Originally Posted by
SpazSinbad
Thanks Dave, Great story indeed. Nice details about a carrier approach for the BARRACUDA. Good comments otherwise.
“...This batsman from HMS Ravager, the Rudolf Nureyev of batsmen, is the most expressive of all as he lunges toward a landing Fleet Air Arm Fairey Barracuda like a joyful gazelle, welcoming the aircraft aboard. HMS Ravager (D70) was an Ruler class escort carrier built on the West Coast of the United States and operated by the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Ravager initially served as a convoy escort in the Atlantic theatre. Later in the war she was used mainly as a deck-landing training carrier and this photo is likely from that time as a training ship....”
My dad stepped out of the rear cockpit of one of those in the middle of Trincomalee harbour after it went silent. He was taking movies of the British fleet at anchor, and some still photos. He saved the cameras and film. The machine floated well apparently, long enough to stand on the wing until a cutter came alongside.