RN Aircraft Carriers: Courageous Class 1928

[Brian James]

HMS Courageous pictured in 1928.

[Brian James]

HMS Glorious pictured in 1938.

[designeraccd]

This is purported to be the last photo of GLORIOUS before she was sunk, with all of her aircraft safely struck down in her hanger thanks to her Captains' orders . DFO

[Brian James]

A Blackburn Dart Torpedo Bomber pictured on approach to HMS Courageous,off Rothesay,June 20th 1933.

[Brian James]

Converted Courageous Class Battlecruiser HMS Furious pictured post her second refit in 1918.
Furious had returned to the dockyard in November to have her aft turret removed and replaced by another deck for landing, giving her both a launching and a recovery deck. Two lifts (elevators) serving the hangars were also installed. Furious was recommissioned on March 15th 1918, and her embarked aircraft were used on anti-Zeppelin patrols in the North Sea after May. In July 1918, she flew off seven Sopwith Camels which participated in the Tondern raid, attacking the Zeppelin sheds there with moderate success.

[timlewin]

very interesting picture of Glorious, she is seen in the picture with HMS Diana who was frequently her escort in the early part of the Norway campaign where Glorious was lost. Diana went into refit before the loss when glorious was escorted by Ardent and Acasta. Diana was transferred to the RCN to become HMCS Margaree to replace another destroyer lost in collision. By extraordinary coincidence poor Margaree/Diana was run down by a freighter on their way West so never actually made it to Canada, the shortest commission of almost any destroyer with the RCN.
Glorious was very bravely defended by Ardent and Acasta, she came under direct fire at extreme range by Scharnhorst whose lookouts had see her funnel smoke. Glorious should have had a standing air patrol up but her captain cancelled it anxious to press on back to UK. Scharnhorst's fire was very accurate and swiftly set Glorious irretrirevably on fire from which she could not recover. Ardent and Acasta made smoke to try to shield her and made towards the enemy at full speed, Ardent was overwhelmed first but Acasta made it to torpedo range before also being sunk, however, her torpedo struck home and did extensive damage to Scharnhorst. Very few men were rescued from this tragic loss, many died in the freezing waters off Norway.

[Brian James]

HMS Glorious..1920's.

[Brian James]

Battlecruiser HMS Furious pictured post her conversion in 1925.

[Brian James]

HMS Glorious c1938.

[Brian James]

HMS Furious pictured c1924.