Victorious entered the Bismarck operation with a newly assembled and incomplete air group, while Ark Royal's squadrons had trained and operated together. The Fleet Air Arm increasingly formed new squadrons by splitting experienced units rather than assembling them entirely from scratch. Veteran crews and instructors could then carry procedures and judgment into the new organization. That approach preserved institutional memory and made expansion less likely to erase combat capability.
Notable Point · 2:03:27-2:04:33
Why Ark Royal's air group was ready for Bismarck
The contrast between Victorious and Ark Royal shows why the Fleet Air Arm formed new squadrons around veterans instead of assembling them entirely from scratch.