HMS Ark Royal - KBismarck.com

The World War II aircraft carrier Ark Royal was the third ship of her name in history, and the first to be planned and built as an aircraft carrier. She was ... &nbspHome Intro Technical History Crew Models Gallery Kriegsmarine Archives More Forum   UPDATES THEAIRCRAFTCARRIERARKROYAL CompiledbyJoséM.Rico TheArkRoyalinearly1939.ViewfromtheportquartershowingaSwordfishplaneabouttoland. TheWorldWarIIaircraftcarrierArkRoyalwasthethirdshipofhernameinhistory,andthefirsttobeplannedandbuiltasanaircraftcarrier. ShewaslessthanthreeyearsinservicewiththeRoyalNavy,butsawagreatamountofactionduringthefirsttwoyearsofWorldWarII. AperiodoftimeinwhichtheArkRoyalwasalmostpermanentlyatsea. InSeptember1939,shewasengagedinpatroloperationsintheNorthsea. InOctobershewassenttotheSouthAtlantictoassistinthesearchoftheGrafSpee. DuringtheGermaninvasionofNorway(April-June1940),theArkRoyalwasemployedtoo. Later,sheprovidedsupportduringtheattackagainsttheFrenchwarshipsatMers-el-Kebir,andtookpartinseveralconvoyoperationsandairstrikesagainstItalianbasesintheMediterranean. However,ArkRoyal'smostnotoriousactionwasthekeyrolesheplayedduringthechaseofthebattleshipBismarckinMay1941. HerSwordfishtorpedobomberscrippledtheGermanbattleship,thusallowingAdmiralTovey'sforcetoengageandsinkher. ArkRoyalthenresumedheroperationswithForceHintheMediterranean,buton13November1941shewastorpedoedandsunkbyU81nearGibraltar. CAREERTIMELINE 16September1935:Laydown.BuiltbyCammellLairdShipyard,Birkenhead. 13April1937:LaunchedonMerseyside.TheRev.W.Webb,VicarofSt.Mary's,Birkenhead,pronouncestheoldblessing."MayGodprotectthisshipandallwhosailonher,"andLadyMaundHoarelaunchesherinthepresenceof60,000people. Sheisthethirdshiptobearthedistinguishedname.ThefinalcostofthenewArkRoyalwillbe£2,330,000. ThelaunchingoftheArkRoyalon13April1937. 16November1938:CommissionedunderCaptain(laterRear-Admiral)A.J.Power. 16December1938:Constructionworkcompleted. December1938-January1939:ConductsseatrialsontheClyde. 12January1939:FaireySwordfishtorpedobombersofthe820Squadron(Lieutenant-CommanderA.C.G.Ermen)landonArkRoyal'sflightdeckforthefirsttime. January-March:1939:MaydencruisetotheMediterranean.ArkRoyalentersValettaHarbouratMaltaandthencontinuestoAlexandriawheresherunsexerciseswithcarrierGlorious. EndofMarch1939:Sailsforhomewaters. Summer1939:Inhomewaters. 31August1939:Inviewofthepossibleoutbreakofhostilities,theArkRoyalputstoseawiththeHomeFleettopatrolthewatersbetweentheShetlandsandNorway. 01September1939:OneofArkRoyal'sreconnaissanceSwordfishmakesaforcedlandingduetobadvisibilityonaNorwegianfiordandsinks.ThecrewwaslaterabletoshiptoEnglandbeforethedeclarationofwaron3September. 14September1939:Atabout0240,ArkRoyallaunchesthreeBlackburnSkuasof803squadrontosearchfortherecentlytorpedoedSSFanadHead. Justaboutthesametime,theArkRoyalisattackedbytheU39(KapitänleutnantGlattes).TheattackfailssincetheGermantorpedoesarmedwithmagneticpistolsdonotworkproperly. Thereafter,ArkRoyal'sescortingdestroyersFaulknor,FiredrakeundFoxhoundforcetheGermansubmarinetosurfaceandlatersinks. TheentirecrewaresavedandtakenonboarddestroyerFaulknor. U39becomesthefirstGermanU-boatlostinthewar. Meanwhile,theSkuassighttheFanadHeadlayingstoppedandbeingshelledbyU30withherdeckgun. TwoSkuascrashintotheseawhileattackingtheU30thatdives. 26September1939:SkuasfromArkRoyalshotdownthefirstGermanplaneofthewarovertheNorthSea,aDornier18flyingboat. Atabout0220,theArkRoyalisattackedbyaHeinkel111(LeutnantAdolfFrancke). A2,000lbsbomblandsclosetotheshipsome30yardsfromtheportbow.Germanpropagandaclaimstohavesunkthecarrierbutthisisnotthecase. 27September1939:ReturnstoScapaFlow. 02October1939:ArkRoyalputstoseatogetherwiththebattlecruiserRenownandascreenoffourdestroyersformingForceK. 12October1939:ForceKreachesFreetownandrefuels.ShethensailstotheSouthAtlantictoassistinthesearchfortheGermanPanzerschiffAdmiralGrafSpee. 03December1939:EntersintoCapetownharbourandremainstherefor24hours. 17December1939:ArkRoyalandRenownarriveatRio,Brazil.BothshipsrefuelandthensailonthesamedayforthePlate.OntheirwaytoR.Plate,newsarrivethattheGermanshadscuttledtheirship,andthereforeArkRoyalheadstoFreetown. 27December1939:ReachesFreetown. 15February1940:ArkRoyalreturnstoEnglandtorefit.Hercrewgoesonleaveforthefirsttimesincetheoutbreakofthewar. 22March1940:SailsfortheMediterraneanandlaterarrivesatAlexandriaincompanywithGlorious. 10April1940:ArkRoyalandGloriousarerecalledtoGibraltarfollowingtheGermaninvasionofNorway.AfterthattheymovetoScapaFlow. 23April1940:ArkRoyalandGloriousleaveScapaFlowfortheNorwegiancoast. 01May1940:CaptainC.S.HollandtakesovercommandoftheArkRoyalfromCaptainPower. 25May1940:ArkRoyalleavestheNorwegiancoastforScapaFlow. 13June1940:Atmidnight,astrikingforceof15SkuasfromArkRoyalislaunchedtoattackthebattleshipScharnhorstinTrondheimharbour. TheGermanbattleshipishitbya500-poundbombbutitfailstodetonate. Ontheotherhand,thestrikingforceisinterceptedbyGermanfightersandeightSkuasarelost. 13-18June1940:AtScapaFlow. 18June1940:ArkRoyalsailsfromScapaFlowtojoinForceHatGibraltar. 23June1940:ArrivesatGibraltar. 03July1940:UnderthecommandofVice-AdmiralSirJamesSomerville,ForceHapproachesOran,Algeria,andtakesactionagainsttheFrenchshipsatMers-el-Kebir. 09July1940:WhilecoveringconvoymovementsintheWesternMediterranean,fortyItalianSavoiaS.M.79bombersattackForceHintheafternoondroppingover100bombs.However,nodamageorcasualtiesareinflictedonForceH. TheArkRoyalunderattackbyItalianbomberson9July1940. 02August1940:At0230,theArkRoyallaunchesanairstrikewithtwelveSwordfishbombersledbyLieutenant-CommanderG.B.HodgkinsononCagliari,Sardinia.TheaerodromeinstallationsaredamagedandtwoSwordfishlost. 02-03September1940:Conductstwoairstrikes(Operations"Smash"and"Grab")withSwordfishbombersonCagliari.TheseattacksareledbyLieutenant-CommanderMervynJohnstone. 21September1940:SailsfromFreetownincompanywithForceMtowardsDakar. 23-24September1940:ArkRoyaltakesactionagainstFrenchshipsatDakar. 28September1940:SailstotheUnitedKingdomtorefit. 09November1940:ConductsanairstrikeonCagliari. 27November1940:ForceHtakesactionagainsttheItalianfleetoffCapeSpartivento,Sardinia.ArkRoyallaunchestwoairstrikesonItalianwarshipsanditisattackedherselfintheafternoonbyItalianSavoia79bombers. ArkRoyalisstraddledseveraltimesbybombsbutsuffersnodamage. IntheeveningForceHreturnstoGibraltar. 06January1941:ForceHdepartsGibraltarescortingaconvoyboundforMalta. 02February1941:LaunchesastrikingforceofeightSwordfishtoattacktheTirsodaminSardinia. 09February1941:LaunchesairstrikeswithSwordfishbombersontheItalianportsofGenoa,Spezia,PisaandLeghorn. SwordfishbomberarmedwithbombstakesofffromArkRoyalduringthebombardmentofGenoa. February-March1941:OperationswithForceHintheEasternAtlanticescortingoutwardandhomewardboundSierraLeoneConvoys. 20March1941:AFulmarfromArkRoyalsightstheGermanbattleshipsScharnhorstandGneisenauatabout600milesWNWofCapeFinisterrre.However,theArkRoyalistoofartolaunchanairstrikeandbothGermanwarshipsenterBrestonthe22th. 19April1941:CaptainLobenE.MaundtakesovercommandoftheArkRoyalfromCaptainHolland. 22May1941:ForceHreturnstoGibraltaraftersafelyflyingofftoMalta48HurricanefightersfromArkRoyalandFurious. 24May1941:ForceH(ArkRoyal,Renown,andSheffield)departsGibraltar. 26May1941: FollowingthesightingoftheBismarckbyCatalinaZ/209,Swordfish2HfromArkRoyalpilotedbySub-Lieutenant(A)J.V.Hartley,withSub-Lieutenant(A)P.R.Eliasashisobserver,sightstheGermanbattleshipat1114hours. At1450,fifteenSwordfishcommandedbyLieutenant-CommanderJ.A.Stewart-Moore,takeofffromtheArkRoyaltoattacktheBismarck. At1550,theyobtainradarcontactwithashipanddivetoattack. Theattack,however,turnsouttobeafailureastheshipsightedisactuallythelightcruiserSheffield(CaptainCharlesA.Larcom)whichhadbeenpreviouslydetachedfromForceHtomakecontactwiththeBismarck. LuckilyfortheBritish,theSheffieldisnothitbyanyoftheeleventorpedoeslaunchedbecausetheywerearmedwithfaultymagneticpistols. Twotorpedoesexplodeonhittingthewater,threeoncrossingthecruiserwake,andtheothersixaresuccessfullyavoided. TheSwordfishreturntotheArkRoyalandlandonherdeckafter1700. At1915,anothergroupcomposedoffifteenSwordfishtakesoff,thistimeunderthecommandofLieutenant-CommanderT.P.Coodeandwiththeirtorpedoesarmedwithcontactpistols. ThestrikingforcefirstapproachestheSheffieldtogettherangeandbearingoftheBismarck,andat2047,divetoattack.Duringthecourseoftheattack,theBismarckishitbyatleasttwo18inchMKXIItorpedoes. Onetorpedo(ortwo)hitstheportsideamidships,andanotherstrikesthesterninthestarboardsidejammingbothofherruddersat12ºtoport. 27May1941:At0920,ArkRoyallaunchestwelveSwordfishinordertoattackthecrippledBismarckthatisbeingengagedbyAdmiralTovey'sforceatthistime. Thestrikingforceappearsinthesceneofthebattleatabout1015,butduetotheheavyfirefromtheBritishwarshipsstaysaway. TheBismarckfinallysinksat1040. 29May1941:ArkRoyalarrivesatGibraltartoresumeheroperationswithForceHintheMediterranean. 13November1941:WhileonherwaytoGibraltarincompanywiththeMalaya,Argus,Hermioneandsevendestroyers,theArkRoyalisattackedbytheU81(KapitänleutnantGuggenberger)intheMediterranean. At1541,atorpedostrikesthestarboardsideandtheshipimmediatelytakesa10ºlist. By1600,thestarboardlisthasincreasedto18º,andCaptainMaundordersallthosenotrequiredtoremainaboardtoabandonship. DestroyerLegion(CommanderR.S.Jessel)comesalongsideArkRoyal'sportquarter,takesmostofhercrewonboard,andthencastoffat1648. Some250menincludingtheCaptainremainonboardtotrytosavetheship. InthefollowinghoursDestroyerLaforeycomesalongsideArkRoyaltwotimestoprovidefeedwaterandelectricalpower,butby0400onthe14th,thelisthasincreasedto27º. At0430,theremainingcrewleavestheship. Thenat0613,fourteenhoursafterbeingtorpedoed,theArkRoyalturnsoverandsinksshortlyafterinapproximateposition36º03'North,04º45'West(seethemapbelow). Outofacrewofmorethan1,500officersandmenonlyAbleSeamanE.Mitchelliskilled. ViewHMSArkRoyalSinkinginalargermap TheArkRoyalwithaheavystarboadlistandsinkingbeingassistedbythedestroyerLegion(G74). 03May1943:TheaircraftcarrierArkRoyal,thefourthvesseltobearthenameislaiddown. Sheislaunchedon3May1950andcommissionedon28February1955. Scrappedin1980. 07December1978:ThenewaircraftcarrierArkRoyal,thefifthvesseltobearthenameislaiddownbySwanHunteratWallsend. Sheislaunchedon20June1981andcommissionedon1November1985. Decommissionedon11March2011. 18December2002:ThewreckoftheArkRoyalIIIisfound.Itliesatadepthofabout3,500feeteastofGibraltar. LINEDRAWING (ByManuelP.GonzálezLópez) TheArkRoyalasshelookedinMay1941. COMMANDERS 16November1938-30April1940:CaptainA.J.Power. 01May1940-18April1941:CaptainC.S.Holland. 19April1941-13November1941:CaptainLobenE.Maund. TECHNICALDATA Displacement:standard22,000mt,fullload27,000mt. Dimensions:overalllength/flightdeck243.8m(800ft),waterlinelength685ft,beam21.7m,maximumdraft7.2m,height12.45m. Armour:belt80mm,turrets70-160mm,upperdeck30mm,armourdeck30mm,conningtower150mm,torpedobulkhead20mm. Armament:16x4.5-in,42x2pom-poms, Aircraft: -1939-40:26FaireySwordfish,24BlackburnSkuas. -1940-41:30FaireySwordfish,12BlackburnSkuas,12FaireyFulmars. -1941:36FaireySwordfish,18FaireyFulmars. Propulsionplant:6Admiralty-Yarrowsmall-tubetypeboilers,threeParsonsturbinesets,103,000shp. Speed:31.7knots. Endurance:6,800nmat16knots. Fuelcapacity:4,250mt. Crew:1,600. 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