In the Second World War the British merchant navy was just as important to the war effort as the RAF and Army and regular navy. These brave men and women sailed unarmed and unarmoured ships from all over the globe to the island to help keep it fed and bring in munitions and supplies from Allied countries. They faced a constant threat from above and beneath the sea with German Battleships like the Graf Spee and Submarine Wolf packs. They also needed protection from air attack and it was with this in mind that the CAM – catapult aircraft merchant ship was born.
Using a system not too dissimilar to a Hydraulic Winch a rocket propelled catapult would launch a Hawker Hurricane from the bow of the ship to counter any German aggression. After the defeat of France the merchant navy was under attack from a long range German bomber called the Condor.
The RAF’s aircraft did not have the range to get out to sea so this was the solution. Also this was because the British armed forces didn’t have an aircraft carrier at the time as the Hermes had been sunk by a U-Boat and the Unicorn wasn’t due to be ready for another 2 years. The plane was a one time use only. The pilot either bailed out or ditched the plane as close to the convoy as possible when the fuel ran out