| Name | No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Albion | R07 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 23/3/1944 | 6/5/1947 | 26/5/1954 | amphibious helicopter carrier 8/1962, sold 10/1973 |
| Arrogant | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | --- | --- | --- | cancelled 10/1945 | |
| Bulwark | R08 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 10/5/1945 | 22/6/1948 | 4/11/1954 | amphibious helicopter carrier 1/1960, anti-submarine aircraft carrier 2/1979, stricken 3/1981 |
| Centaur | R06 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 30/5/1944 | 22/4/1947 | 1/9/1953 | stricken 1971 |
| Hermes (ex-Leviathan) | R12 | Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow | 21/6/1944 | 16/2/1953 | 18/11/1959 | amphibious helicopter carrier 8/1973, anti-submarine aircraft carrier12/1976, aircraft carrier 5/1981, to India 4/1986 (Viraat) |
| Hermes | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | --- | --- | --- | cancelled 10/1945 | |
| Monmouth | Fairfield, Govan | --- | --- | --- | cancelled 10/1945 | |
| Polyphemus | Devonport DYd | --- | --- | --- | cancelled 10/1945 |
original design:
|
Displacement standard, t |
18310 |
|
Displacement full, t |
24000 |
|
Length, m |
198.1 pp 224.6 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
27.4 wl |
|
Draught, m |
7.52 deep load |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
Parsons geared steam turbines, 4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
76000 |
|
Max speed, kn |
29.5 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 4000 |
| Armour, mm | inner belt: 25, flight deck: 19, box-shaped protection of magazines: 51, machinery glacis: 25 |
|
Armament |
4 x 2 - 114/45 QF Mk III, 2 x 6 - 40/56 Bofors, 11 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors, 42 aircraft (Seafire, Firefly, Sea Hornet, Sea Fury fighters, Firebrand torpedo bombers) |
| Sensors |
not known |
|
Complement |
1390 |
Aircraft facilities: Hangar was 5.3m in height. Two lifts: 16.5 x 13.4m, 15.9t. 1 catapult BH-V (13.6t plane launched at 139km/h).
Ship project history: Enlarged Majestics with higher speed and able to operate 13.6t planes.
Protection: Inner belt covered machinery only. Underwater protection was very poor. Machinery was additionally protected by glacises.
Fate Note: 4 ships were completed by a modified design.
CENTAUR class
Albion 1954
Albion 1962
Bulwark 1960
Centaur 1964
| Name | No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Centaur | R06 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 30/5/1944 | 22/4/1947 | 1/9/1953 | stricken 1971 |
| Albion | R07 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | 23/3/1944 | 6/5/1947 | 26/5/1954 | amphibious helicopter carrier 8/1962, sold 10/1973 |
| Bulwark | R08 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | 10/5/1945 | 22/6/1948 | 4/11/1954 | amphibious helicopter carrier 1/1960, anti-submarine aircraft carrier 2/1979, stricken 3/1981 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
22000 |
|
Displacement full, t |
27000 |
|
Length, m |
198.1 pp 224.8 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
27.4 wl 37.5 oa |
|
Draught, m |
8.20 deep load |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
Parsons geared steam turbines, 4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
78000 |
|
Max speed, kn |
28 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 4000 |
| Armour, mm | inner belt: 25, flight deck: 19, box-shaped protection of magazines: 51, machinery glacis: 25 |
|
Armament |
R06: 2 x 6 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 6, 8 x 2 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 5, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 7, 26 aircraft (Firefly, Sea Fury, Attacker, Sea Hawk fighters, Wyvern attackers, Firefly, Avenger ASW planes, Skyraider early warning planes, Dragonfly helicopters) R07: 2 x 6 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 6, 8 x 2 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 5, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 7, 26 aircraft (Firefly, Sea Fury, Attacker, Sea Hawk, Sea Venom fighters, Wyvern attackers, Firefly, Avenger ASW planes, Skyraider early warning planes, Dragonfly helicopters) R08: 2 x 6 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 6, 8 x 2 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 5, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 7, 26 aircraft (Firefly, Sea Fury, Sea Hawk, Sea Venom fighters, Wyvern attackers, Firefly, Avenger ASW planes, Skyraider EW planes, Dragonfly helicopters) |
| Sensors |
type 982, 983, 275, 974 radars |
|
Complement |
1400 |
Aircraft facilities: Hangar was 5.3m in height. Two lifts: 16.5 x 13.4m, 15.9t. 2 catapults BH-V (13.6t plane launched at 139km/h). There was 50-angled flight deck. Catapults were replaced by steam B5-4 in 1956.
| Year | Fighters | ASW planes | EW planes | Helicopters |
| 1954 Centaur | 9 Sea Hawk FGA.6, 9 Sea Fury FB.11 | 6 Avenger AS.4 | --- | 1 Dragonfly HR.5 |
| 1956 Albion | 12 Sea Venom FAW.21, 16 Sea Hawk FGA.6 | --- | 4 Skyraider AEW.1 | 1 Dragonfly HR.5 |
| 1961 Centaur | 8 Scimitar F.1, 9 Sea Vixen FAW.1 | --- | 4 Gannet AEW.3 | 6 Whirlwind HAS.7 |
| 1966 Bulwark | --- | --- | --- | 16 Wessex HU.5, 1 Wasp HAS.1 |
Protection: Inner belt covered machinery only. Underwater protection was very poor. Machinery was additionally protected by glacises.
Modernizations: 1956: new catapults fitted; - 1 x 6 - 40/60.
(1/1959 - 1/1960, Devonport DYd), Bulwark: converted to "commando carrier" (LPH). Catapults and arrester gears were removed. Accommodation for 733 marines fitted, 4 LCA on davits were carried. Armament consisted of 4 x 2 - 40/60 Bofors. Air group consisted of 8 Whirlwind helos (later 16).
(2/1961 - 8/1962, Devonport DYd), Albion: as Bulwark, but can carry 900 marines and Wessex helos.
Fate Note: Bulwark was paid off 3/1980 after fire in engine rooms.
HERMES
Hermes 1959
Hermes 1979
| Name | No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Hermes (ex-Leviathan) | R12 | Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow | 21/6/1944 | 16/2/1953 | 18/11/1959 | amphibious helicopter carrier 8/1973, anti-submarine aircraft carrier 12/1976, aircraft carrier 5/1981, to India 4/1986 (Viraat) |
|
Displacement standard, t |
23900 |
|
Displacement full, t |
28700 |
|
Length, m |
198.1 pp 226.9 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
27.4 wl 44.1 oa (48.8 oa since 1966) |
|
Draught, m |
8.80 mean |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
Parsons geared steam turbines, 4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
76000 |
|
Max speed, kn |
28 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 4200 |
| Armour, mm | inner belt: 25, flight deck: 19, box-shaped protection of magazines: 51, machinery glacis: 25 |
| Armament |
5 x 2 - 40/60 Bofors Mk 5, 28 aircraft (Sea Hawk, Sea Vixen, Scimitar fighters, Gannet ASW planes, Sea Venom, Gannet ECM planes, Skyraider, Gannet EW planes, Dragonfly helicopters) |
|
Armament |
type 984, 982, 262, 974 radars |
| Sensors | 2100 |
Aircraft facilities: Hangar was 5.3m in height. Two lifts: fore deck edge lift (16.5 x 10.7m, 15.9t) and aft centerline lift (16.5 x 13.4m, 15.9t). 2 catapults B5-4. There was 60-angled flight deck.
| Year | Fighters | Attackers | EW planes | Cargo planes | Helicopters |
| 1966 | 12 Sea Vixen FAW.2 | 7 Buccaneer S.1 | 4 Gannet AEW.3 | 1 Gannet COD.4 | 5 Wessex HAS.3 |
| 1977 | --- | --- | --- | --- | 9 Sea King HAS.1, 4 Wessex HU.5 |
| 1982 | 16 Sea Harrier FRS.1 | --- | --- | --- | 18 Sea King HAS.5 |
Protection: Inner belt covered machinery only. Underwater protection was very poor. Machinery was additionally protected by glacises.
Modernizations: (2/1964 - 5/1966): - 5 x 2 - 40/60; + 2 x 4 Seacat GWS22 SAM launchers.
(3/1971 - 8/1973, Devonport DYd): converted to "commando carrier" (LPH) - type 984 radar, catapults, arrester gears; + type 965 radar. Fitted to carry Wessex helos.
(5 - 12/1976): converted to ASW carrier: fitted to carry Sea King ASW helos.
(5/1980 - 5/1981): converted to VSTOL carrier: 70-ski-jump ramp fiited.
Naval service: Stricken 7/1985 and sold to India 4/1986.
Bulwark & Albion 1962
Centaur 1964
Hermes 1959
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-09