Lewin of Greenwich Naval History & Forum

a few of Happy Hermes for the collection, many more to follow; the swimmers are Captain TTL and Commander John Fieldhouse, who could then predict where this team would be 18 years hence (1982)

Indeed Tim , thanks for sharing those with us on the Forum , look forward to viewing more when you are able

The Centaur Class comprised eight aircraft carriers, ordered in 1944, but due to the end of the war construction was halted and four of them were cancelled, two of them being scrapped on the slipway - Hermes and Arrogant. The proposed HMS Elephant was renamed Hermes and, together with Centaur 1953, Albion and Bulwark 1954, were all completed with Hermes being the last to be completed in 1959 - 15 years after work first started on her.
Consequently, she had many features that differed from other ships of the class, including a full angled flight deck
Centaur was decommissioned in 1965 and spent a time as an accommodation ship, whereas Albion and Bulwark ended their service as helicopter/commando carriers. Albion was decommissioned in 1973 and Bulwark in 1980. Hermes was converted to the commando carrier role following the withdrawal of Albion and Bulwark, but she was later fitted with a "ski jump" on her flight deck to enable her to operate Sea Harrier aircraft and she saw considerable action in the Falklands War and she was finally decommissioned in 1984 and sold to India and renamed INS Viraat.

Centaur

Albion

Bulwark

Hermes

Thanks for the update Jim

a few more from 1976, a flying visit this time, with advice from the Admiral of the World!

homecoming from the Falklands deployment, if ever a ship gave her money's worth it has to be Hermes...Her Captain for the Falklands was Lyn Middleton, senior pilot from the 1966/7 commission.

a couple more, Maggie was busy greeting more senior folks...they flew down together.

Great photo's Tim , what a collection , will jog quite a few memories , and what a turn out when she returned home ....thanks for sharing these with us all .

I wonder how "exciting" landing and the being catapulted off lil HERMES was for the USN Phantom in 1963? DFO

Well rumour had it that the USN/Marine Pilots concerned complained of lumps in their throats after take off , but the M.O. advised them to swallow hard , and there was no reoccurrence at the home base of the symptom, so put down to localised irritation