NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Eagle 1957

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Eagle (ex-Audacious)	R05	1220	Harland & Wolff, Belfast	24.10.1942	19.3.1946	1.10.1951	stricken 10.1978
Eagle		73	Vickers-Armstrong, Tyne	19.4.1944	---	---	cancelled 1.1946
Ark Royal	R09	1119	Cammell Laird, Birkenhead	3.5.1943	3.5.1950	25.2.1955	stricken 2.1979

Technical data

Data variant	as designed	Eagle as completed	Ark Royal as completed
Displacement standard, t	36800	43060 (finally nearly 45000)	43340
Displacement full, t	46000	53390	53060
Length, m	219.5 pp 245.0 oa	219.5 pp 245.0 oa (finally 247.4)	219.5 pp 245.0 oa (finally 247.4)
Breadth, m	34.4 wl 31.2 fd	34.4 wl 52.1 fd	34.4 wl 50.1 deck
Draught, m	9.50 deep load	11.0	11.0
No of shafts	4	4	4
Machinery	4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 8 Admiralty 3-drum boilers	Parsons geared steam turbines, 8 Admiralty 3-drum boilers	4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 8 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Power, h. p.	152000	152000	152000
Max speed, kts	32	31	31
Fuel, t	7490 oil	oil 5500	5500 oil
Endurance, nm(kts)	5000(24)	4500(24)	4500(24)
Armour, mm	belt: 114, hangar sides: 38,  bulkheads: 114 - 38, flight deck: 102	belt: 102, hangar sides: 25, flight deck: 102 - 25, hangar deck: 51 - 25	belt: 102, hangar sides: 25, flight deck: 102 - 25, hangar deck: 51 - 25
Armament	8 x 2 - 114/45 QF Mk III, 8 x 8 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 60 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 78 aircraft (Seafire, Firefly, Sea Hornet, Sea Fury fighters, Barracuda, Firebrand torpedo bombers)	8 x 2 - 120/45 Mk 6, 8 x 6 - 40/60 Mk 6, 2 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 5, 9 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 7, 60 aircraft (Firefly, Sea Hornet, Sea Fury, Attacker fighters, Barracuda, Firebrand torpedo bombers, Firefly ASW planes, Hoverfly, Dragonfly, Sycamore helicopters)	6 x 2 - 120/45 Mk 6, 6 x 6 - 40/60 Mk 6, 2 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 5, 6 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 7, 50 aircraft (Sea Hawk, Wyvern, Sea Venom fighters, Firefly, Avenger, Gannet ASW planes, Skyraider EEW planes, Dragonfly, Sycamore helicopters)
Electronic equipment	radars	type 960, type 940, type 982, type 983, type 242Q, type 293Q, 4x type 275, 10x type 262, type 974 radars	type 960, 2х type 982, 2х type 983, 3x type 275, 8x type 262, type 974 radars
Complement	2740	2750	2637

Air group

Year	Fighters	Attackers	ASW planes	Early warning planes	Helicopters
1953 Eagle	16 Attacker FB.2, 8 Sea Hornet NF.21	---	16 Firefly	4 Skyraider AEW.1	1 Dragonfly HR.5
1956 Eagle	16 Sea Hawk FGA.6, 14 Sea Venom FAW.21	6 Wyvern S.4	6 Gannet AS.4	---	---
1960 Ark Royal	14 Scimitar F.1, 6 Sea Vixen FAW.1	---	---	4 Gannet AEW.3	14 Whirlwind HAS.7, 1 Dragonfly HR.5
1966 Eagle	16 Sea Vixen FAW.2, 4 Scimitar F.1	14 Buccaneer S.1	---	4 Gannet AEW.3	5 Wessex HAS.1, 1 Whirlwind HAR.5
1977 Ark Royal	14 Phantom FG.1	12 Buccaneer S.2	---	5 Gannet AEW.3	7 Sea King HAS.1, 1 Wessex HU.5

Standard scale images

Graphics

Aircraft facilities

As designed (fd - 7,560m², ha - 4,840m² / 25,652m³): Flight deck: 242.3(useful length) x 31.2m. Upper and lower hangars were 5.3m in height and had useful area 4840m2 summary. There were 2 lifts (13.6t, 16.5x13.4m fwd and 16.5x10.0m aft). There were 2 catapults BH-V (13.6t plane was launched at 139km/h). Aircraft fuel stowage was 465,000l. 

Eagle(fd - ~ 12,765m², ha - 4,840m² / 25,652m³): Flight deck: 245.0 (useful length)x52.1m. Upper and lower hangars were 5.3m in height and had useful area 4840m2 summary. There were 2 lifts (13.6t, 16.5x13.4m fwd and 16.5x10.0m aft). There were 2 catapults BH-V (13.6t plane was launched at 153km/h). Aircraft fuel stowage was 1,700,000l of kerosine and 72,000l of petrol.

Ark Royal:(fd - ~ 12,275m², ha - 4,840m² / 25,652m³), Ark Royal: 5.5°angled flight deck: 245.0 (useful length)x50.1m. Upper and lower hangars were 5.3m in height and had useful area 4840m2 summary. There were 3 lifts (13.6t, 16.5x13.4m fwd and 16.5x10.0m aft centreline lifts and 13.6t, 17.5x10.7m deck edge lift for upper hangar). There were 2 catapults BH-V (46m, on foredeck and on angled deck) (13.6t plane was launched at 153km/h). Aircraft fuel stowage was 1,460,000l of kerosine and 314,000l of petrol. Angled deck catapult was lengthened to 61m in 1970.

Project history

Much improved Illustrious would have flight deck protected by 102mm armour on 25mm plating. Very large hangar had area as on Ark Royal. Underwater protection was modified, two sea water-filled outer compartments there were. It was planned that this protection can resist explosion of 545kg warhead and possibly 908kg. Late 1945 they planned to arm these ships by 8 x 6, 2 x 2 and 12 x 1 40mm Boforses and 18 20mm Oerlikons.

Protection

as designed:  Flight deck had 102mm of armour, lying over 25mm steel plates inside and 37mm outside citadel. There was 64-25mm lower hangar deck, magazines and steering gear were protected by 114 - 51mm vertical and 102mm horizontal armour. Hangar sides had 38mm protection. Underwater protection was a modification of previous designs, longitudinal bulkhead was 63mm thick.

Protection, Eagle:Flight deck had 102mm armour lying over 25mm steel plates. There was 64-38mm lower hangar deck, magazines and steering gear were protected by 114 - 51mm vertical and 102mm horizontal armour. Underwater protection was a modification of previous designs.

Protection, Ark Royal:There was 51-25mm lower hangar deck, magazines and steering gear were protected by 114 - 51mm vertical and 102mm horizontal armour. Underwater protection was a modification of previous designs.

Modernizations 2.

1955, Eagle: angled deck (5.50) was fitted. - 1 x 6 - 40/60, 3 x 1 - 40/60, 1x type 262 radar

1956, Ark Royal: - 2 x 2 - 120/45, 1x type 275 radar

9.1959, Ark Royal: deck edge lift removed; - 2 x 6 - 40/60, 6 x 1 - 40/60, 2x type 262 radars; + type 965M radar

1961, Ark Royal: new more powerful catapults fitted

(Devonport DYd, 5.1959 - 5.1964), Eagle: new angled deck (8.50), catapults replaced by new B5-4 type (13.6t planes dispersed up to 195km/h). Starboard catapult was 46m length, port catapult was 61m. Thickness of flight deck reduced to 38 - 25mm. Power of electric station doubled. New armament and sensors: 6 x 4 Sea Cat GWS22 SAM (24 Sea Cat), 4 x 2 - 114/45 Mk 6, 45 aircraft (Sea Vixen, Scimitar fighters, Buccaneer attackers, Sea Venom, Gannet ECM planes, Gannet EEW planes, Dragonfly, Whirlwind, Wessex, Wasp helicopters), type 984, type 963, type 965 (AKE-2), type 242Q, type 293Q, 4x type 275 radars, ADA CCS. Half of lower hangar area was used as workshops.

11.1964, Ark Royal: new angled deck (8.5°), thickness of flight deck was decreased to 38mm; - 2 x 2 - 120/45

2.1970, Ark Royal: New armament and sensors: places reserved for 4 х 4 Sea Cat GWS22 SAM, no guns, 36 aircraft (Sea Vixen, Phantom fighters, Buccaneer attackers, Gannet EW planes), type 960, 2х type 982, 2х type 983, 2x type 275, 4x type 262, 2x type 965M (AKE-2), type 974, SPN-35 radars

Naval service

Audacious was renamed Eagle in January 1946. Paid off 1.1972. Ark Royal was paid off 12.1978.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.