödingen. A rana ta biyu na aikin, 27 ga Oktoba, Sifires ya rufe jirgin Barracuda da Firefly, wanda ya lalata jirgin ruwa na U-1060 da roka. Ga 24th Wing, wannan shine aiki na ƙarshe a cikin ruwan Turai - ba da daɗewa ba, Indefatigable ya kai su Gabas Mai Nisa.

Implacable ta koma ruwan Norway a ranar 27 ga Nuwamba tare da 30th Fighter Wing (US 801st da 880th) a cikin jirgi. Operation Provident an yi niyya don jigilar kaya a yankin Rørvik. Har ila yau, mayakan Firefly (wanda, ba kamar Seafires na yakin duniya na biyu ba, suna da makamai masu linzami na 20-mm hudu da makamai masu linzami takwas) kuma mayakan Barracuda sun zama babban karfi. A yayin wani aikin (Operation Urban, 7-8 ga Disamba), wanda manufarsa ita ce hako ma'adinan ruwa a yankin Salhusstremmen, jirgin ya lalace sakamakon guguwar yanayi. Gyaran sa da sake gina shi (ciki har da karuwa a matsayi na kananan bindigogi masu hana jiragen sama) ya ci gaba har zuwa bazara na shekara mai zuwa. Bayan wannan ne Implacable da Seafires ɗinsa suka tashi zuwa tekun Pacific.

Italiya

A karshen watan Mayun 1944, squadrons na 4th Naval Fighter Wing sun isa Gibraltar, suka hau kan jiragen dakon kaya Attacking (879 US), Hunter (807 US) da Stalker (809 US). A watan Yuni da Yuli sun gadin ayarin motocin a tsakanin Gibraltar, Algiers da Naples.

Duk da haka, ba da daɗewa ba ya bayyana a fili cewa a wannan mataki na yakin, masu jigilar jiragen sama, fiye da Seafires, suna buƙatar jiragen da za su iya ɗaukar makamai masu linzami da zurfin caji don kare ayarin motocin daga jiragen ruwa. Tsoffin jiragen saman Swordfish sun fi dacewa da wannan rawar. A saboda wannan dalili, a ranar 25 ga Yuni, wani ɓangare na sojojin na 4th Wing - 28 L.IIC Seafires daga dukan uku squadrons - aka canjawa wuri zuwa babban yankin don yin hulɗa tare da sojojin RAF.

Wannan rukunin, wanda aka fi sani da Naval Fighter Wing D, an fara ajiye shi a Fabrica da Orvieto har zuwa 4 ga Yuli sannan a Castiglione da Perugia. A wannan lokacin, ya yi, kamar 'yan wasan Spitfire da ya raka, ayyukan leken asiri na dabara, da harbin manyan bindigogi, ya kai hari a kasa da kuma rakiya. Ya ci karo da mayakan abokan gaba sau daya kawai - a ranar 29 ga watan Yuni, matukan jirgi biyu na 807th sun shiga cikin gajeren lokaci da ba a warware ba tsakanin Spitfires da rukuni na 30 Bf 109 da Fw 190 a kan Perugia.

Rundunar ta ƙare zamanta a Italiya a ranar 17 ga Yuli 1944, ta dawo ta Blida a Algiers zuwa Gibraltar, inda ta shiga cikin jiragen ruwa na uwa. A cikin makonni uku a Nahiyar, ya yi asarar Seafires shida, ciki har da uku a cikin hatsarori da daya a wani hari da dare a Orvieto, amma ba matukin jirgi daya ba. S/Lt RA Gowan daga shekara ta 879. An harbo Amurka ne ta hanyar harbin iska da aka yi da wuta ta jirgin sama, ta sauka a kan Apennines, inda ‘yan banga suka same shi suka koma sashin. Shi ma S/Lt AB Foxley, ya bugi kasa, ya yi nasarar tsallaka layin kafin ya fado.

Jirgin mai rakiya HMS Khedive ya isa tekun Bahar Rum a karshen watan Yuli. Ya zo da runduna ta 899 ta Amurka, wacce a baya ta yi aiki a matsayin tawagar ajiyar kaya. Wannan taro na sojojin an yi niyya ne don tallafawa saukowa masu zuwa a kudancin Faransa. Daga cikin masu jigilar jiragen sama tara na Task Force 88, Seafires (jimillar jirage 97) sun tsaya a kan hudu. Waɗannan su ne Attacker (879 US; L.III 24, L.IIC da LR.IIC), Khedive (899 US: L.III 26), Hunter (807 US: L.III 22, LR.IIC biyu) da Stalker ( 809 Amurka: 10 L.III, 13 L.IIC da LR.IIC). Daga cikin sauran masu jigilar jiragen sama guda biyar, an sanya Hellcats akan uku (ciki har da Amurkawa biyu), da Wildcats akan biyu.

Kudancin Faransa

Operation Dragoon ya fara ranar 15 ga Agusta, 1944. Ba da daɗewa ba ya bayyana a fili cewa murfin iska don mamaye jiragen ruwa da bridgeheads ba lallai ba ne a ka'ida, tunda Luftwaffe ba su da ƙarfin isa ya kai musu hari. Saboda haka, Sifires sun fara motsawa cikin ƙasa, suna kai hari kan hanyoyin da ke kan hanyar Toulon da Marseille. Nau'in jirgin sama na L.III sun yi amfani da karfin tashin bam. A safiyar ranar 17 ga watan Agusta, wasu dozin Seafires daga Attacker da Khedive da Hellcats hudu daga cikin jirgin Imperator dakon kaya sun jefa bama-bamai kan batirin manyan bindigogi a tsibirin Port-Cros.

Wasu daga cikin dillalan jirgin na Task Force 88, suna tafiya zuwa yamma tare da Cote d'Azur, sun dauki matsayi a kudancin Marseille da wayewar ranar 19 ga Agusta, daga inda 'yan wasan Seafire ke tsakanin Toulon da Avignon. A nan ne suka fara yi wa sojojin Jamus kisan kiyashi, wadanda ke ja da baya a kan hanyoyin da ke kan kwarin Rhone. Komawa zuwa yamma, a ranar 22 ga Agusta Seafires of Attacker da Hellcats na Sarkin sarakuna sun wargaza rukunin Panzer na Jamus na 11 da suka yi sansani kusa da Narbonne. A wancan lokacin, sauran Seafires, ciki har da su, sun jagoranci gobarar Birtaniya (wani jirgin ruwa Ramillies), Faransa (jikin yaki Lorraine) da Amurkawa (jikin yaƙin Nevada da jirgin ruwa mai nauyi Augusta), bom da Toulon, wanda a ƙarshe ya mika wuya. a ranar 28 ga Agusta.

Squadrons na Seafire sun kammala shiga cikin Operation Dragoon ranar da ta gabata. Sun yi kusan nau'ikan nau'ikan 1073 (don kwatanta, 252 Hellcats da 347 Wildcats). Asarar da suka yi a yakin sun kai jiragen sama 12. 14 sun mutu a hatsarin sauka, ciki har da guda goma da suka yi hatsari a cikin Khedive, wanda tawagarsa ba ta da kwarewa. Asarar ma'aikata ta iyakance ga ƴan matukan jirgi. S/Lt AIR Shaw daga 879. NAS yana da abubuwan da suka fi ban sha'awa - an harbe shi ta hanyar wuta ta jirgin sama, kama kuma ya tsere. An sake kama shi, ya sake tserewa, a wannan karon tare da taimakon wasu mutane biyu da suka gudu daga sojojin Jamus.

Girka

Bayan Operation Dragoon, daruruwan jiragen ruwan Royal Navy da ke halartar taron sun tsaya a Alexandria. Ba da daɗewa ba suka sake fitowa cikin teku. Daga 13 zuwa 20 ga Satumba, 1944, a matsayin wani ɓangare na Operation Exit, sun shiga cikin hare-haren da aka kai a yankunan Crete da Rhodes na Jamus. Jiragen dakon jiragen sama guda biyu, Attacker da Khedive, sun dauki Seafires, sauran biyun (Pursuer da Searcher) sun dauki Wildcats. Da farko dai jirgin ruwa mai suna HMS Royalist ne kawai da maharan da ke tare da ita suka yi yaki, inda suka lalata ayarin motocin Jamus da daddare suka kuma ja da baya a karkashin mayaka da ke dakon kaya da rana. A cikin kwanakin da suka biyo baya, Seafires da Wildcats sun zagaya Crete, suna lalata motocin tsibirin.

A lokacin, Sarkin sarakuna da Hellcats sun shiga ƙungiyar. A safiyar ranar 19 ga Satumba, ƙungiyar 22 Seafires, 10 Hellcats da 10 Wildcats sun kai hari Rhodes. Abin mamaki ya cika, kuma dukkan jiragen sun dawo ba tare da wani rauni ba bayan harin bam da aka kai a babban tashar jirgin ruwa a tsibirin. Washegari, tawagar ta koma Alexandria. A lokacin Operation Sortie, Sifires ya yi nau'ikan nau'ikan sama da 160 kuma ba su rasa jirgin guda ɗaya ba (a cikin yaƙi ko a cikin haɗari), wanda a cikin kansa ya yi nasara sosai.