Originally Posted by
tartare
Mog - was the reality that it would have been too difficult to return and dock with the Skyhook due to pitching/rolling of the ship?
Out of interest, why was it thought of as a crazy idea?
Yes, RTB to be speared by a Leading Hand in a rough sea was not a good option. In a lot of ways, it was a solution looking for a problem. To send small detachments of SHARs
without undercarriage to operate from specially-built motherships up-threat of the main force just didn’t make any sense. There would have been no way to divert without damaging the aircraft and becoming a right operational PITA.
Atlantic Conveyor proved the concept of vertical-only ops from a small deck and that would have been enough for short-range intercepts. Intrepid and Fearless both acted as temporary homes for a SHAR during the hectic days post D-Day.
Mog