Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:12:02-1:12:34

Aircraft carriers did use their surface guns

Examples from Cape Matapan and Korea show that carrier gun batteries were not purely decorative fittings.

Battle of Cape MatapanCarrier ArmamentHMS FormidableHMS UnicornKorean War
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Did aircraft carriers ever use their guns?

Short answer

Yes. HMS Formidable at Cape Matapan and HMS Unicorn in Korea are given as clear examples.

Notes

HMS Formidable at the Battle of Cape Matapan and HMS Unicorn during the Korean War are clear examples of carriers that used their guns. Possible gunfire involving Ark Royal or Illustrious is recalled less firmly. The short exchange corrects the assumption that a carrier's aircraft made every surface weapon irrelevant. Carrier armament could still matter when a ship encountered a target within gun range.