Why did No. 485 (NZ) Squadron pilots do carrier training?

[Dave Homewood]

I knew that No. 485 (NZ) Squadron practised taking off from a carrier, using a section of the airfield marked out as such - not a real ship - in 1944 in the lead up to D-Day as an idea that never actually happened. But I just found this on Wikipedia that says some of the squadron's pilots actually did deck landings in June 1943.

The start of 1943 saw 485 Sqn, still equipped with Spitfire Vbs, back in 11 Group, this time based at RAF Mildenhall. In June of that year, a contingent of thirteen squadron pilots were detached to Greenock Scotland to practice takeoffs and landings on "dummy" aircraft carrier decks. They then moved to Ayr and flew Seafire Ibs from the training carrier HMS Argus.[5] The beginning of July 1943 saw a shift to Biggin Hill, one of Fighter Command's best-known bases. There the unit took over 611 Sqn's Spitfire IXBs.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._485_Squadron_RNZAF

What was this about? HMS Argus was the training carrier where all the UK-trained Fleet Air Arm pilots did their first carrier landing and take-off training. Was the FAA looking to take these pilots and form a new unit? Was there another scheme brewing that never came to fruition, like the later 1944 training? And who were the thirteen pilots?

[phasselgren]

Believe it on not but the plan was to build floating airfields made of ice. There is a lot of information in Johnnie Houlton´s book Spitfire Strikes.

Regards
Peter

[Dave Homewood]

I read that book about 29 years ago, I don't recall that bit. I might have to have another read.

The training they did that I do recall was told to me by Ken Lee where they marked out the shape and size of the deck they would have to float off on an airfield and and had to practice take offs, but it was given away as a bad job when they all started taxiing into one another. I am now wondering was this actually the same training and my memory of the date was out? I might have to listen again to the interview I did with Ken.

[baz62]

Yes that's right, I recall that in his book.