FAA squadron sortie details, primary sources sought.
 

Information on individual sorties and missions by Fleet Air Arm crews and aircraft in WW2 seems hard to come by. I am familiar with many RAF records and the archives they might be in, but not so for the FAA. So, I have long been puzzled by the detailed lists of crews and aircraft (with serials and/or letters) for various missions that have appeared in several books, such as 'FLYING SAILORS AT WAR, Vol. 1' by Brian Cull, Bruce Lander & Mark Horan and 'THE SWORDFISH STORY' by Ray Sturtivant. The years 1939 and 1940 are of particular interest to me.
Could anyone please tell me what ADM files might contain such information ? And what archives and locations I might find these ? The few ADM 207 squadron files for 1939-1940 in The National Archives at Kew do not have such details. The FAA Museum website gives no indication on their record collection as far as I can see.

Any help on this matter would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

Re: FAA squadron sortie details, primary sources sought.
 

Much of the info will come from files such as ADM199/479 and 480 which deals with naval air operations in the Norwegian campaign. I would suggest trying to get hold of a copy of the book The Fleet Air Arm in the Second World War volume 1, by the naval records society which pulls a Large number of the relevant records for the period 1939-40 into a single volume.

It’s mainly useful for operations from the relevant carriers - land based ops not so much.

Simon

Re: FAA squadron sortie details, primary sources sought.
 

Hello Simon,

Thank you very much for those file numbers and the book details. Delighted to have them. Those should be of great help to me.

Regards,

Martin.