HMS Victorious (lots of photos below) was the third Illustrious-class aircraft carrier after Illustrious and Formidable. Ordered under the 1936 Naval Programme, she was laid down at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard at Newcastle upon Tyne in 1937 and launched two years later in 1939. Her commissioning was delayed until 1941 due to the greater need for escort vessels for service in the Battle of the Atlantic.

HMS Victorious (R38)

Her service in 1941 and 1942 included famous actions against the battleship Bismarck, several Arctic convoys, and Operation Pedestal. She was loaned to the United States Navy in 1943 and served in the south west Pacific as part of the Third Fleet. In 1944 Victorious contributed to several attacks on the Tirpitz. The elimination of the German naval threat allowed her redeployment first to the Eastern Fleet at Colombo and then to the Pacific for the final actions of the war against Japan.

After the war, her service was broken by periods in reserve and, between 1950 and 1958, the most complete reconstruction of any Royal Navy carrier. This involved the construction of new superstructure above the hangar deck level, a new angled flight deck,^[1] new boilers and the fitting of Type 984 radar and data links and heavy shipboard computers, able to track 50 targets and assess their priority for interrogation and interception. The reduction of Britain’s naval commitment in 1967, the end of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation, and a fire while under refit, prompted her final withdrawal from service, three to five years early, and she was scrapped in 1969.

TYNE BUILT SHIPSA history of Tyne shipbuilders and the ships that they built

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Name:	VICTORIOUS
Type:	Aircraft Carrier
Keel:	04/05/1937
Launched:	14/09/1939
Completed:	15/05/1941
Builder:	Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd
Yard:	High Walker
Yard Number:	11
Dimensions:	23207disp – 28619disp, 673.0 x 95.75 x 24.0(draft)ft;
	(1957: 30530disp – 35500disp, 740.0 x 103.0 x 31.0(draft)ft
Engines:	3 x Steam turbines, SR Geared, 110000shp
Engines by:	Parsons Marine Turbine Co Ltd, Wallsend
Propulsion:	3 x Screws, 30.5knots
Construction:	Steel
Armament:	8 x 2 x 4.5ins, 6 x 8 x 2pdr guns, 36 x aircraft; (1945: 54 x aircraft)
History:
15/05/1941	British Royal Navy
13/07/1969	Broken up
Comments:	A member of the ILLUSTRIOUS Class of Fleet Carriers & allocated pennant number R38
	Built wth an armoured deck & hanger plus AA protection which reduced aircraft numbers
	1950 – 1957: Rebuilt at Portsmouth Dockyard with an angled flight deck
	30.0ft of new midships inserted into the hull & side sponsons added
	Fitted with 2 x steam catapults & 6 x 2 x 3.0ins AA guns
	Operated 28 x fixed wing aircraft & 8 x helicopters
	13/07/1969: Arrived at Faslane for breaking up
	Broken up by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd

Above photo is copyright of the Imperial War Museum

Above photo is copyright of the Imperial War Museum. CLICK to enlarge/BACK to return

Above photo is courtesy of Iain Sanders

Above photo is copyright of Skyphotos

Above photo is copyright of Skyphotos

VICTORIOUS being refuelled by ORANGELEAF

Above photo courtesy of Tim Webb

Above photo at Faslane, dated 24/09/1969, is copyright of Dennis Maccoy

Above photo at Faslane is courtesy of Photoship

Profile & Decks plan showing original configuration is copyright of Dr Dan Saranga. Click HERE to enlarge

Click on enlarged image to magnify even further. Use Browser BACK button to return.