Bulwark

CENTAUR class 

light fleet aircraft carrier
The CENTAUR class was laid down during the Second World War as a follow-on to the earlier light fleet carriers, but with nearly twice the machinery power of the earlier ships (increasing the top speed to approximately 28 knots). With the end of the war, four members of the class were cancelled outright, and the remaining ships were completed to a slightly different design. One ship, HERMES (ex-ELEPHANT), was altered considerably more than her three completed sisters, and is covered separately.

As soon as they were completed, the three ships (CENTAUR, ALBION, and BULWARK) were given interim angled flight decks, and soon after were refitted with steam catapults. Smaller carriers as they were, they were not suited to the larger jet aircraft that were coming into service and were limited to operating the older generation of aircraft. As a result, BULWARK left refit in 1960 as a commando carrier, now carrying 4 landing craft (LCVP), helicopters, and up to 733 Royal Marines. ALBION was given a similar refit, but with added capacity to carry up to 900 marines. CENTAUR was never appreciably refitted, and ended her days looking much as she did when built.

CENTAUR paid off into reserve in 1965, and was used as an accomodations hulk until she was scrapped. ALBION served until 1973, when she was paid off and scrapped. BULWARK lasted the longest, being paid off into reserve in 1976. She wasn't finished yet, however, as she was recommissioned in 1979 to allow HERMES to convert to the ASW role. After participating in several amphibious exercises, and suffering several fires, BULWARK paid off for the final time in 1981. She was briefly considered for reactivation during the Falklands War, but this never came about.

CENTAUR class
Specifications


Displacement:
27,000 tons full load
Dimensions:
224.8 x 37.5 x 8.2 metres
(738 x 123 x 27 feet)
Propulsion:
2 shafts;
4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers;
2 Parsons geared turbines, 78,000 shp; 
28 knots
Crew:
1100 approx. crew plus 300 approx. aircrew


Aviation


ALBION (1954)
ALBION (Suez, 1955)
BULWARK (1957)
CENTAUR (1965)
Commando (1962)
BULWARK (Commando, 1979)
Fixed Wing:
 Sea Hawk
Sea Venom
Wyvern
Avenger
Skyraider AEW
 Sea Venom
Sea Hawk
Skyraider AEW
 Sea Hawk
Sea Venom
Gannet
Skyraider AEW
Sea Vixen
Scimitar
4  Gannet AEW
n/a
n/a
Helicopters:
 Sycamore
Sycamore
 Whirlwind
Whirlwind
Whirlwind
Wessex
Sea King
Wessex ??
Complement:
 26-42
 ??
 ??
 ??
 30
 ??

Aircraft complements are snapshots for the given time periods.

Surface Action


Original
Final (ALBION, BULWARK)
Guns:
n/a
n/a
Missiles:
n/a
n/a
Radar:
Type 974 navigation
Type 293 surface / low level air seach
Fire Control:


Air Defence


Original
1956
Final (1965 / 1974)
Guns:
2 - 40mm Mk.6 sextuple mounts
8 - 40mm twin mounts
4 - 40mm single mounts
1 - 40mm Mk.6 sextuple mounts
5 - 40mm twin mounts
4 - 40mm single mounts
10 - 40mm twin mounts (CENTAUR)
4 - 40mm twin mounts (ALBION)
2 - 40mm (BULWARK)
Missiles:
n/a
possibly on BULWARK
Radar:
Type 982 height finder
Type 983 height finder
Type 965 long range air search (ALBION, CENTAUR)
Type 293 surface / low level air seach (except CENTAUR)
Type 982 height finder (BULWARK)
Type 983 height finder (ALBION)
Fire Control:
Type 275 tracker

See aircraft listing for more information.

Undersea Warfare


Original
Final
Aircraft:
Avenger
 n/a
Armament:
 n/a
 n/a
Sonar:
n/a
n/a
Decoys:



Electronic Warfare



Countermeasures:
ESM:
ECM:
Other:


Ships:
 
Name
Pendant
Commissioned
Comments
Fate
CENTAUR R06
 1953
 Planned 1966 commando conversion cancelled.
 Paid off 1965, Scrapped 1972.
ALBION
 R07
 1954
 Converted to commando carrier 1962.
 Paid off 1973, Scrapped 1973.
BULWARK
 R08
 1954
 Converted to commando carrier 1960.  Paid off into reserve in 1976, recommissioned 1979 to fill in for HERMES.
Paid off 1981, Scrapped 1984
ARROGANT

Cancelled, 1945
HERMES (1)

Cancelled, 1945
HERMES (2)
 R12
 1959
 ex-ELEPHANT, converted to new design.
 Paid off 1984. Indian VIRAAT 1986.
MONMOUTH

Cancelled, 1945
POLYPHEMUS

Cancelled, 1945

Photos:

 (click on thumbnail for bigger image) 
 

CENTAUR
Notes:
 1. Aft port-quarter view of CENTAUR. M.D. Thomas Photo.
1
2
3
4
Centaur



5
 6
 7
 8





ALBION
Notes:
 1. Forward port-quarter view of ALBION. Note the Type 965 radar antenna at the mast head. One of the 40mm twin mounts is visible directly under the bridge, in a sponson. M.D. Thomas Photo.
2. A similar view from slightly further forward. M.D. Thomas Photo.
1
2
3
4
Albion
Albion


5
 6
 7
 8





BULWARK
Notes:
 1. A forward port-quarter view of BULWARK. M.D. Thomas Photo.
2. A closer-up view of BULWARK. A number of LCVPs (landing craft) can be seen arranged on deck. M.D. Thomas Photo.
1
2
3
4
Bulwark
Bulwark


5
 6
 7
 8






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