Lily and Clover

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.

[1] Lily was a collection of flotation units developed for the floating roadways used in the Mulberry harbour.

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 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.