In addition, one Corsair was forced to ditch; the pilot was rescued by a destroyer. In 1940 HMS Illustrious was sent to Gibraltar and after refueling in Gibraltar, Illustrious and the battleship Valiant were escorted into the Mediterranean by Force H as part of Operation Hats, during which her Fulmars shot down five Italian bombers and her AA guns shot down two more. 4 Squadron and No. The carrier's air group consisted of 21 Barracudas and 28 Corsairs for the operation; Illustrious launched 17 of the former escorted by 13 of the latter on the morning of 19 April. [7], The ship had three Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one shaft, using steam supplied by six Admiralty 3-drum boilers. 47273, Brown 1971; pp. She was christened by Lady Henderson, wife of the recently retired Third Sea Lord. [83], Formidable's arrival allowed Rawlings to order Illustrious to the advance base in San Pedro Bay, in the Philippines, for a more thorough inspection. In reality, they heavily damaged three of the Italian aircraft. Later in the month she hosted the Sea Furies of 802 and the Fireflies of 814 Squadrons for Exercise Winged Fleet. The former aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious has sailed out of its home port of Portsmouth for the final time. One torpedo bomber was shot down, but the other aircraft returned. 4246, Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy, No. Captain John Hughes-Hallett relieved Edwards on 14 June. The new ship class was named the Invincible-class and would constitute three vessels led by HMS Invincible and followed by HMS Illustrious and HMS Indomitable. Two years later, she made 29.2 knots from 111,450shp (83,110kW). The ship was laid down on 10th November that year and launched on 26th March 1940 as the 3rd RN Warship to carry the name. [69], After a farewell visit from the Eastern Fleet commander, Admiral Sir James Somerville on 12 January 1943, Illustrious sailed for home the next day. [9] On 6 March she sailed to the BPF's advance base at Manus Island and, after her arrival a week later, Illustrious and her sisters Indomitable and Victorious, as well as the carrier Indefatigable, exercised together before sailing for Ulithi on 18 March. June 1945, on Board HMS Illustrious. HMS Hermes, was converted to a helicopter carrier, and then to a vertical take-off and landing aircraft carrier - suitable for the Harrier jump jets which were invaluable to military efforts during the Falklands War. One Corsair was shot down by Japanese flak although the pilot was rescued after ditching. 21 Wing reembarked. 'The crew of HMS Daring have done a fantastic job in the Philippines and I am pleased that HMS Illustrious will be able to continue t British carrier HMS Illustrious and the escort carrier HMS Atheling, with covering forces, began a series of diversionary raids on Sabang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, with the goal of tying down Japanese forces during the American Operation Forager attack on the Mariana Islands. [18] At this time her complement was 1,997 officers and enlisted men. Illustrious was not struck during these attacks but was near-missed several times and the resulting shock waves from their detonations dislodged enough hull plating to cause an immediate 5-degree list, cracked the cast-iron foundations of her port turbine, and damaged other machinery. D.F. #1. The two flare droppers also bombed the oil storage depot with minimal effect, and one bomb penetrated through the hull of the heavy cruiser Trento without detonating. HMS Illustrious was a light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and the second of three Invincible-class ships constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Over the next several months she conducted deck-landing practice for Avenger and Seafire pilots before starting a short refit on 2 April. As the fleet was withdrawing, Illustrious's CAP intercepted and shot down a Nakajima Ki-43 (codenamed "Oscar") fighter and a Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally" medium bomber on reconnaissance missions. [22] Construction was delayed by slow deliveries of her armour plates because the industry had been crippled by a lack of orders over the last 15 years as a result of the Washington Naval Treaty. The full crew list can be displayed for any of the ships. It had a height of 16 feet (4.9m) which allowed storage of Lend-Lease Vought F4U Corsair fighters once their wingtips were clipped. [10], The main armament of the Illustrious class consisted of sixteen quick-firing (QF) 4.5-inch (110mm) dual-purpose guns in eight twin-gun turrets, four in sponsons on each side of the hull. The catapult comprised a central brace system chosen for trolley-launch seaplanes as well as distributing the forces of launch evenly through an airframe. The most damaging hit was a large bomb that penetrated through the deck armour forward of the aft lift and detonated 10 feet above the hangar deck. While off Malta two days later, six of the carrier's fighters engaged an equal number of Fiat CR.42 Falco biplane fighters, shooting down one and damaging two others. Power was from 4 x Admiralty water-tube boilers feeding 2 x Parsons geared steam turbines driving 40,000 horsepower to 2 x shafts under stern. The ship then sailed for Durban, South Africa, to have the extent of her underwater damage assessed in the drydock there. [25], While Illustrious was being moved in preparation for her acceptance trials on 24 April, the tugboat Poolgarth capsized with the loss of three crewmen. [52][53], Another attack by 13 Ju 87s at 13:20 hit the ship once more in the aft lift well, which again knocked out her steering and reduced her speed to 15 knots (28km/h; 17mph). [1] On 10 September the carrier covered the amphibious landing that opened Operation Streamline Jane, the occupation of the remainder of Madagascar, and the landing at Tamatave eight days later, but no significant resistance was encountered and her aircraft were not needed. 21 TBR Wing were landed to make room for the additional fighters. [94], Subsequent operations in the Mediterranean. One Fulmar was damaged and forced to return to the carrier, while the other two exhausted their ammunition and fuel during the combat and landed at Hal Far airfield on Malta. After another round of flying operations, she visited Trondheim, Norway, on 19 June. The blitz on HMS Illustrious 70 years ago. After returning home in early 1943, the ship was given a lengthy refit and briefly assigned to the Home Fleet. 810 Squadron and its Barracudas were transferred off the ship the next day and were later replaced by the Avengers of 854 Squadron. Her air group now consisted of 36 Corsairs, 16 Avengers and two Supermarine Walrus flying boats for rescue work. While running trials in 1948, after another refit, she reached a maximum speed of 29 knots (54km/h; 33mph) from 110,680shp (82,530kW). [76], Her sister ships, the Indomitable and the Victorious arrived at the end of June although only the latter's pilots were combat-ready. 17, 19; Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987b, pp. Early on the morning of 17 May, the ship launched all 18 Avengers, escorted by 16 Corsairs. Corsairs of the HMS Illustrious ranged before taking off to strafe Japanese airfields in Sumatra. 4 Squadron, RNNAS and 824 Squadron landed aboard for more deck-landing training. The Association's first meeting was held in T.S. Class and type: Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Displacement: 104,600 long tons Length: Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m) Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m) Propulsion: 2 Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors 4 steam turbines driving 4 shafts 260,000 shp (194 MW) Speed: 30+ knots (56+ km/h; 35+ mph) Range: Unlimited distance; 20-25 years The ship was laid down on 17th June that year and launched on 17th August 1939 . Three other Swordfish completed her destruction. The vessel is currently moored in Portsmouth Harbour after 32 years of active service. The multiple hits at the aft end of the carrier knocked out her steering gear, although it was soon repaired. British carrier HMS Illustrious and the escort carrier HMS Atheling, with covering forces, completed a series of diversionary raids on Sabang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, with the goal of tying down Japanese forces during the American Operation Forager attack on the Mariana Islands. Later that day seven Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 medium bombers were intercepted by three Fulmars, which claimed to have shot down one bomber and damaged another. 104105, 108110, Brown 1971, p. 246; Brown, J. D., p. 48; Friedman, p. 147; Hobbs 2013, p. 90; McCart, pp. The Germans had laid mines in the canal earlier. Italian destroyer Borea was sunk by torpedoes and destroyer Aquilone was damaged by a mine. The weather was too bad for Illustrious to rescue the steamer's crew, but she pumped fuel oil overboard to flatten the seas until a tug arrived to rescue the ship on 27 October. She next put to sea on 24 April 1953 for trials and did not resume training pilots until the following month. It gives details of over 439,000 Royal Navy and Merchant Seamen records which are searchable by name, rank, age and ship. [49], On 7 January 1941, Illustrious set sail to provide air cover for convoys to Piraeus, Greece and Malta as part of Operation Excess. The oil refineries at the Wonokromo district of Surabaya, Java, Dutch East Indies and the nearby Braat Engineering Works were struck by British and American carrier aircraft struck by carrier aircraft of the Royal Navys Eastern Fleet made up of carriers HMS Illustrious and USS Saratoga escorted by HMS Cumberland, HMS Renown, USS Cummings, and others. HMS Illustrious, which served in the Falklands War, Bosnia and the Gulf, has been put up for sale for scrap by the Ministry of Defence. Nov 25, 2008. ww2dbaseThe repair work completed in May 1942. The Royal Navy's 1936 Naval Programme authorised the construction of two aircraft carriers. [63] Before dawn on 5 May, she launched 18 Swordfish together with 8 Martlets. Reconnaissance photos taken by the R.A.F. The noise of the on-coming first airstrike was heard at 22:25 and the anti-aircraft guns defending the port opened fire shortly afterwards, as did those on the ships in the harbour. She flew off her aircraft to Gibraltar on 31 January and continued on to the Clyde where she arrived five days later. Illustrious was the lead ship in her class of aircraft carriers. Later in the day, D'Entrecasteaux attempted to put to sea, but she was successfully bombed by an 829 Squadron Swordfish and deliberately run aground to avoid sinking. Twin Oerlikon mounts replaced most of the single mounts. On 12 and 13 April, the BPF switched targets to airfields in northern Formosa and her sister joined the task force on 14 April. [59] While working up her air group in March, reinforced by the Grumman Martlet fighters (the British name of the F4F Wildcat) of 881 and 882 Squadrons, she conducted trials of a "hooked" Supermarine Spitfire fighter, the prototype of the Seafire. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB. Hundreds watched in quiet reflection as the ship sailed out of Portsmouth on her final . Captain Ralph Edwards relieved Stephens on 7 January 1947. The fleet's fire discipline was poor when it was attacked by seven Japanese bombers shortly after the strike aircraft began landing. HMS Illustrious 'suicide Bombed'. All British aircraft returned safely although one American fighter was forced to ditch during the return home. [79], On 16 January 1945 the BPF sailed for its primary base in the Pacific Ocean, Sydney, Australia. British aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, damaged by Stuka dive bombers on 10 Jan, completed temporary repairs and departed Malta for Alexandria, Egypt with destroyers HMS Jervis, HMS Juno, HMS Janus, and HMS Greyhound in escort. Home. Sold for scrap During a severe gale in late October, the ship aided the small coastal steamer SSYewpark that had lost power. This is a shout out to any members of the Phot Branch who were on board HMS Illustrious acting as a film crew when it sailed from the UK until departing the ship in Hong Kong, who were employed to make a documentary of life on board during the deployment. As a consequence, her flight-deck armour had to be ordered from Vtkovice Mining and Iron Corporation in Czechoslovakia. As a result, Illustrious was dispatched to the Indian Ocean instead of returning to the Mediterranean. Germans records show the loss of three Stukas, with another forced to make an emergency landing. 8485, 90, Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987b, pp. HTML tags are not allowed. APRIL 1945, ON . Lava's technical capabilities. News stories in brief from around the World. the Airplane Scraped the Bridge Wi A29570.jpg 1,583 2,480; 974 KB HMS Illustrious (87) at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in November 1941.jpg 5,705 4,115; 6.03 MB Illustrious was paid off at the end of February 1955 and she was towed to Gareloch and placed in reserve. After sustaining damage on the voyage home in late 1941 by a collision with her sister ship Formidable, Illustrious was sent to the Indian Ocean in early 1942 to support the invasion of Vichy French Madagascar (Operation Ironclad). site is two fold. Aircraft Carrier Illustrious Interactive Map. After arriving in Trincomalee, 1837 Squadron was transferred to the Victorious. The World War II Database is founded and managed by He transferred his flag to Formidable when she arrived at Alexandria on 10 March, just before Illustrious sailed for Port Said to begin her transit of the Suez Canal. 2627; Sturtivant, p. 327, Brown 1971, p. 257; Brown, J. D., pp. Bad weather degraded the accuracy of the Barracudas and little damage was inflicted aside from a few aircraft destroyed on the ground and a few small craft sunk in the harbour. A single hydraulic aircraft catapult was fitted on the forward part of the flight deck. [11], The completion of Illustrious was delayed two months to fit her with a Type 79Z early-warning radar; she was the first aircraft carrier in the world to be fitted with radar before completion. Illustrious is the last survivor of the Royal Navy's trio of celebrated aircraft carriers . 3233, Brown 1971, pp. No. 8384; McCart, p. 29, Brown 1971, p. 258; Brown, J. D., pp. Fancourt, DSO, RN) escorted by the destroyers HMS Termagent (Lt.Cdr. This left only 21 aircraft available for the attack. HMS Illustrious (Illustrious class aircraft carrier) 15.05.1943-(06. THE AIRPLANE SCRAPED . Vice-Admiral Arthur Power carried out another raid on Port Blair in the Nicobar Islands with carrier HMS Illustrious, battleship HMS Renown, and French battleship Richelieu, with light covering forces. They had to be replaced by men from the UK so Illustrious ferried the replacements to Malta, sailing on 21 November and returning on 11 December to Portsmouth. [89] Illustrious resumed her duties in early 1949 and conducted trials and training for Avengers, Fireflies, Gloster Meteors, de Havilland Sea Hornets, Vampires and Seafires. [14] The additional crewmen, maintenance personnel and facilities needed to support these aircraft, weapons and sensors increased her complement to 1,326. She reached Durban on 4 April and remained there for two weeks. She spent most of the next several months training although she participated in several sorties with the Eastern Fleet searching for Japanese warships in the Bay of Bengal and near the coast of Sumatra. . HMS Illustrious was launched on 5th April 1939, where she was christened by Lady Henderson, wife of the recently retired Admiral Sir Reginald Henderson, Third Sea Lord of the Royal Navy. One Fulmar was lightly damaged during the battle. [64][65] Illustrious' aircraft flew 209 sorties and suffered six deck landing crashes, including four by Martlets. The ship was recommissioned in early September. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. First, it is aiming to offer interesting The opportunity was too good to pass up. On the morning of 7 May, Martlets from 881 Squadron intercepted three Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighters on a reconnaissance mission. Short relieved Watson on 28 December. Captain K. A. She was transferred to Force H for the Battle of Salerno in mid-1943 and then rejoined the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean at the beginning of 1944. A flight of nine SM.79s was intercepted later that day and the Fulmars claimed to have damaged one of the bombers, although it actually failed to return to base. She arrived at Greenock on 21 December and permanent repairs were made from 30 December to late February 1942 at Cammell Laird's shipyard in Birkenhead. [51], The ship was hit five more times in this attack, one of which penetrated the un-armoured aft lift and detonated beneath it, destroying it and the surrounding structure. HMS Illustrious was the lead ship of her class of aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy before World War II. HMS Illustrious relieves Invincible on air defence duties, off Falkland Islands, August 1982 HMS Illustrious had a unique start to her career. Other twin mounts were added so that by May she had a total of eighteen twin and two single mounts. [29] A few days after the Italian invasion of Egypt, Illustrious flew off 15 Swordfish during the moonlit night of 16/17 September to attack the port of Benghazi. J.P. Scatchard, DSC, RN), HMS Tenacious (Lt.Cdr. The crew's behaviour drew a mixed response from . The two airstrikes had changed the balance of power in the Mediterranean by rendering the Conte di Cavour unavailable for the rest of the war, and badly damaging the Littorio and the Duilio. In early June, she loaded the personnel from 806, 815, and 819 Squadrons at Devonport Royal Dockyard; 806 Squadron was equipped with Blackburn Skua dive bombers and Fairey Fulmar fighters, and the latter two squadrons were equipped with Swordfish. In addition the two steel fire curtains in the hangar were replaced by asbestos ones. HMS Illustrious was a light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and the second of three Invincible-class ships constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Task Force 57 arrived in San Pedro Bay on 23 April for a more thorough replenishment period and Illustrious transferred aircraft, spares, stores, and newly arrived pilots to the other carriers before sailing for Sydney on 3 May. In Nov 1940, she launched 21 torpedo bombers against the Italian fleet at Taranto, and achieved spectacular success after sinking one battleship and damaging two others. 1914, to provide crew for the newly requisitioned battleship Erin. Her length was 640 feet with a beam of over 90 feet and a draught reaching 23 feet. 21 Naval Torpedo-Bomber Reconnaissance Wing on 27 November before beginning her work up three days later. [42], While en route to Alexandria the ship's Fulmars engaged four CANT Z.506Bs, claiming three shot down and the fourth damaged, although Italian records indicate the loss of only two aircraft on 12 November. [9] She carried a maximum of 4,850 long tons (4,930t) of fuel oil which gave her a range of 10,700 nautical miles (19,800km; 12,300mi) at 10 knots (19km/h; 12mph) or 10,400nmi (19,300km; 12,000mi) at 16 knots (30km/h; 18mph)[5] or 6,300nmi (11,700km; 7,200mi) at 25 knots (46km/h; 29mph). Ld.Sea Johnson Charles Thomas. Illustrious was a British battleship of the Majestic class, launched in 1894 and sold for scrap in 1920. . The end of the war several weeks later meant that there was no longer any urgency in refitting the Illustrious in time to participate in the invasion of the Japanese Home Islands and the Admiralty decided that she would become the Home Fleet training and trials carrier. For the next six weeks she carried out an intensive flying regime in preparation for the next operations against the Japanese together with the other carriers of the fleet. HMS Illustrious was a light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and the second of three Invincible -class ships constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Captain C. T. Jellicoe relieved Carlill on 27 August and the ship ferried 10 Fireflies of 814 Squadron to Malta beginning on 1 October. Her aircraft attacked several targets in the Japanese-occupied Dutch East Indies over the following year before Illustrious was transferred to the newly formed British Pacific Fleet (BPF). One Avenger crashed on take-off and an American Avenger was shot down over the target; only one small ship was sunk, and little damage was done to the refinery. CPO. HMS Illustrious arrived at Alexandria, Egypt. [77], On 30 July, she sailed for Durban to begin a refit that lasted from 15 August to 10 October and arrived back at Trincomalee on 1 November. PO, Hopkins Hugh. Lacking that, there was nothing to prevent land-based aircraft from attacking them, especially in confined waters like the North Sea and Mediterranean. While the precise details on activities of the carrier's squadrons are not readily available, it is known that the commanding officer of 854 Squadron was forced to ditch his Avenger on the morning of 27 March with the loss of both his crewmen; he was ultimately rescued that evening by an American submarine. The HMS Illustrious Association was formerly known as the "Old Illustrians' Association" and was formed by a group of wartime Old Boys who were invited on board the 5th ILLUSTRIOUS on 9 September 1983. The second flight, carrying depth charges, sank the submarine Bvziers while the third flight dropped leaflets over the defenders before attacking an artillery battery and D'Entrecasteaux. In addition to the other losses enumerated, 882 Squadron's Fulmar was shot down while providing ground support. R.L.B. [45] On the night of 16/17 December, 11 Swordfish bombed Rhodes and the island of Stampalia with little effect. Between the three squadrons they had 20 Fireflies and 8 Sea Furies when they participated in the major NATO exercise Main Brace later in the month. 9293; McCart, pp. Illustrious began her final maintenance period at Devonport Royal Dockyard on 10 December. She returned to Portsmouth on 7 December and she did not leave harbour until 30 January 1952 when she resumed her customary role as a training ship. Gruppe/StG 2) began their attack, led by Paul-Werner Hozzel. HMS Cumberland carried out offensive sweep in Indian Ocean with HM Battleships Queen Elizabeth, Valiant, HM Battlecruiser Renown, HM Aircraft Carrier Illustrious, HM Cruisers London, Gambia and Ceylon screened by fleet destroyers. )1943: RN Barracks, Chatham [HMS Pembroke] 04.06.1943-(10.1944) RN . ), struck on rocks under Apes' Hill, coast of Barbary. Illustrious had her work up cut short on 19 March to prepare to join the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean and participate in the attack. On 22 November she was assigned to the newly formed British Pacific Fleet (BPF), commanded by Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser. During September she participated in Exercise Mariner with three British squadrons of Fireflies and Sea Furies and a Dutch Squadron of Avengers. The Stukas also near-missed Illustrious with two bombs, which caused minor damage and flooding. Courtesy Imperial War Museums. The bombardment was very effective, sinking two small freighters, and severely damaging the oil storage and port facilities. Radio. The ship completed 1,051 deck landings and steamed 4,037 nautical miles (7,477km; 4,646mi) by April. Both sets of trials were completed by 18 July, by which time the Illustrious had joined the Home Fleet. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1/72 BELL AH-1T SEA COBRA built kit at the best online prices at eBay! She returned to Norfolk on 9 December, to rendezvous with Formidable, which had also been repaired there, and the carriers sailed for home three days later. Boyd was promoted to rear admiral on 18 February and relieved Lyster as Rear Admiral Aircraft Carriers. HMS Illustrious was the lead ship of her class of aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy She fought in the Mediterranean and Far East . She exchanged them for Firebrands for the return voyage. 150, 159; Hobbs 2013, p. 91; McCart, pp. Her air group was reinforced at this time by four more Martlets each for 878 and 890 Squadrons. The initial damage assessment was that little harm had been done, although vibrations had worsened, but this was incorrect as the damage to the hull structure and plating proved to be extensive. The RN planned to fit her out as a flagship, remove her aft 4.5-inch guns in exchange for increased accommodation, and replace some of her Oerlikons with single two-pounder AA guns, but the end of the war in August caused the RN to reassess its needs. [18] The sum total of the changes since her commissioning increased her full-load displacement by 2,520 long tons (2,560t). The design was unique in the sense that the flight deck was armored, unlike many of her contemporaries outside her class; however, the added protection also limited the total number of aircraft she was capable of carrying. Later in the day her Corsairs intercepted 10 Ki-43s and shot down two of them while driving off the remainder. during British Pacific Fleet Operations the Illustrious Experienced a Japanese Suicide Attack. The high-angle director atop the island was replaced with an American SM-1 fighter-direction radar, a Type 293M target-indication system was added, and the Type 281M was replaced with a prototype Type 960 early-warning radar. [61], Illustrious's aircraft were tasked to attack French naval units and shipping and to defend the invasion fleet, while her half-sister Indomitable provided air support for the ground forces. 250, 254; McCart, p. 23; Rohwer, p. 260, Brown 1971, p. 254; Brown, J. D., 6667; McCart, pp. She was the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier to bear the name Illustrious, and was affectionately known to her crew as "Lusty". With over 50 aircraft airborne at one point, the British realised that a single deck accident might result in the loss of every aircraft in the air because there was no other carrier available to land aboard. It was one of 3 Inviciible -class light carriers. hms orion crew listdoes keegan allen have a child 26th February 2023 / in west warwick viewpoint / by / in west warwick viewpoint / by [63] After her stay at Freetown, Illustrious proceeded to Durban; during the voyage her staff also fitted ASV radar to the replacement Swordfish. Second of the Invincible class aircraft carriers, she was in the latter stages of construction at Swan Hunters on the Tyne during Falkland's war of 1982. (Operation Diplomat). She was laid down at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in 1937 and launched two years later in 1939. She arrived on 16 April and the examination by divers revealed that some of her outer plating was split and that some transverse frames were cracked. The main armament of the Illustrious class consisted of sixteen quick-firing (QF) 4.5-inch (110 mm) dual-purpose guns in eight twin- gun turrets, four in sponsons on each side of the hull. The Type 281 radar was replaced by an upgraded Type 281M, and a single-antenna Type 79M was added. [5] Her complement was approximately 1,299 officers and enlisted men upon completion in 1940. The MoD announced earlier this year it had been sold for 2m to a ship recycling . [38] Six aircraft in each airstrike were armed with torpedoes and the remainder with bombs or flares or both to supplement the three-quarter moon. She was the fifth warship and second aircraft carrier to bear the name Illustrious, and was affectionately known to her crew as "Lusty". After slipping into the water, she was towed into the Buccleuch Dock at Barrow for fitting out for her complement of around 1,299 officers and enlisted men. This meant that the ship had to be capable of remaining in action after sustaining damage and that her fragile aircraft had to be protected entirely from damage. [15] Her light AA armament was also augmented by the addition of 10 Oerlikon 20 mm autocannon in single mounts. [18] Two more twin Oerlikon mounts were added, and her boilers were retubed. De Trafford, Stretford, on 3 December 1983. 2324, Brown 1971, p. 254; McCart, p. 24; Sturtivant, pp. She was commissioned on 20th June 1982 (3 month early during work-up trials, due to the Falklands crisis). During the return voyage to Alexandria, the Italian submarineCorallo made an unsuccessful attack on the British ships. [6] By 1944, she was severely overcrowded with a total crew of 1,997. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ. One bomb penetrated the outer edge of the forward port flight deck and detonated about 10 feet (3.0m) above the water, riddling the adjacent hull structure with holes which caused flooding in some compartments and starting a fire. [8] On 24 May 1940 Illustrious ran her sea trials and her engines reached 113,700shp (84,800kW). The King and Queen inspected Illustrious and her crew, as did Prime Minister Clement Attlee and his wife. ww2dbaseIn 1943, Illustrious returned to the Mediterranean Sea and joined Force H based in Gibraltar. Her light antiaircraft defences included six octuple mounts for QF 2-pounder ("pom-pom") antiaircraft guns, two each fore and aft of her island, and two in sponsons on the port side of the hull. [12], The Illustrious-class ships had a flight deck protected by 3 inches (76mm) of armour and the internal sides and ends of the hangars were 4.5 inches (114mm) thick. Clark John Thomas. 110111, 114115, Friedman, p. 147; Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987b, pp. On arrival south of Malta she took passage with Force A to meet military convoy on passage from Gibraltar to Alexandria. Please refrain from using strong language. When the aircraft approached the target on the morning of 20 December, it was obscured by clouds so they diverted to the secondary target of the port at Belawan Deli. HMS ILLUSTRIOUS ASSOCIATION The 5th HMS ILLUSTRIOUS was named and launched on 1st December 1978 by HRH Princess Margaret and Admiral of the Fleet, Earl Mountbatten of Burma. [43] Two weeks later, 15 Swordfish attacked Italian positions on Leros,[44] losing one Swordfish. Italian merchant ships Gloria Stella and Maria Eugenia were also sunk. 15 British carrier aircraft from HMS Illustrious attacked an Italian convoy off Kerkennah islands, Tunisia between 0515 and 0615 hours, sinking two of the three ships in the convoy.