Sea Weapons

Fleet Carrier (1940)

Illustrious class

HMS Formidable (67)
Illustrious class

Preceded by:

Ark Royal (1938)

Related:

Unicorn (1943)

Succeeded by:

Implacable (1944)

Datafile

ClassIllustriousIndomitable
TypeFleet CarrierFleet Carrier
Year19401941
Crew1229-19971392-2100
Dimensions
Length205.1 m (pp)
229.6 m
205.1 m (pp)
229.8 m
Beam29.2 m29.2 m
Draught8.7 m8.8 m
Displacement
Empty23,000 t23,000 t
Loaded28,620 t29,730 t
Performance
Speed56 km/h56 km/h
Range20,372 km @ 26 km/h
20,372 km @ 26 km/h
Machinery
Shafts33
Turbines3 x Geared steam
111,000 hp
Parsons
3 x Geared steam
111,000 hp
Parsons
Boilers6 x Admiralty6 x Admiralty
FuelOil: 4,840 tOil: 4,500 t
Armament
Main16 x 114-mm/45 (8 x 2)
QF 4.5-in Mk. III
-5° / +80°

16 x 114-mm/45 (8 x 2)
QF 4.5-in Mk. III
-5° / +80°

Anti-Aircraft48 x 40-mm (6 x 8)
QF 2-pdr Mk. VIII
48 x 40-mm (6 x 8)
QF 2-pdr Mk. VIII
Armor
Belt114 mm114 mm
Bulkhead64 - 114 mm38 - 76 mm
Deck76 mm76 mm
Hangar114 mm38 mm
Sensors
RadarType 79
Type 79
Aircraft
Aircraft33-5445-54
Production
Built31
Total4

Registry

Ship Code Builder Laid Launch Comm Decomm Fate
Illustrious 87 Vickers-Armstrong27/04/193705/04/193925/05/194012/1954Sold/Scrapped
Victorious 38 Vickers-Armstrong04/05/193714/11/193914/05/194113/03/1968Sold/Scrapped
Formidable 67 Harland & Wolff17/06/193717/08/193924/11/194012/08/1947Sold/Scrapped
Illustrious (Indomitable):
Indomitable 92 Vickers-Armstrong10/11/193726/03/194010/10/194105/10/1953Sold/Scrapped

Gallery