HMS Ark Royal - Aircraft Carrier
Country : UK Launched : 13th April 1937
HMS Ark Royal built by Cammell Laird, launched 13th April 1937 and completed 16th November 1938. HMS Ark Royal was the first large aircraft carrier designed and laid down as a carrier for the Royal Navy. She served in the Home Fleet and South Atlantic in 1939, then in the Home Fleet and Mediterranean in 1940, and as part of Force H in 1941. On 13th November 1941 she was hit by a single torpedo from the German u-boat U81. The torpedo hit on the starboard side near the starboard boiler room causing a 130ft by 30ft hole. Water poured in causing a 10% list immediately. The flooding spread quickly to the middle of the ship and then to the port boiler room, causing electric power to fail. After 14 hours while in tow to Gibraltar she capsized and sunk the following day.
Displacement 22, 000 tons, Speed 30.75 knots, Compliment 1575. Armament sixteen 4.5 inch AA guns in pairs. forty eight 2 pounder AA guns (in eights) thirty two .5 inch Machine guns. and seventy two aircraft. Dimension 685 (pp) 800 (oa) x 94.75 feet x 27.75 feet (deepload)
Sunk 14th November 1941
Known Pennants : 91
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