Lewin of Greenwich Naval History & Forum

Prestonian Class ASW Escort Frigate HMCS Swansea being refueled from Majestic Class Light Fleet carrier HMCS Bonaventure...1959.

It was not until 1963 when HMCS Provider, the first underway replenishment ship of the RCN, was commissioned that there was an underway mechanism for the Navy to refuel at sea. Thus, HMCS Bonaventure was the de facto AOR. Her decommissioning in 1970 was actually delayed several months due to the new AORs being unavailable to support the annual Spring exercises in the Caribbean Sea.

Brian
Terra Nova/Annapolis 265

Melbourne's sister ship...Majestic Class Light Fleet Carrier HMCS Bonaventure pictured c1961.
Initially laid down as HMS Powerful as part of the second batch of the Colossus class during the Second World War, the vessel's construction was halted following the end of the war and the constructed hull was laid up. Powerful was purchased by the Royal Canadian Navy in 1952 and the hull was taken to Harland & Wolff shipyards in Belfast, Northern Ireland to be completed to a modernized design of the Majestic Subclass.
As part of the modernized design,she was equipped with three relatively new technologies in relation to her air complement. The Majestic Subclass design allowed for heavier aircraft, those up to 20,000 pounds (9,100 kg) landing at 87 knots (161 km/h; 100 mph), to be launched and recovered.She improved on that limit, able to land aircraft of up to 24,000 pounds (11,000 kg). The aircraft lifts were enlarged to 54 by 34 feet in order to accommodate larger aircraft.The new design also incorporated an angled flight deck, steam catapults, and optical landing system.The angled flight deck increased the carrier's landing area without limiting space for aircraft parking and allowed for the removal of antiquated crash barriers.
During her service life, she carried five squadrons. The aircraft carrier's initial air group was composed of sixteen McDonnell F2H Banshee jet fighters and eight Grumman CS2F Tracker ASW) aircraft.The Banshee, flown by VF 870 and VF 871, and Tracker, operated by VS 880 and VS 881, were flown from her, along with Sikorsky HO4S ASW helicopters operated by HS 50.
The Banshees were a tight fit, with her barely able to accommodate them.The Trackers did not become fully operational aboard until 1959.Despite this,she conducted sustained around-the-clock operations, keeping four Trackers and two HO4Ss in the air at all times, while monitoring an area of 200 square nautical miles.The HO4Ss were equipped with dipping sonar and, beginning in 1958, Mark 43 torpedoes.The Banshees were retired in 1962 but were not replaced. The ship's role then changed to one of pure ASW and the air wing was modified, dropping the fighters but keeping the eight Trackers, and increasing the number of HO4Ss to fourteen.In 1963, the aircraft carrier began a refit in order to allow her operate the new Sikorsky CHSS-2 Sea King helicopters, which had been ordered to replace the HO4Ss.She was decommissioned at Halifax on July 3rd 1970, and sold for disposal.The vessel was purchased by Tung Chen S Steel Company of Taiwan for scrap and broken up in 1971.Components from Bonaventure's steam catapult were used to rebuild the catapult aboard HMAS Melbourne.

Here is a nice color, flight deck view of her!! DFO

Majestic Class Light Fleet Carrier HMCS Bonaventure.She was initially ordered for construction by the Royal Navy as HMS Powerful during the Second World War. Following the end of the war, construction on her was halted and it was not until 1952 that work began once again, this time to an altered design for the Royal Canadian Navy. The ship entered service in 1957 renamed Bonaventure and, until the vessel's decommissioning in 1970, was involved in major NATO fleet-at-sea patrols and naval exercises and participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis. During her career Bonaventure carried three hull identification numbers, RML 22, RRSM 22 and CVL 22.She was decommissioned at Halifax on July 3rd 1970, and sold for disposal.The vessel was purchased by Tung Chen S Steel Company of Taiwan for scrap and broken up in 1971. Components from her steam catapult were used to rebuild the catapult aboard her sister HMAS Melbourne.

A interesting stern view of the little BONAVENTURE!! DFO

Brian James wrote: ↑Tue Jul 16, 2019 2:25 am Prestonian Class ASW Escort Frigate HMCS Swansea being refueled from Majestic Class Light Fleet carrier HMCS Bonaventure...1959.

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A nice view of her outfitting (?) in Belfast, 1957.................DFO

Majestic Class Light Fleet Carrier HMCS Bonaventure pictured at Malta in 1958.

A shot of BONAVENTURE in Dec, '69. Those C2SF-1 Trackers sure looked BIG on the CVL!!

Also, a stern view showing her minimally angled flight deck! DFO