Dan Snow's History Hit The Kamikaze Hunters
Apr 28, 2024
Discover the British Navy's fight against kamikaze attacks in the Pacific during WWII, featuring elite pilots like Chris Cartledge. Explore the harrowing events of a Kamikaze attack on HMS Indefatigable and the bravery of airmen facing aerial assaults. Reflect on the sacrifices and resilience of British pilots in the final days of the war.
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Forgotten Fleet Sent To Pacific
- The Royal Navy assembled one of its most powerful fleets and sent it to the Pacific in 1945 to restore British influence in Asia.
- The fleet was called the "Forgotten Fleet" because it was overshadowed by the US effort and largely forgotten at home.
Kamikaze Defined And Shock
- Kamikaze attacks were deliberate suicide strikes meant to ram aircraft into Allied ships and cause maximum damage.
- Facing these attacks required new tactics and terrified sailors who had never encountered such deliberate self-sacrifice.
Pilot Crashed For A Date
- Chris Cartlidge trained extensively and flew the Vought Corsair, nicknamed the "Bent Wing Widowmaker."
- He once failed to report crashing into another aircraft's rudder because he preferred to go on a date in Liverpool.