Warbird Information Exchange

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"Lily and Clover were two experimental floating airfields tested towards the end of the Second World War by the British Admiralty.

Based on a similar concept to the Mulberry harbour used for the Normandy landings in 1944, Lily and Clover were two different types of floating airstrips that would allow the Royal Navy to operate aircraft before a shore base is secured and removed the need for an aircraft carrier.

Lily was a collection of flotation units developed for the floating roadways used in the Mulberry harbour. Each was six feet across, plates being fitted on the top to form the runway. The complete structure could be towed and weighed 5,000 tons, taking 400 man-hours to construct. Clover was built mainly of wood with wooden deck planking which could take a load of eight tons. It weighed more than Lily at 5,200 tons but would take 21,000 man-hours to assemble. The resulting runway was 1,000 feet (305 m) long and 90 feet (27 m) wide with 12,500 square feet (1,160 m2) of parking area and 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2) for storage and maintenance.

Trials were carried in the Firth of Clyde at Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. Both an Auster and Fairey Swordfish aircraft were used for the trials. The trial was a success and proved that both Lily and Clover could take aircraft up to 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) with a 60-knot (110 km/h) landing speed in calm seas. Lily was tested successfully with 30 ft (9 m) waves but became dangerous at 40-foot (12 m).

Lily was maintained for nine-months with little deterioration, but Clover did not stand up as well. Lily was designed to be assembled from a merchant ship and it was clear that the structure could not be sunk by bombing, with damaged sections replaced as required. Landing technique was similar to an aircraft carrier, once the undulation was taken into account, with an arrestor gear fitted similar to that used on Light Fleet Carriers.

The floating airstrips were seen as a back-up for escort carriers and would have operated 48 Supermarine Spitfires. The concept was intended to be used for Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan, but the war in the Far-East ended before they were used operationally."




The "Lily" air strip in the sea off Lamlash, Scotland. The photograph was taken during tests with the "Lily" experimental air strip, invented by Mr R M Hamilton and consisting of hexagonal buoyancy drums hinged together to form a flexible landing surface for aircraft at sea. It is 520 ft long and 60 ft across.




The "Lily" undulating with the waves caused by a Motor Launch passing at speed in the sea off Lamlash, Scotland. Aircraft are able to land and take off with motion of the strip. The photograph was taken during tests with the "Lily" experimental air strip, invented by Mr R M Hamilton and consisting of hexagonal buoyancy drums hinged together to form a flexible landing surface for aircraft at sea. It is 520 ft long and 60 ft across.


"Lily" undulating with the waves caused by a Motor Launch passing at speed. Aircraft are able to land and take off with motion of the strip.


View along the length of the "Lily" air strip.


"Lily" undulating with the waves caused by a Motor Launch passing at speed. Aircraft are able to land and take off with motion of the strip.


The hydraulic "Arrester" gear on the "Lily" air strip. This is only necessary as the strip is of insufficient length in its present form.




Mr R M Hamilton and Mr J S Herbert photographed on "Lily". The method of hinging the hexagonal drums can be seen in the picture.


Mr R M Hamilton, the inventor and designer of "Lily" (left) and Mr J S Herbert, Eton House Master, who has assisted Mr Hamilton with many of the mathematical problems during the development of "Lily".