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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0419.PDF
1 April 1955 ••FLIGHT" copyriBht drawings (p.p. 419-424) H.M.S. ARK ROYAL Displacement 46,000 tons Length 808ft 3in Beam 112ft 9in Complement Over 2,000 Aircraft capacity 80-100 ARK ROYAL THE LATEST fleet aircraft carrier to be completed in the UnitedKingdom, H.M.S. Ark Royal was accepted by die Navy on February 25th of this year. She is the eighth British carrier tobe completed since World War 2 and is one of the two largest ever commissioned by the Navy. Following the sinking of the first fleet aircraft carrier Ark Royalin November 1941, the name was given to a considerably bigger carrier project previously known as Irresistible. The new Arkwas laid down in May 1942, and launched seven years later, and began contractors' sea trials in June 1954. The ship is nowworking up and is due to embark aircraft—her capacity is from 80 to 100, according to size and type—in the near future. An impressive selection of modern equipment and designfeatures is provided in the ship, her completion having been delayed to provide them. Ark Royal is the first British carrier topossess both, the steam catapult (two are fitted) and the deck-edge lift. The flight deck incorporates the 5^-degree "interim" angle,and other features are the use of the "optical deck-landing device," i.e., mirror landing sight, on both port and starboard sides, andimproved ventilation equipment in the aircraft hangars. Steam catapults will appear operationally for the first time inArk Royal, and the ship is fitted with a more robust type of arresting gear, enabling the landing as well as the take-off of largemodern aircraft to be accommodated. The use of the angled deck has reduced the number of arrester wires required to six. The deck-edge lift—die first to be installed in a British carrier —is situated amidships on the port side and serves the upperhangar, and there are in addition the two mid-deck lifts. This arrangement will contribute in a major way to the flexibility offlight-deck work, and must speed up flying operations considerably. Aircraft fuel is stored in several groups of tanks dispersedthroughout the ship in such a manner as to reduce to a minimum the risk of fire. Magazines for storing all types of airborne weaponsare located in other protected parts of the ship, from which items such as heavy bombs can be raised by a special lift. On the occasion of the Ark's recent commissioning, die ship'scommanding officer spoke on her preparedness for atomic attack. He said: "It is well known that a ship, building or airfield suffer-ing a direct hit from an atomic or hydrogen bomb will be destroyed. It is also well known that there is a 'near miss' effect for anybomb, whether it be H.E. or nuclear. It is also known that on the perimeter of a nuclear explosion there is the problem of radiationand of particles of vapour or dust which are contaminated. "The engines of a ship require large quantities of air to keepthem running, hence there is the possibility that contaminated particles of air or vapour may be drawn into the machinery. Toenable this ship to steam in such circumstances, the machinery is fitted with remote control which would enable her to steam for alimited, but adequate, period, so giving her the ability to get away from the trouble. When the remote control is in operation therewill be no hands in the machinery spaces. The machinery will be controlled from one of the many air-conditioned compartments." Ark Royal
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