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| - The RAF formed the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit (MSFU) on 5 May 1941 in RAF Speke by the River Mersey in Liverpool. Wing Commander E.S. Moulton-Barrett commanded the unit providing training for volunteer pilots, Fighter Direction Officers (FDOs) and airmen. After training, MSFU crews were posted to Liverpool, Glasgow or Avonmouth where they assisted in loading their Hurricanes onto the catapults. Each team consisted of one pilot for Atlantic runs (or two pilots for voyages to Russia, Gibraltar or the Mediterranean Sea) with one fitter, one rigger, one radio-telephone operator, one FDO and a seaman torpedoman who worked on the catapult as an electrician.
- CAM ships - Catapult Aircraft Merchantmen - were only one of five types of aircraft carrying merchantmen. The first were 5 Royal Navy ships, FCS's - Fighter Catapult Ships - 4 fitted with a bow catapult to launch a Hurricane fighter - nicknamed Hurricats - and a 5th ship, SPRINGBANK with an athwartships catapult. Fulmar aircraft were also tried, but too slow to catch their target German Condors. These were followed by the CAM ships: the 1st, MICHAEL E. with RN pilots and Hurricanes, all the rest of the 35 with RAF a/c and pilots. none of these ships could recover their planes, which had to fly to shore if near enough, or ditch or have the pilot bail out near an escort to be picked up. Later came 19 modified bulk merchantmen, 6 grain ships and 13 tankers, with full flight decks of 424 - 460
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| abstract
| - The RAF formed the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit (MSFU) on 5 May 1941 in RAF Speke by the River Mersey in Liverpool. Wing Commander E.S. Moulton-Barrett commanded the unit providing training for volunteer pilots, Fighter Direction Officers (FDOs) and airmen. After training, MSFU crews were posted to Liverpool, Glasgow or Avonmouth where they assisted in loading their Hurricanes onto the catapults. Each team consisted of one pilot for Atlantic runs (or two pilots for voyages to Russia, Gibraltar or the Mediterranean Sea) with one fitter, one rigger, one radio-telephone operator, one FDO and a seaman torpedoman who worked on the catapult as an electrician. MSFU crews signed ships articles as civilian crew members under the authority of the civilian ship's master. The ship's chief engineer became responsible for the catapult and the first mate acted as Catapult Duty Officer (CDO) responsible for firing the catapult when directed. The single Hurricane fighter was launched only when enemy aircraft were sighted and agreement was reached via hand and flag signals between the pilot, CDO and ship's master. The first CAM ship, Michael E, was sponsored by the Royal Navy while the RAF MSFUs were working up. After a trial launch off Belfast, Michael E sailed with convoy OB 327 on 28 May 1941. She was sunk by U-108 on 2 June. The first RAF trial CAM launch was from Empire Rainbow at Greenock on the River Clyde on 31 May 1941, the Hurricane landed at Abbotsinch. Six CAM ships joined convoys in June 1941. When a CAM ship arrived at its destination, the pilot usually launched and landed at a nearby airfield to get in as much flight time as possible before his return trip. Pilots were rotated out of CAM assignments after two round-trip voyages to avoid the deterioration of flying skills from the lack of flying time during the assignment. CAM sailings were initially limited to North American convoys with aircraft maintenance performed by the Royal Canadian Air Force at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. CAM ships sailed on Gibraltar and Freetown convoys beginning in September, 1941, after an aircraft maintenance unit was established at the RAF base at North Front, Gibraltar. No CAM aircraft were provided during January and February 1942 after it proved impossible to maintain the catapult-mounted aircraft in flying order during the North Atlantic winter. CAM sailings resumed on 6 March 1942 on North Atlantic convoys and in April on the Arctic Russian convoys with a RAF aircraft maintenance unit in Archangelsk.
- CAM ships - Catapult Aircraft Merchantmen - were only one of five types of aircraft carrying merchantmen. The first were 5 Royal Navy ships, FCS's - Fighter Catapult Ships - 4 fitted with a bow catapult to launch a Hurricane fighter - nicknamed Hurricats - and a 5th ship, SPRINGBANK with an athwartships catapult. Fulmar aircraft were also tried, but too slow to catch their target German Condors. These were followed by the CAM ships: the 1st, MICHAEL E. with RN pilots and Hurricanes, all the rest of the 35 with RAF a/c and pilots. none of these ships could recover their planes, which had to fly to shore if near enough, or ditch or have the pilot bail out near an escort to be picked up. Later came 19 modified bulk merchantmen, 6 grain ships and 13 tankers, with full flight decks of 424 - 460' over their cargo holds or piping, and carring 4 Fairy Swordfish a/c, all used for U-boat hunting. There were also 2 dummy catapult ships, just added to worry the enemy, the CAPE CLEAR and CITY OF JOHANNESBURG. And finally 2 true Escort Carriers, HMS AUDACITY and PRETORIA CASTLE, the former ex-German HANNOVER, the latter only used for training. All the follow-on Escort Carriers, although on merchant ship-type hulls, were launched as carriers.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)