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{{Short description|British merchant ships with onboard fighter aircraft}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}
[[File:Hawker Hurricane W9182 On CAM Ship.jpg|thumb|right|The Hawker Sea Hurricane ''W9182'' on the catapult of a CAM ship]]

'''CAM ships''' were [[World War II]]–era [[United Kingdom|British]] [[merchant ship]]s used in [[Convoy#Atlantic|convoys]] as an emergency stop-gap until sufficient [[escort aircraft carrier|escort carriers]] became available. ''CAM ship'' is an [[acronym]] for '''catapult aircraft merchant ship'''.<ref name="proceedings">Wise, pp. 70–77</ref>

They were equipped with a [[rocket]]-propelled [[Aircraft catapult|catapult]] launching a single [[Hawker Hurricane]], dubbed a "Hurricat" or "Catafighter" to destroy or drive away an attacking bomber. Normally the Hurricane fighter would be lost when the pilot then bailed out or ditched in the ocean near the convoy.{{refn|group=Note|Although on several occasions the pilot was close enough to an airfield to land there instead.}} CAM ships continued to carry their normal cargoes after conversion.

The concept was developed and tested by the five [[fighter catapult ship]]s, commissioned as warships and commanded and crewed by the [[Royal Navy]] – but the CAM ships were merchant vessels, commanded and crewed by the [[Merchant Navy]].

==Origin==
[[File:Hawker Hurricane on CAM ship catapult c1941.jpg|thumb|A Hurricane IA before launch during trials at [[Greenock]], in 1941]]

The [[Nazi Germany|German]] [[Luftwaffe]] had [[Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor]] aircraft with a range of nearly {{convert|2,000|nmi|km mi|lk=in}}. After the [[Fall of France]], these aircraft could operate from [[West Francia|western France]] against [[British Empire|British]] merchant ships in the Atlantic. Flying from [[Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport]], Fw 200s of I/KG40 could reach the convoy lanes west of Britain while staying outside the range of British land-based fighters. The [[Royal Navy]] had no [[aircraft carrier]]s available to provide close air cover for the convoys. The Fw 200s could shadow convoys, directing [[U-boat]] attacks on them, or drop bombs on convoy ships, without opposition and to deadly effect.<ref name="proceedings"/>

To counter this threat, the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] developed the [[fighter catapult ship]]{{snd}} a converted freighter, crewed by naval sailors, carrying a single [[Hawker Hurricane]] fighter. When an enemy bomber was sighted, the fighter would be [[JATO|launched into the air with rockets]], and fly up to destroy or drive away the bomber. Being large and slow, the Fw 200 became a rather vulnerable target. After the combat, the fighter pilot would bail out or ditch in the ocean near the convoy, and be picked up if all went well.<ref name="proceedings"/>

The Admiralty had already experimented with this system. They ordered 50 rocket-propelled [[aircraft catapult]]s to be fitted to merchant ships. The planes were Hurricane Mark Is, converted to [[Hawker Sea Hurricane|Sea Hurricane IAs]].<ref name="proceedings"/>

The pilots for these aircraft were drawn from the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF). The RAF formed the [[Merchant Ship Fighter Unit]] (MSFU) on 5 May 1941 in [[Liverpool John Lennon Airport|RAF Speke]] by the [[River Mersey]] in [[Liverpool]].<ref name="proceedings"/>  Wing Commander E.S. Moulton-Barrett commanded the unit providing training for volunteer pilots, fighter direction officers (FDOs), and airmen. After training, MSFU crews were posted to Liverpool, [[Glasgow]], or [[Avonmouth]] where they assisted in loading their Hurricanes onto the catapults. Each team consisted of one pilot for Atlantic runs (or two pilots for voyages to [[Russia]], [[Gibraltar]], or the [[Mediterranean Sea]]), with one fitter, one rigger, one radio-telephone operator, one FDO, and a seaman torpedoman who worked on the catapult as an electrician.<ref name="proceedings"/>

MSFU crews signed ship's articles as civilian crew members under the authority of the civilian [[ship's master]]. The ship's chief engineer became responsible for the catapult, and the [[first mate]] acted as catapult duty officer (CDO), responsible for firing the catapult when directed. The single Hurricane fighter was launched only when enemy aircraft were sighted and agreement was reached using hand and flag signals between the pilot, CDO, and ship's master.<ref name="proceedings"/>

The first four or five ships were taken into Royal Navy service as "auxiliary fighter catapult ships", and later conversions were officially named CAMs and crewed by merchant sailors. The first CAM ship, ''Michael E'', was sponsored by the Royal Navy while the RAF MSFUs were working up. After a trial launch off Belfast, ''Michael E'' sailed with convoy OB 327 on 28 May 1941. She was sunk by [[German submarine U-108 (1940)|''U-108'']] on 2 June.<ref name="hague78">Hague, p. 78</ref>
The first RAF trial CAM launch was from ''Empire Rainbow'', at [[Greenock]] on the [[River Clyde]] on 31 May 1941; the Hurricane landed at Abbotsinch. Six CAM ships joined convoys in June 1941. When a CAM ship arrived at its destination, the pilot usually launched and landed at a nearby airfield to get in as much flight time as possible before his return trip.<ref name="proceedings"/> Pilots were rotated out of CAM assignments after two round-trip voyages to avoid the deterioration of flying skills from the lack of flying time during the assignment.<ref name="hague78"/>

CAM sailings were initially limited to North American convoys with aircraft maintenance performed by the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] at [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia]]. CAM ships sailed on Gibraltar and [[Freetown]] convoys beginning in September 1941, after an aircraft maintenance unit was established at the RAF base at [[RAF Gibraltar|North Front]], Gibraltar. No CAM aircraft were provided during January and February 1942 after it proved impossible to maintain the catapult-mounted aircraft in flying order during the North Atlantic winter. CAM sailings resumed on 6 March 1942 on North Atlantic convoys and in April on the [[Arctic convoys of World War II|Arctic Russian convoys]] with an RAF aircraft maintenance unit in [[Archangelsk]].<ref name="hague78"/>

==CAM ships==
Eight CAM ships were requisitioned from private owners, two of which were sunk:

{{Div col|colwidth=13em}}
*  ''[[Daghestan (ship)|Daghestan]]''
* ''[[Daltonhall]]''
* ''[[Eastern City]]''
* ''[[Helencrest]]''
* ''[[Kafiristan (ship)|Kafiristan]]''
* ''[[SS Michael E|Michael E]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Novelist (ship)|Novelist]]''
* ''[[SS Primrose Hill|Primrose Hill]]'' (sunk).<ref name="Mitchell and Sawyer">Mitchell and Sawyer</ref>
{{Div col end}}

Twenty-seven CAM ships were Ministry of War Transport–owned [[Empire ship]]s, ten of which were sunk:

{{Div col|colwidth=13em}}
*  ''[[Empire Burton]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Empire Clive]]''
* ''[[Empire Darwin]]''
* {{MV|Empire Day||2}}
* ''[[Empire Dell]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Empire Eve]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Empire Faith]]''
* ''[[Empire Flame]]''
* ''[[Empire Foam]]''
* ''[[Empire Franklin]]''
* ''[[Empire Gale]]''
* ''[[Empire Heath]]''
* ''[[Empire Hudson]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Empire Lawrence]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Empire Moon]]''
* ''[[Empire Morn]]''
* ''[[Empire Ocean]]''
* ''[[Empire Rainbow]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Empire Ray]]''
* ''[[Empire Rowan]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Empire Shackleton]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Empire Spray]]''
* ''[[Empire Spring]]'' (sunk)
* ''[[Empire Stanley]]''
* ''[[Empire Sun]]''
* ''[[Empire Tide]]''
* ''[[Empire Wave]]'' (sunk).<ref name="Mitchell and Sawyer"/>
{{Div col end}}

==Take-off procedure==
[[File:Hawker Hurricane launched from CAM ship c1941.jpg|thumb|Test launch of a Hurricane at [[Greenock]], Scotland, 31 May 1941]]

* The trolley receiving bar was removed at dawn.
* The airmen started the aircraft and warmed up the engine at intervals.
* The pilot climbed into the aircraft when enemy aircraft were reported.
* The ship hoisted the [[International maritime signal flags|international flag code F]] when the decision was made to launch. (CAM ships were usually stationed at the head of the outboard port column of a convoy so they could manoeuvre into the wind for launch.)
* An airman removed the pins, showed them to the pilot, and took them to the Catapult Duty Officer (CDO).
* The pilot applied 30 degree flaps and {{Frac|1|3}} right rudder.
* The CDO raised a blue flag above his head to inform the ship's master of his readiness to launch.
* The ship's master manoeuvred the ship into the wind and raised a blue flag above his head to authorise the launch. (The ship's master stood on the starboard [[bridge wing]] to avoid the catapult rocket blast which sometimes damaged the [[Port and starboard|port]] side of the bridge.)
* The CDO waved his blue flag indicating he was ready to launch upon a signal from the pilot.
* The pilot opened full throttle, tightened the throttle friction nut, pressed his head back into the head-rest, pressed his right elbow tightly against his hip, and lowered his left hand as a signal to launch.
* The CDO counted to three, waited for the bow to rise from the trough of a swell, and moved the switch to fire the catapult rockets.<ref name="proceedings"/>

==CAM combat launches==
{{For|the combat launches from Royal Navy fighter catapult ships|Fighter catapult ship#FCS combat launches}}

{| class="wikitable"
! width="100px"| Date
! width="180px"| Ship/convoy
! width="100px" | Pilot
! width="480px" | Outcome
|-
|1 Nov 1941
|{{SS|Empire Foam}} / [[Convoy HX 156|HX 156]]
|[[Flying Officer|FO]] Varley
|Focke-Wulf Fw 200 chased off; pilot recovered by {{HMS|Broke|D83|6}}<ref name="proceedings"/><ref name="hague">Hague, p. 79</ref>
|-
|26 Apr 1942
|{{SS|Empire Morn}} / [[Arctic convoys of World War II|QP 12]]
|FO JB Kendal
|[[Blohm & Voss BV 138]] chased off and [[Junkers Ju 88]] shot down (Ju 88A-4 "4D+IT" of III./[[KG 30]]); Kendal died from injuries received while bailing out<ref name="proceedings"/><ref name="hague"/>
|-
|26 May 1942
|{{SS|Empire Lawrence}} / [[Convoy PQ 16|PQ 16]]
|[[Pilot Officer|PO]] Hay
|Two [[Heinkel He 111]]s shot down; Hurricane shot down, pilot wounded and recovered by {{HMS|Volunteer|D71|6}}<ref name="proceedings"/><ref name="hague"/>
|-
|14 Jun 1942
|{{SS|Empire Moon}} / [[Convoy HG 84|HG 84]]
|PO Sanders
|Focke-Wulf Fw 200 chased off; pilot recovered by {{HMS|Stork|L81|6}}<ref name="proceedings"/><ref name="hague"/>
|-
|18 Sep 1942
|{{SS|Empire Morn}}
|FO AH Burr
|Two Heinkel He 111s destroyed; pilot flew to the Russian [[Keg Ostrov]] <small>([[:ru:Кегостров (остров)|ru]])</small> aerodrome<ref name="proceedings"/><ref name="hague"/>
|-
|1 Nov 1942
|{{SS|Empire Heath}} / [[Gibraltar convoys of World War II#HG convoys|HG 91]]
|FO N Taylor
|Focke-Wulf Fw 200 shot down; pilot nearly drowned before recovery<ref name="proceedings"/><ref name="hague"/>
|-
|28 Jul 1943
|{{SS|Empire Darwin}} / [[SL convoys|SL 133]]
|FO JA Stewart
|Focke-Wulf Fw 200 destroyed; pilot recovered by {{HMS|Leith|U36|6}}<ref name="proceedings"/><ref name="hague"/>
|-
|28 Jul 1943
|{{MV|Empire Tide}} / [[SL convoys|SL 133]]
|FO PJR Flynn
|Focke-Wulf Fw 200 destroyed; pilot recovered by {{HMS|Enchantress|L56|6}}<ref name="proceedings"/><ref name="hague"/>
|-
|}

In total, there were eight combat launches from CAM ships. Eight German aircraft were destroyed (three FW 200 Condors, four Heinkel He 111s and a Junkers Ju 88), one damaged and three chased away. Eight Hurricanes were ditched and one pilot lost.

Additionally, one Condor was destroyed in August 1941 by a Hurricane launched from a Royal Navy Fighter Catapult Ship. This was flown by [[Robert W. H. Everett]].

==Programme termination==
As adequate numbers of [[escort carrier]]s became available, CAM sailings on North American and Arctic Russian convoys were discontinued in August 1942. The aircraft maintenance unit was withdrawn from Archangelsk in September 1942. Catapults were removed from 10 of the 26 surviving CAM ships while the remaining 16 continued to sail with the Mediterranean and Freetown convoys.<ref name="hague78"/>  Headquarters [[RAF Fighter Command]] ordered all MSFUs to be disbanded commencing 8 June 1943. The combat launches from homeward bound convoy SL 133 were from the last two operational CAM ships to sail; the last MSFU was disbanded on 7 September 1943. Twelve of the 35 CAM ships had been sunk while sailing on 170 round trip voyages.<ref name="proceedings"/> Two more ships, ''Cape Clear'' and ''City of Johannesburg'', were briefly fitted with dummy catapults and aircraft for deception purposes in late 1941.<ref name="hague"/>

==See also==
* [[Merchant aircraft carrier]]
* [[Fighter catapult armed auxiliary ship]]
* [[Brodie landing system]]
* [[Aviation-capable naval vessel]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{Cite book |last=Barker |first=Ralph |date=2019 |title=Hurricats: The Incredible True Story of Britain's 'Kamikaze' Pilots of World War Two |location=[Place of publication not identified] |publisher=SILVERTAIL Books |isbn=978-1-909269-86-6 |oclc=1099529804}}
* {{Cite book|last=Hague|first=Arnold|title=The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=2000|isbn=1-55750-019-3}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Mitchell |first1=W. H. |last2=Sawyer |first2=L. A. |year = 1990|title=The Empire Ships |publisher=Lloyd's of London Press Ltd |location=London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong|isbn=1-85044-275-4}}
* {{Cite journal|last1=Pauly |first1=John |last2=Truebe |first2=Carl E. |last3=Wilde |first3=Doug |last4=Wilterding |first4=John H.|title=Question 14/48: Catapult Armed Merchant Ships |journal= Warship International|date=2012|volume=XLIX|issue=2|pages=160–170|issn=0043-0374 |name-list-style=amp}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Wise |first=James E. Jr. |date=September 1974 |title=Catapult Off—Parachute Back |url=https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1974/september/catapult-parachute-back |journal=United States Naval Institute Proceedings |volume=100 |issue=9/859}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|CAM ship (catapult armed merchant ship)}}
* [http://www.navyhistory.org.au/the-catapult-fighters/ Alan Payne, The Catapult Fighters, Australian Naval Historical Society]

{{CAM ships}}
{{Warship types of the 19th & 20th centuries}}

[[Category:CAM ships| ]]
[[Category:British Merchant Navy]]
[[Category:North Atlantic convoys of World War II]]