Fairey Fulmar, part four

In July 1940, the first squadron to be equipped with the Fulmar was the 806 Naval Air Squadron (NAS). They started operations from the carrier HMS Illustrious (R87) shortly later. The Royal Navy made specifications for a two-seat aircraft so the pilot had assistance from another crew member to report back to the fleet the observations they made via wireless telegraphy and keep flying over the ocean. Therefore the Fulmar was too large and many time difficult to move when fighting against single-seat land-based fighters, just as it happened in the Mediterranean Theatre as its performance was blatantly  inferior to that of land-based fighters. Anyway, the long range of the Fulmar proved useful at times. During the chase of the German Battleship Bismarck, many Fulmar were used as carrier-borne spotters, playing a critical role tracking the movements of the Battleship and performing an attack on the vessel.
The Fulmar also took part in the British North African Campaign. During September 1940 the Fulmar saw action for the first time while flying convoy protection missions to and from Malta. After many engagements, the sturdy Fulmar achieved dozens of victories against their Italian and German enemies. The first recorded kill by a Fulmar took place on 2nd September 1940 when a formation of Fulmar belonging to the 806 NAS, which was on patrol off the coast of the island of Rhodes (which belonged to Italy at the time), shot down a Italian CANT Z.501 Flying Boat. By October that year, the Fulmar pilots claimed to have shot down ten Italian bombers. The Fulmar proved to be specially effective against Italian reconnaissance aircraft like the Caproni Ca.309/310 or the IMAM Ro.37, among others. During the bombing of Taranto, on the night of 11th to 12th November 1940, the Fulmar was deployed to provide high-altitude aerial cover for the attacking Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers. Later, in the Battle of Cape Matapan, which took place between the 27th and the 29th of March 1941, they escorted Fleet Air Arm's attack aircraft in their raids against the Italian Navy.
The Fulmar saw also action in the Eastern Front as the type was very commonly found in the many arctic convoys sent to the Soviet Union. In fact, the Fulmars saw action in the Operation EF, the failed raid on Axis-controlled facilities at Petsamo and Kirkennes which took place in July 1941 as escorting aircraft for both the Albacores and the Swordfish. The Fulmar was also briefly deployed to the Pacific Theatre as a response to the advancing Japanese forces in the Far East. Two squadrons were sent to defend Ceylon. However, when they faced a force composed by the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter and some Aichi D3A dive bombers, the Fulmar quickly proved to be outclassed against the Zero and six Fulmar were lost in the engagement in exchange for four Aichi D3As. In spite of this, as the Fleet Air Arm had not a better alternative yet in the region, further Fulmar were dispatched to the Far East to keep facing the Japanese.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Fulmar
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_EF_(1941)
3. Osprey - Aircraft of the Aces 75 - Royal Navy Aces of World War 2
4. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
5. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 41 - Fairey Fulmar