Concept/Program: RN's first truly effective aircraft carrier. Originally built as a large light cruiser (light battlecruiser), but completed with a seaplane deck replacing the forward armament. Soon converted with a second seaplane deck aft, but found to be unsatisfactory and fully rebuilt as a true aircraft carrier.
Class: A near-sister to Glorious and Courageous as built, and generally similar to those ships as ultimately converted.
Design/Conversion: Totally stripped down to the main deck level; all old armament, superstructure and aircraft equipment removed. Fitted with a double-level hangar; the lower level of the hangar had rather low clearances and was used mainly as repair shops. There was a short flying-off deck at the front of the upper hangar, but this was little used. Main flight deck ran the full length of the ship, but was considered to be two separate decks: flying-off forward, landing-on aft. The two sections of the main deck were at slightly different levels; there was a "ramp" amidships connecting them. No island; exhausts were run aft alongside the hull and discharged at the stern. This arrangement was unsatisfactory due to heat, wasted space and interference from exhaust. There was a retractable charthouse forward for navigational purposes.
Modifications: Various changes in light armament soon after completion. Quarterdeck raised in 1931-32; totally rearmed in 1938-39: 6 dual 4/45 AA and 3 8-barrel 2 pound AA. A small island was added in 1939. Use of the forward flying-off deck was discontinued mid-1930's. Displacement was 28,500 tons, speed 29.5 at start of WWII. An additional 8-barrel 2 pound AA and up to 22 20 mm added during WWII. Her bulges were deepened in 1942.
Modernization: No major modernization, primarily because the ship was badly needed in service. Would have been due for replacement or reconstruction by 1940.
Operational: With her near-sisters, she formed the core of the RN's effective fleet carrier force from the late 1920's through the start of WWII. Served as a major developmental platform for naval aviation tactics and operating practices. Saw extensive service during WWII in convoy escort, ASW, invasion support, and offensive strike roles.
Departure from Service/Disposal: To reserve 9/1944 due to poor condition; required major machinery overhaul. Employed as a target/trials ship before being scrapped.
Refitted with a small, low-level island and rearmed 1939. Operated as ASW, convoy escort, invasion support and strike carrier during WWII. Participated in strike on Tirpitz.
Decommissioned to reserve 15 Sept 1944 due to badly deteriorated condition. Occasionally used as target/trials hulk after decommissioning. Sold 1/1948 and scrapped at Troon, scrapping completed 1954.
Concept/Program: Oddball "large light cruisers" converted to fleet carriers; these ships are analagous to the US Lexington and Saratoga and the Japanese Akagi and Kaga. These ships followed the basic design established in Furious and gave the RN a group of three similar fleet carriers.
Class: Near-sisters to Furious both before and after conversion.
Design/Conversion: Generally similar to Furious, but improved considerably. The main flight deck was modified to be straight and level, except for a small ramp at the bow to assist in takeoffs. A conventional island was fitted, and the exhausts were routed in the normal fashion. The small forward flying-off deck of Furious was retained.
Variations: There were minor variations following modifications, see below.
Modifications: Glorious had her aft flight deck modified and her quarterdeck raised in 1935; both ships had catapults fitted forward. Use of the forward flying-off deck was discontinued 1935-36.
Modernization: No major modernization, primarily because the ships were badly needed in service. Would have been due for replacement or reconstruction by 1940.
Operational: Served with Furious as the fleets primary carriers in the prewar years.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Both sunk early in WWII.
Refitted 1938-31 July 1939. Torpedoed and sunk by U-20 17 Sept 1939.
Refitted 1 May 1934-23 July 1935, flight deck was extended. Sunk by gunfire of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau 8 June 1940 during the evacuation of Norway.
Concept/Program: First RN ship designed and built as a fleet aircraft carrier. Incorporated many "lessons learned" from earlier experimental and converted ships. This carrier was, however, rather late in the game and probably should have been ordered several years earlier.
Design: Double-hangar design, resulting in a very high hull. Generally a good design, well armed and protected, good for aircraft operations, etc. One flaw was the arrangement of boiler exhausts, which lead to her loss.
Modifications: No significant modifications. Fitted with 2 2 pound AA mounts 5/1941.
Operational: Saw distinguished service during WWII, although she was always short of aircraft. Served mostly in the Mediterranean, but played an important part in the Bismarck hunt.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Sunk late in 1941.
Ark Royal's aircraft torpedoed and crippled Bismarck. Torpedoed by U-81 13 November 1941 off Gibraltar; single torpedo hit resulted in slow flooding, choked off the boiler uptakes and immobilized the ship. Salvage and towing failed; eventually capsized and sank 14 November 1941, 14 hours after being hit.
Concept/Program: A new design, and the first fully armored carriers to be completed. They were intended to be capable of operating within range of land-based air power.
Design: Single-hangar design, armored "box" surrounding hangar deck.
Variations: Indomitable completed to a modified design and listed separately.
Modifications: Extensive modifications during WWII. Flight decks extended forward and aft, AA armament gradually increased, and "outriggers" were fitted to increase aircraft parking space. Details of final AA armament listed in individual entries.
Modernization: Victorious underwent a major reconstruction postwar. The remaining pair was too heavily damaged during WWII for reconstruction to be practical.
Classification: Originally assigned two-digit numeric designations, with no letter. For service with the British Pacific Fleet in 1945 they were assigned new designations in the Rx and Rxx series; they returned to the original designations postwar. Under the NATO designation system all units received new Rxx series designations based on their original two-digit numeric designations.
Operational: Saw extensive service during WWII, and two were seriously damaged.
Departure from Service/Disposal: All decommissioned during the postwar drawdown. One served briefly as a training carrier, and Victorious was reconstructed. She was discarded in the 1960's after a minor fire.
Struck Italian Fleet at Taranto 11/1940. Hit/near missed by 7 bombs 10 Jan 1941, resulting in serious damage. Emergency repairs at Malta 25 Jan 1941 to 10 March 1941; was hit by additional bombs while at Malta. Fully repaired at Norfolk Navy Yard Norfolk 12 May 1941-28 Nov 1941. Operated in the Pacific starting 1/1944. Center propeller shaft removed during refit at Sydney 2/1945, due to 1941 damage. Designation changed to R2 circa 1945 for service in the Pacific; returned to previous designation postwar. Suffered minor Kamikaze damage 6 April 1945. Final WWII light AA armament was 5 8-barrel 2 pound, 3 40 mm, 52 20 mm.
Major refit and repair of wartime damage 27 June 1945 to June 1946, then used as training carrier. Decommissioned to reserve 1947 but recommissioned as trials/training carrier 9/1948; occasionally used with front-line squadrons. Designation changed to R87 under NATO designation system. Decommissioned to reserve 12/1954. Sold 3 Nov 1956 and subsequently scrapped.
Mediterranean service early in the war. Seriously damaged by bombs 26 May 1941; repairs at Norfolk required 6 months. Returned to Mediterreanan following repairs, then to the Pacific in 1944. Hit by Kamikaze 4 May 1945 and 9 May 1945 but not seriously damaged. Designation changed to R1 circa 1945 for service in the Pacific; returned to previous designation postwar. Final WWII light AA armament was 6 8-barrel 2 pound, 12 40 mm, 34 20 mm.
Served as troopship postwar. Decommissioned to unmaintained reserve 3/1947. Designation changed to R67 under NATO designation system. Major modernization planned 1949, but the hull was discovered to be severely strained and thus unfit for service. Stricken for disposal 1950 and hulked. Sold 1953 and scrapped at Inverkeithing starting 11/1956.
Served as a troopship postwar. Decommissioned to reserve 1/1947 due to lack of crew, but recommissioned as a harbor training ship 10/1947. Designation changed to R38 under NATO designation system. Extensively reconstructed as an attack carrier at Portsmouth Dockyard starting 3/1950; see postwar carriers list for details. Recommissioned 14 Jan 1958. Refitted 1962-63 with 2 dual 3/50 and all 40 mm removed, flight deck strengthened and enlarged.
Minor fire while in refit 11/1967; it was decided not to repair the damage and the ship was decommissioned 13 March 1968 due to carrier force level cuts. Sold 1969 and scrapped at Faslane starting 7/1969.
Concept/Program: Modified version of Illustrious class, with a second hangar level added at the expense of armor thickness. Otherwise she was similar to her half-sisters, and the notes for those ships apply here.
Operated in the Mediterranean, including the relief of Malta. Seriously damaged 12 Aug 1942 by 2 bomb hits and 3 near misses, repairs at Norfolk took 6 months. Torpedoed 16 July 1943 with serious damage; ship was nearly lost and repairs in the USA took 8.5 months. Transferred to the Pacific following repairs. RN designation changed to R8 circa 1945 for service in the Pacific; returned to previous designation postwar. Kamikaze 4 May 1945 with no damage. Final WWII light AA armament was 6 8-barrel 2 pound, 2 quad 40 mm, 2 dual 40 mm, 13 single 40 mm, 36 20 mm.
Served as troopship postwar. Refitted 1947-1950, then served as a first-line carrier. Designation changed to R8 under NATO designation system. Severely damaged by internal explosion 3 February 1953; damaged was patched with concrete but never repaired. Decommmissioned 5 October 1953 and laid up in unmaintained reserve until sold 21 September 1955; subsequently scrapped as Faslane.
Concept/Program: A further improvement on the Illustrious type, ordered 1938 to bolster the fleet in anticipation of WWII.
Design: Based on Indomitable, but with the second hangar level lengthened, heavier armor, and four shaft machinery (vs. three shaft in the other ships). The hangar clearances were very low, making these ships obsolete soon after WWII.
Modifications: Were limited to additions in light AA battery.
Modernization: Considered postwar, but the low hangar clearance was insurmountable. A plan to convert the dual hangars to a single hangar and an added accommodations deck was too expensive.
Classification: Originally assigned two-digit numeric designations, with no letter. For service with the British Pacific Fleet in 1945 they were assigned new designations in the Rx and Rxx series; they returned to the original designations postwar. Under the NATO designation system all units received new Rxx series designations based on their original two-digit numeric designations.
Operational: Entered service late in the war. Both operated mainly in the Pacific, and as training carriers postwar.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Both decommissioned in 1954 following service as training carriers.
Participated in operations off Norway, then served in the Pacific. RN designation changed to R5 circa 1945 for service in the Pacific; returned to previous designation postwar. Final WWII light AA armament was 5 8-barrel 2 pound, 2 4-barrel 2 pound, 4 single 2 pound, 4 40 mm, 51 20 mm.
Operated as a training carrier from 6/1946 to 4/1949. Designation changed to R86 under NATO designation system. Decommissioned to reserve 13 September but recommissioned 1/1952 as a training ship. Decommissioned for disposal 1 September 1954. Sold and scrapped at Inverkeithing starting 11/1955.
Participated in strike on Tirpitz before transferring to the Pacific. Kamikaze hit with insignificant damage 1 April 1945. RN designation changed to R7 circa 1945 for service in the Pacific; returned to previous designation postwar. Final WWII light AA armament was 5 8-barrel 2 pound, 4 single 2 pound, 10 40 mm, 40 20 mm. Served as a troopship postwar. Decommissioned to reserve 12/1946.
Designation changed to R10 under NATO designation system. Recommissioned 1950 and converted to a training ship, with hangar converted to berthing and classroom space. Decommissioned to reserve 9/1954. Sold 9/1956 and subsequently scrapped.
Concept/Program: Initially meant as an improved Implacable, but evolved into a much larger design incorporating many changes. Four were planned, but two were cancelled at an early stage. The remaining pair was suspended for a period postwar and they were completed to modified, and differing, designs.
Design: Essentially an improvement upon the Implacable design, with many of that design's shortcomings corrected. Hangar deck clearances were a significant improvement. Eagle was completed to an updated version of the original design, but Ark Royal was completed to a completely revised design, with angled deck and other significant modernizations. Both ships were maintenance problems (Ark Royal was the worse of the pair); no doubt their status as one-off "unique" ships did not help matters. Full details of modifications are given in the postwar carriers list
Refitted 6/1954-2/1955; fitted with a minimal angled deck and some AA guns were removed. Aircraft capacity was reduced to 59 by 1954. Served at Suez in 1956.
Decommissioned for refit 11 May 1959, reconstructed as an attack carrier at Devonport Dockyard 30 Oct 1959 to 14 May 1964 with angled deck, new catapults, etc; brought up to standard of Victorious. See the postwar carriers list for full details.
Decommissioned to reserve early 1972, but stripped of parts to maintain Ark Royal. Sold 1978 and scrapped starting 10/1978.
Refitted 21 July 1958 to 28 December 1959, major refit 4 October 1966 to 24 February 1970. Was worn out by 1972 and scheduled for scrapping mid-1970's, but remained in service due to cancellation of her replacement. Refitted 26 July 1973 to 10 April 1974 and 21 October 1976 to 5/1977. Finally decommissioned 4 Dec 1978. Preservation effort failed; sold 1980 and subsequently scrapped.
Laid down by Vickers-Armstrong, Tyne 19 April 1944, but cancelled 1/1946 and scrapped.
Fourth ship of the class was abandonded before being ordered in favor of the Malta class.
Concept/Program: Large carrier design originated mid-WWII. By far the largest RN carrier of the time. Two ships were cancelled at the end of WWII, and two later on due to economic pressures. None was laid down.
Design: A major departure from previous RN designs, incorporating features such as an open hangar deck and reduced armor. Overall, the design appears to show the influence of the big US carriers, especially their relatively large aircraft complement and the hangar arrangements to make the large air wing possible.
