Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:30:47-2:33:31

HMS Victorious, USS Saratoga, and the Robin deployment

HMS Victorious served in the Pacific under the Robin codename, pairing British fighter direction with Saratoga's strike role.

Combat Air PatrolFighter DirectionFleet CarriersHMS VictoriousMalta Class Aircraft CarriersNaval AviationPacific WarRoyal NavyUSS Saratoga (CV-3)
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Question

What was the USS Robin story?

Short answer

HMS Victorious operated alongside USS Saratoga in the Pacific, using British fighter direction while the two carriers divided fighter and strike work.

Notes

Robin was a codename for HMS Victorious's Pacific service; the carrier did not become a commissioned United States Navy ship. A shortage of available American carriers led to the request for a British fleet carrier, while another American carrier could take on Atlantic duties. Victorious crossed to America for alterations that allowed her to operate American aircraft before proceeding to the Pacific. Working alongside USS Saratoga, she proved particularly suited to fighter operations, while Saratoga handled strike aircraft. Avengers moved to Saratoga and additional fighters moved to Victorious. Victorious then used her fighter-direction organization to control the combined fighter force and protect both carriers with combat air patrol.