Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:49:41-2:50:23

Why weather did not excuse Glorious's missing air patrol

Imperfect weather complicated flying from HMS Glorious but did not make reconnaissance impossible before the carrier encountered Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.

Carrier ReconnaissanceFlight Deck OperationsGneisenauHMS GloriousNorwegian CampaignScharnhorst
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Question

Did weather prevent HMS Glorious from launching a reconnaissance screen?

Short answer

No; the conditions were difficult but flyable, according to air-group testimony, and operational flying rarely enjoys perfect weather.

Notes

Surviving air-group personnel judged conditions suitable enough to launch, even if the wind and sea were unfavorable. Carrier aviation rarely receives perfect weather during an operation. Refusing to fly outside ideal conditions is compared with refusing to fire a battleship's guns because heat or cold affects their performance. Weather complicated Glorious's reconnaissance problem without removing the operational need to put aircraft in the air.