A Barracuda catches the wire and lands safely on HMS PUNCHER during flight operations in late 1944 or early 1945. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA054)
HMS PUNCHER RCN Sailors
RCN Sailors from HMS PUNCHER pose on the escort carriers foc’s’le. Howard Abbott in in the back row, second from right in the light shirt. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA092)
Barracuda Crash -HMS PUNCHER
Crashed Barracuda is secured to HMS PUNCHER’s deck following a crash, Howard Abbott recalls this plane was later pushed over the side. HMS PUNCHER is a Canadian manned escort aircraft carrier. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA043)
Painting HMS PUNCHER’s Anchor
HMS PUNCHER at Vancouver to be finished to RN standards, February to May 1944. A lone sailor is over the side in a bosun’s chair, painting the escort aircraft carrier’s anchor, takes a close look at his spotters above on the foc’s’le. HMS PUNCHER was one of two escort aircraft carriers manned by the RCN […]
Hard Landing -HMS PUNCHER
On HMS PUNCHER’s deck a Firefly is returned onto its wheels after flipping on its nose during a landing late in 1945. PUNCHER Is manned by RCN sailors. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA038)
HMS PUNCHER -Arctic Ops
HMS BIRMINGHAM and another CVE, possibly HMS TRUMPETER sail in formation with Canadian manned escort aircraft carrier, HMS PUNCHER (foreground) in April 1945. HMS PUNCHER was attached to Operation NEWMARKET in the Arctic Ocean. The objective was to attack, U-Boat depot ships at Kilbotn, Norway. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA046)
Flight Operations HMS PUNCHER
Flight Operations aboard HMS PUNCHER in 1944/45, with one Barracuda safely on the flight deck, two more are making their approach to the Canadian escort carrier. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA053)
Battle Damaged Barracuda -HMS PUNCHER
The damaged Barracuda of Lieutenant Cornish, returns to HMS PUNCHER following a minelaying operation off Haugesund Fjord, Norway on 22 February 1945. HMS PUNCHER is a Canadian manned escort aircraft carrier. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA039)
HMS NABOB and HMS PUNCHER
HMS NABOB taken from HMS PUNCHER at Vancouver while both escort carriers were completing in February 1943. PUNCHER (foreground) is in the builders hands, just starting conversion to RN standards, while NABOB is undergoing acceptance trials. Both escort aircraft carriers are manned by Royal Canadian Navy ship’s company’s and are considered to be the RCN’s […]
Shore Leave Casablanca
Three of HMS PUNCHER’s ships company together in Casablanca, Morocco during a visit by the Canadian manned escort aircraft carrier in August 1944. Howard Abbott is on the left. Roger Litwiller Collection, courtesy Howard Abbott, RCNVR. (RTL-HA122)