[Pursuivant]

This is a simplified listing of aircraft used operationally by the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm from 1943-45, with a few aircraft which were introduced just too late to see service in World War II but which were important in Britain's post-WW II conflicts.

This period of the war sees the UK gradually winning its battles in the Atlantic and Mediterranean and then going on the offensive, with strikes against the remaining German capital ships in Norway and support of allied invasions of North Africa and Europe. 1943 saw the culmination of the "Battle of the Atlantic," where combined US and UK forces were finally able to destroy U-Boats in large numbers.

Starting in late 1941, the Royal Navy also had to divert some of its forces to protect its remaining territories in the Far East from Japanese invasion, and to keep supply lines open to India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Australia, and New Zealand. With the rapid pace of Japanese expansion, and with the battles for the Atlantic at the Mediterranean becoming more intense, there was little the RN could do in 1942. But, starting in 1943 the Royal Navy began to stage offensive operations in the South Pacific, preventing the Japanese fleet from attacking Ceylon and India, and supporting US and Commonwealth forces as they pushed north and east from New Guinea.

In part due to lavish US military aid, as well as an economy fully-converted to war production, the late war Royal Navy had more ships than it ever had before, with numerous aircraft carriers. Smaller carriers were used to escort convoys and used older aircraft types such as the Martlet and Swordfish, while the big fleet carriers were equipped with newer and more powerful aircraft - both British and US.

Starred aircraft are those which were particularly important that year, although importance might vary depending on your area of interest.

1943
Carrier ASW Patrol: Swordfish III*
Carrier Dive/Torpedo Bomber: Barracuda I, II*
Carrier Fighter: Corsair I*, II*, Gannet (Hellcat) I*, Martlet (Wildcat) IV*, Sea Hurricane IIC, XIIA, Seafire F.IIc*, L.IIc, III (hybrid), F.III*, L(F).III
Carrier Heavy Fighter: Firefly F.I*, F.IA, Fulmar II
Carrier Night Fighter: Fulmar NF II
Carrier Recon Fighter: Firefly FR.IV, Seafire FR.IIc, FR.III
Carrier Torpedo Bomber: Albacore I*, Tarpon/Avenger I*, II, Swordfish II
Catapult ASR/Recon Flying Boat: Sea Otter I, II, Walrus I, II
Catapult Recon Seaplane: Kingfisher I, Swordfish I (float)
Land-based Recon/Light Patrol Bomber: Maryland I
Liaison & Transport: Dominie II, D.H. 86 Express, Flamingo, Harrow, JRF Goose I, Lysander IIIA.

1944
Carrier ASW Patrol: Firefly AS.5, AS.6, Swordfish III
Carrier Dive/Torpedo Bomber: Barracuda II, III*
Carrier Fighter: Corsair I, II*, Hellcat I, II*, Seafire F.III*, L.III, F.XV*, F.XV (late), Wildcat VI*
Carrier Heavy Fighter: Firefly F.I, F.IA, F.IV*, Fulmar II
Carrier Night Fighter: Firefly NF.I, NF.II, Fulmar NF II, Hellcat NF.II
Carrier Recon Fighter: Firefly FR.I, FR.I (late), FR.IV, Seafire FR.III
Carrier Torpedo Bomber: Avenger II, III*, Swordfish II
Catapult ASR/ Recon Flying Boat: Sea Otter I, II, Walrus I, II
Helicopter: R-4B Hoverfly
Land-based Recon/Light Patrol Bomber: Maryland I, Baltimore IV, Va, V
Liaison & Transport: C-45 Expeditor, Dakota IV, Dominie II, D.H. 86 Express, Flamingo, Hudson III, IV, V, VI, JRF Goose, Lysander IIIA, UC-81 Reliant I

1945
Carrier ASW Patrol: Firefly AS.5, AS.6, Swordfish III
Carrier Dive/Torpedo Bomber: Barracuda II, III, IV*
Carrier Fighter: Corsair II, IV*, Hellcat I, II*, Seafire F.III, L.III, F.XV, F.XV (late)*, F.XVII (early)*, F.XVII
Carrier Heavy Fighter: Firefly F.I, F.IA, F.IV*, Fulmar II
Carrier Night Fighter: Firefly NF Mk.II, Fulmar NF II, Hellcat NF.II
Carrier Recon Fighter: Firefly FR.I, FR.I (late), FR.IV, Seafire FR.III
Carrier Torpedo Bomber: Avenger II, III, Swordfish II
Catapult ASR/ Recon Flying Boat: Sea Otter I, II
Helicopter: R-4B Hoverfly
Land-based Recon/Light Patrol Bomber: Maryland I, Baltimore IV, Va, V
Liaison & Transport: C-45 Expeditor, Dakota IV, Dominie II, D.H. 86 Express, Flamingo, Hudson III, IV, V, VI JRF Goose, Lysander IIIA, UC-81 Reliant I

1946
Carrier Fighter: Sea Fury, Seafire XV, XVIII
Carrier Heavy Fighter: Firebrand F.I
Carrier Fighter/Torpedo Bomber: Firebrand TF.II