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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0373.PDF
375 FLIGHT,22 March 1957 FIRST-LINE EQUIPMENT Carriers ALL five operational carriers in the Royal Navy today—two "Fleets" (each of 46,000 tons) and three "Light Fleets" (each of 26J000 tons)-—are fitted with the semi-angled deck and with the mirror-sight landing aid. Centaur is at present undergoing an extensive modernization which will add the steam catapult to her equip- ment. Still under construction is Hermes (whose name was given to the light-fleet class), completion having been delayed to permit the installation of a fully angled deck, steam catapult and deck-edge lift. Victorious, a war- time fleet carrier, is also being exten- sively modernized at present. Ocean and Theseus normally constitute the Royal Navy's new-entry training squadron and, as such, do not form part of the Fleet Air Arm. They were brought into use, however, as helicop- ter assault carriers during the Suez operations. Ark Royal. First commissioned in February 1955, Ark Royal is now engaged in her second commission with the Fleet. She is the most modern and best equipped of the Navy's carriers, possessing not only two steam catapults (as yet not fined to any other British carrier) "but also an advanced form of arrester gear. Three aircraft lifts are fitted, two of which are inboard (serv- ing both hangar levels), and one on the port side, serving the upper hangar only. (Flight's impressions of flying operations from Ark Royal during recent exercises are given in the article Ark's Day which begins on page 383.) The Captain of Ark Royal is Captain F. H. E. Hopkins, D.S.O., D.S.C., and Commander (Air) is Com- mander D. G. Parker, D.S.O., D.S.C., A.F.C. The previous Captain of the ship was Capt. D. R. F. Cambell, D.S.C., now Director of Naval Air Warfare, Admiralty. Eagle. Sister ship to Ark Royal, Eagle was originally commissioned in October 1951 and, after a refit and modernization during 1954-55, was recommissioned in March 1955. During most of the period of the Suez emergency last year Eagle was the flagship of Vice-Admiral M. L. Power, Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers, who was in command of the Anglo-French carrier group. The Captain of Eagle is Capt. M. Le Fanu and Commander (Air) is Cdr. P. C. Heath.
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