Instead of going east in Ark Royal, 881 embarked aboard HMS Illustrious with the Eastern Fleet. The squadron provided fighter cover in the Madagascar operation in May 1942. Its service aboard an operational carrier gave newer pilots experience under leaders who had already taught and flown carrier operations during the war. This pairing of combat employment with supervised learning shows how wartime squadrons converted individual experience into broader fleet capability.
Chapter · 19:49-20:43
Learning carrier warfare aboard HMS Illustrious
Follow 881 Squadron to the Indian Ocean, where its pilots gained carrier experience and provided fighter cover during the invasion of Madagascar.