Audacious-class Aircraft Carrier on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The ''Audacious''-class aircraft carriers were a class of
The ''Audacious'' class was originally designed as an expansion of the with double storied hangars. However, it was realised that the hangar height would not be sufficient for the new aircraft that were expected to enter service, so the design was considerably enlarged.
Four ships were laid down between 1942 and 1943 during
aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...
s proposed by the British government
His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
in the 1930s – 1940s and completed after the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The two ships built were heavily modified and diverged over their service lives. They were in operation from 1951 until 1979.
History
The ''Audacious'' class was originally designed as an expansion of the with double storied hangars. However, it was realised that the hangar height would not be sufficient for the new aircraft that were expected to enter service, so the design was considerably enlarged.
Four ships were laid down between 1942 and 1943 during World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
as part of the British naval buildup – ''Africa'', ''Irresistible'', ''Audacious'' and ''Eagle''. At the end of hostilities ''Africa'' and ''Eagle'' were cancelled. Work on the remaining two was suspended. They would be renamed and built to differing designs in the 1950s.
As the builds of ''Audacious'' (renamed ''Eagle'') and ''Irresistible'' (renamed ''Ark Royal'') progressed they differed so much that they effectively became the lead (and sole) ships of each of their own classes. They formed the backbone of the postwar carrier fleet, and were much modified.
Ships in class
References
Further reading
* Ireland, Bernard. ''The Illustrated Guide to Aircraft Carriers of the World''. Hermes House, London, 2005. *Johnstone-Bryden, Richard. ''Britain's Greatest Warship: HMS "Ark Royal IV"''. Sutton Publishing Ltd., Stroud, 2000.External links
* {{WWII British ships Aircraft carrier classes Audacious class aircraft carrier Abandoned military projects of the United Kingdom Ship classes of the Royal Navy