Summary
The Audacious-class aircraft carriers were a class of aircraft carriers proposed by the British government in the 1930s - 1940s and completed after the Second World War. The two ships built were heavily modified and diverged over their service lives. They were in operation from 1951 until 1979.
 HMS Eagle
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Audacious class |
| Operators |  Royal Navy |
| Preceded by | Implacable class |
| Succeeded by |
|
| Planned | 4 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Cancelled | 2 |
| Retired | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Aircraft carrier |
| Displacement | 36,800 tons (as built) |
| Length | 804 ft (245 m) |
| Beam |
|
| Draught | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Armament |
|
| Armour |
|
| Aircraft carried |
|
History edit
The Audacious class was originally designed as an expansion of the Implacable class with double storied hangars. However, it was realised that the hangar height would not be sufficient for the new aircraft that were expected to enter service, so the design was considerably enlarged.[1]
Four ships were laid down between 1942 and 1943 during World War II as part of the British naval buildup - Africa, Irresistible, Audacious and Eagle. At the end of hostilities Africa and Eagle were cancelled. Work on the remaining two was suspended. They would be renamed and built to differing designs in the 1950s.
As the builds of Audacious (renamed Eagle) and Irresistible (renamed Ark Royal) progressed they differed so much that they effectively became the lead (and sole) ships of each of their own classes. They formed the backbone of the postwar carrier fleet, and were much modified.
Ships in class edit
| Name | Pennant Number | Builder | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Eagle (Ex Audacious) | R05 | Harland and Wolff, Belfast |
|
19 March, 1946 | 5 October, 1951 | Decommissioned 26 January, 1972. |
| HMS Ark Royal (Ex Irresistible) | R09 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead |
|
3 May, 1950 | 22 February, 1955 | Decommissioned 14 February, 1979. |
| HMS Eagle | N/A |
|
19 April, 1944 | N/A | N/A | Cancelled January 1946 when 23% complete. |
| HMS Africa | N/A |
|
N/A | N/A | N/A | Cancelled 15 October, 1945. |
References edit
- ^ "Audacious Class: Armoured Flight Decks". Armoured Aircraft Carriers in World War II. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
Further reading edit
- Ireland, Bernard. The Illustrated Guide to Aircraft Carriers of the World. Hermes House, London, 2005. ISBN 1-84477-747-2
- Johnstone-Bryden, Richard. Britain's Greatest Warship: HMS "Ark Royal IV". Sutton Publishing Ltd., Stroud, 2000. ISBN 0-7509-2504-3
External links edit
Media related to Audacious class aircraft carriers at Wikimedia Commons
