HMS Victorious (R38)

HMS Victorious (R38) was a distinguished aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy that served from the latter stages of World War II through the Cold War. Laid down in 1937, she was the third ship of the *Illustrious*-class and saw extensive action in multiple theaters. Her long career was marked by significant reconstruction, making her one of the most modern carriers in the British fleet until her decommissioning.

Design and description

The design of *Victorious* followed the innovative armored box hangar concept pioneered by the *Illustrious*-class, intended to provide superior protection against aerial bombs. Her initial armament included sixteen 4.5-inch dual-purpose guns in eight twin turrets and numerous 40 mm and 20 mm anti-aircraft weapons. As built, she could operate approximately 36 aircraft, a mix of types like the Fairey Swordfish and later the Fairey Albacore. Her propulsion plant consisted of Parsons geared steam turbines driving three shafts, giving a top speed of over 30 knots. The design emphasized survivability, a lesson from earlier carrier operations in the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific War.

Construction and career

*Victorious* was ordered under the 1936 Naval Programme and her keel was laid down at the Vickers-Armstrongs shipyard in Newcastle on 4 May 1937. She was launched on 14 September 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 15 May 1941. Her completion was hastened due to wartime pressures following losses such as HMS *Glorious* and the urgent need for fleet carriers. She joined the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow under the command of Captain Henry Cecil Bovell, immediately beginning work-up exercises with squadrons from the Fleet Air Arm.

Operational history

*Victorious*'s operational debut was the dramatic pursuit of the German battleship *Bismarck* in May 1941, where her Fairey Swordfish aircraft scored a critical torpedo hit that slowed the enemy warship. She later provided vital air cover for Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union, including the infamous Convoy PQ 17. In 1942, she was transferred to the British Pacific Fleet, participating in raids against Japanese-held territories like the Solomon Islands and providing support during the Battle of Okinawa. During the Korean War, she conducted air strikes against Korean People's Army targets. In the early 1960s, she played a key role in Konfrontasi operations against Indonesia and later served as the flagship during the Beira Patrol, enforcing sanctions against Rhodesia.

Refits and modifications

The most profound change in *Victorious*'s life was a massive reconstruction begun in 1950 at Portsmouth Dockyard, which lasted nearly eight years. This involved fitting an angled flight deck, a new steam catapult, and a mirror landing aid, technologies pioneered by the Admiralty. Her island superstructure was completely rebuilt, and she received modern radar suites, including Type 984 radar. Her armament was reduced to twelve 3-inch guns, and her hangar was enlarged to operate newer, heavier jets like the de Havilland Sea Vixen and Supermarine Scimitar. This rebuild made her comparable to newly built carriers like HMS *Hermes*.

Fate

After a final deployment to the Far East, *Victorious* returned to the United Kingdom and was decommissioned in 1968. Despite proposals to preserve her as a museum ship, she was placed on the Disposal list and sold to British Shipbreakers in 1969. She was towed to the breaker's yard at Faslane for demolition, a process completed by 1970. Her name is perpetuated in the Royal Navy by the *Vanguard*-class ballistic missile submarine HMS *Victorious* (S29).

Category:Aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy Category:Illustrious-class aircraft carriers Category:Ships built on the River Tyne Category:World War II aircraft carriers of the United Kingdom Category:Cold War aircraft carriers of the United Kingdom