RN Aircraft Carriers: Illustrious Class

[Brian James]

FAA Grumman TBM-3E Avenger...HMS Illustrious 1953.

[Brian James]

Admiralty blueprint for Carriers Illustrious and Victorious dated November 1936.

[Brian James]

The lead-up to America’s entry into World War II saw numerous vessels worked on at Norfolk Navy Yard. In this October 4th, 1941 photograph, examples of several different ship types can be seen. The pair of Destroyers to the right-rear of the image are of the World War I era Wickes Class, with the closer of the two being DD-157 USS Dickerson, freshly arrived from her stint in the Caribbean on Neutrality Patrols. Closer in is New York Class Battleship USS Texas, which came to the Yard on August 15th, 1941, for repairs and modifications following her own participation in North Atlantic Neutrality Patrols. The Center stage is the transport USS Chaumont, a Hog Islander constructed in 1920. This vessel had been at the Yard since June 29th, undergoing a variety of overhauls following months of duty operating in Philippine, Chinese, and American-controlled regions of the Pacific. But tucked close to the camera is a ship that does not quite fit in with the others. While recognizable as an Aircraft Carrier, she is not one of the six America had in service in the month prior to Pearl Harbor. Instead, this ship is the RN’s HMS Illustrious. Damaged in a series of aerial attacks in the Mediterranean Sea between January 7th and 19th,1941, Illustrious initially withdrew through the Suez Canal to South Africa, where her repair needs were found to be greater than the local yards could handle. As such, it was decided to sail her to the ostensibly neutral United States, where she would receive an overhaul and upgrade at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard beginning on May 12th, 1941. Illustrious would remain at the yard for 166 days, going on to serve in multiple campaigns throughout the remainder of the Second World War before her final decommissioning in 1955....Image and details courtesy of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum.

[Brian James]

Hawker Sea Hurricanes pictured aboard HMS Victorious, on Malta bound Convoy WS21S providing escort during Operation Pedestal on June 27th 1942.

[Brian James]

820 NAS Fairey Albacores...HMS Formidable on November 9th 1942.

[Brian James]

FAA 831NAS Fairey Barracuda...HMS Formidable off Norway in August 1944.

[Brian James]

FAA Grumman MKII Hellcats preparing for a raid, pictured on HMS Indomitable, off Padang, West Sumatra in August 1944...Astern are King George V Class Battleship HMS Howe and Carrier HMS Victorious.

[Brian James]

Buccaneer flight ops...HMS Victorious.1966.https://www.britishpathe.com/video/vict ... m+catapult

[Brian James]

Illustrious Class Carrier HMS Victorious pictured in her role as 'USS Robin', off the coast of Hawaii on April 14th 1943..USS Hornet was sunk and USS Enterprise was badly damaged at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, leaving the USN with only one Fleet Carrier, USS Saratoga, operational in the Pacific. In late December 1942, Victorious was loaned to the USN after an American plea for Carrier reinforcement. Whilst in US service she was known as USS Robin. After a refit in the US at Norfolk Navy Yard in January 1943 and the addition of Avenger aircraft, Victorious passed through the Panama Canal on February 14th to operate with US forces in the Pacific.

[Brian James]

Illustrious Class Carrier HMS Victorious pictured in 1946.