Allied Warships


Aircraft Carriers

Courageous class

2 ships


The Courageous class aircraft carrier HMS Glorious. She was lost on 8 Jun 1940.

Technical information

TypeAircraft Carrier
Displacement22500 BRT 
Length787 feet (oa) 
Complement1216 men 
Armament

16 4.7" AA guns (16x1)
24 2pdr AA (3x8)
48 aircraft 

Max speed30 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 4 shafts 
Power90000 HP 
Notes on class

This class were rebuilt from light battlecruisers and were in many respect similar to Furious but differed in having an island and funnel on the starbord side of the flight deck. The short forward flight deck was given up in 1935-1936 and the main flight deck (which had the same usable demensions as in Furious) had two catapults fitted which could launch 8000lb at 56 kts or 10.000lb at 52 kts. The upper and lower hangars were both 550ft long and did not have to be used for workshop space, whilst the two lifts were slightly larger at 46ft x 48ft. Petrol stowage was increased to 34.000gal. Deck protection was similar to that of Furious, and the ships were bulged largely for stability reasons, as the original beam was only 81ft. The system was designed to stand 440lb or TNT. The single pompoms were replaced by 3 8-barrelled ones in june 1935 in Glorious and a year later in Courageous, and the two ships could be distinguished by the much longer after round-down in Glorious. 


All ships of the Courageous class:

Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Courageous (50) (lost 17 Sep 1939)
HMS Glorious (77) (lost 8 Jun 1940)

2 aircraft carriers of the Courageous class lost.


Courageous class ships hit by U-boats (1)

17 Sep 1939HMS CourageousSunkU-29

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