ABSTRACT
This chapter covers an often overlooked period in the development of British naval aviation participation alongside the United States Navy (USN) in the final stages of the war against Imperial Japan. The effect was to roll back the Japanese conquests of 1941 and 1942 and to permit the delivery of American industrial, scientific and military power to the cities of the Home Islands. The Royal Navy (RN) was engaged in the war against Japan from the very opening of the conflict in December 1941 to the surrender ceremony in September 1945. The chapter explores the ways in which the RN adapted to the unique conditions of the Pacific and how the relationship with the USN made this possible. It focuses upon developments at the tactical level of warfare which were so critical to the success of the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) in achieving its operational and strategic objectives.
