NAVYPEDIA

Support the project with paypal


HOME
FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
UNITED KINGDOM
AIRCRAFT CARRYING SHIPS
IMPLACABLE fleet aircraft carriers (2, 1944)


Photo



Implacable 1944

Ships


Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Indefatigable 10, 1948- R7, 1949- R10 565 John Brown, Clydebank 3.11.1939 8.12.1942 3.5.1944 stricken 11.1956
Implacable 86, 1948- R5, 1949- R86 672 Fairfield, Govan 21.2.1939 10.12.1942 28.8.1944 stricken 9.1954


Technical data


Displacement standard, t

23450

Displacement full, t

32110

Length, m

205.1 pp 233.6 oa

Breadth, m

29.2 wl 34.9 fd

Draught, m

8.81 deep load

No of shafts

4

Machinery

4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 8 Admiralty 3-drum boilers

Power, h. p.

148000

Max speed, kts

32

Fuel, t

Implacable: 4690 oil

Indefatigable: 4810 oil

Endurance, nm(kts)11000(14)
Armour, mm

belt: 114, hangar sides: 51,  bulkheads: 76 - 51, flight deck: 76

Armament

8 x 2 - 114/45 QF Mk III, 5 x 8 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 14 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 9 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 60 aircraft (Seafire, Firefly, Wildcat, Hellcat fighters, Barracuda, Avenger torpedo bombers, Sea Otter recon / SAR planes)

Electronic equipment

type 279, type 272, type 277, 6x type 282 radars

Complement1585, up to 2300 later


Air group


Year Fighters torpedo bombers
6.1944 Indefatigable 12 Seafire, 12 Firefly 24 Barracuda
8.1944 Indefatigable 24 Seafire, 12 Firefly, 12 Hellcat 12 Barracuda
10/1944 Implacable 44 Seafire, 12 Firefly 24 Barracuda
1.1945 Indefatigable 6 Hellcat, 32 Seafire 21 Avenger
2.1945 Indefatigable 40 Seafire, 12 Firefly 21 Avenger
3.1945 Indefatigable 29 Hellcat 15 Avenger
6.1945 Implacable 48 Seafire, 11 Firefly 21 Avenger
7.1945 Indefatigable 40 Seafire, 12 Firefly 21 Avenger
3/1949 Implacable 13 Sea Hornet 12 Firebrand


Standard scale images


<i>Implacable</i> 1944
Implacable 1944


Graphics


<i>Implacable</i> 1944
Implacable 1944
<i>Implacable</i> 1953
Implacable 1953


Aircraft facilities(fd - 6,716m², ha - 3,837m² / 16,498m³)

 (fd - 6,716m², ha - 3,837m² / 16,498m³): Flight deck: 231.6(useful length)x29.0m. Upper hangar: 139.6x18.9x4.3m, lower hangar: 63.4x18.9x4.3m. 3 lifts (9.1t, 13.7x10.1m for two fwd and 13.7x6.7m aft). 1 catapult BH-III (7.3t plane was launched at 122km/h). Aircraft fuel stowage: 430,000l.

Project history

Six ships of Illustrious class became the biggest class of fleet aircraft carriers of Royal Navy. They were sectioned into 3 groups and had significant differences. Enhanced, 3rd group of Illustrious class (Implacable group) had two-level hangar, increased number of carried planes and 4 shafts.

The "aerodynamic" form of island and funnel in the form of a profile of a plane wing, and also the round-downs of the deck became feature of architecture of Illustrious: it was supposed, that it will decrease the turbulence of air and will improve conditions of take-off and boarding of aircrafts. At the same time round-downs shrank deck effective length to 189m, therefore on the subsequent aircraft carriers, since Victorious, round-downs began to fulfil not such big, that has allowed to extend its deck to 204.2m. The AA armament repeated accepted on Ark Royal, but with new 114mm so-called "inter-decks" mounts.

Protection

  Main belt protected about 30% of length by waterline. Main belt was taken to the upper deck abreast island and to the main deck for much of its length. Hangar sides were protected on full hangar length. 62%of flight deck (over hangar) had 76mm armour, another part of flight deck was 38mm. Magazines taken separate horizontal 76 - 51mm protection. Lower hangar deck was 64 - 38mm over machinery. Lifts were not armoured. There were 38mm anti-torpedo bulkheads. 4.1m deep underwater protection can resist exploding of 340kg TNT.

Modernizations

1945, Implacable: + 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 4 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III, 3 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 8 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 281B, type 293 radars

1945, Indefatigable: + 10 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III, 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 281B, type 293 radars

1.1946, Implacable: 8 x 2 - 114/45 RP.10 Mk IIBD, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 5 x 8 - 40/39 Mk VIA, 3 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 17 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 17 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 60 aircraft, type 279, type 272, type 277, type 281B, 6x type 282, type 293 radars

1.1946, Indefatigable: 8 x 2 - 114/45 RP.10 Mk IIBD, 10 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 5 x 8 - 40/39 Mk VIA, 1 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 14 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 60 aircraft, type 279, type 272, type 277, type 281B, 6x type 282, type 293 radars

1946, Implacable: - 17 x 2 - 20/70, 17 x 1 - 20/70

1946, Indefatigable: - 12 x 1 - 20/70

1950, Indefatigable; 1952, Implacable: - 5 x 8 - 40/39, 5x type 282 radars

Naval service

Indefatigable was hit once by kamikaze and 250kg bomb without serious damage. Implacable served as training carrier 1952 - 1954, Indefatigable used for training 1950 - 8.1954.

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