Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:24:24-1:25:24

The Gloster Nightjar and the beginnings of carrier night flying

A question about the first Royal Navy night fighter leads to the Gloster Nightjar and early flying from HMS Argus.

Aircraft CarriersGloster NightjarHMS ArgusNaval AviationNight Flying
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Question

What was the Royal Navy's first night fighter aircraft?

Short answer

There was no single clear starting point, but the Gloster Nightjar was an early example used from HMS Argus in the early 1920s.

Notes

The 1920s and 1930s did not produce one clean starting point because the Royal Navy tried to use many aircraft for night operations. The Gloster Nightjar is offered tentatively as an early fighter associated with night flying from HMS Argus in 1922. It was soon replaced by the Fairey Flycatcher. The uncertainty itself reflects a period of experimentation before dedicated night-fighter organizations and mature carrier procedures.