R05 HMS Eagle

UK Royal Navy




1951 to 1972    


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Flight Deck: E
Call Sign: GKYV


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History of UK R05 HMS Eagle

1942-may-19Ordered
1942-oct-24Laid downas HMS Audacious, Yard No. 1220
1946-mar-19Launchedas HMS Eagle
1952-mar-1CommissionedDeck id J until 1957, then E. First carrier to complete with Catapult Aircraft Line-up Equipment (CALE).
1953-jun-15Deployment Fleet Review: Coronation Review of the Fleet as Flagship of the Heavy Squadron, Home Fleet
1953-julAircraftAccident Assigned Dragonfly HR.3 WN497 as SAR Flt Jul 1953, crashed off Barra Head 6 Oct 1953.
1954-junRefituntil 1955 to be fitted with 5.5 degree angled flight deck
1955-julAircraftassigned Dragonfly HR.3 to SAR Flt WG669/901-J until Nov 1955
1955-augAircraftuntil Sep 1955, Whirlwind HAS.22 of 845 NAS embarked.
1955-sepAircraftuntil c Dec 1955, Dragonfly VX597/902-J assigned to SAR Flt
1956-mayAircraftassigned SAR Flt Whirlwind HAR.3 XJ399/974-J, until c Mar 1957
1956-junAircraftassigned Whirlwind HAR.3 XG581 as SAR Flt / 973-J
1956-nov-1DeploymentNile Delta Port Said Operation Musketeer Participated in Suez Canal fixed wing operations.
1956-nov-6Aircraftwhile returning to HMS Theseus, 845 NAS Whirlwind HAR.3 XJ400/Z ran out of fuel and ditched off Port Said during Operation Musketeer.
1957-sepAircraftWhirlwind HAR.3 XG585 / 973-J assigned as SAR Flt, which became 701 NAS / 713-E in Nov 1957
1957-octAircraftuntil Sep 1958, Dragonfly of 701 NAS A Flight embarked
1958-mayAircraft6 Whirlwind HAS.7 of 820 NAS embarked, until Jun 1958
1959-febAircraftuntil Mar 1959 the grounded Whirlwind HAS.7 of 824 NAS lightered aboard from HMS Victorious in the Mediterranean, for transport back to UK for rectification.
1959-may-16Port VisitShip Open to Visitors at HMNB Devonport for Navy Days 1959.
1959-oct-30RefitSLEP Refit air direction radar Type 984 at HMD Devonport until May 1964, major refit to have flight deck angle increased to 8.5 degrees, 2 new steam catapults, a Type 984 radar installed and her guns replaced with 6 (not 4) Seacat missiles. 1st Carrier to fire a Seacat in 1964.
1960-mayAircraftuntil Jun 1960, Whirlwind HAS.7 of 820 NAS embarked.
1960-augDeploymentHMD Devonport Navy Days 1960 present at Plymouth Navy Days 1960
1961-aug-5DeploymentHMD Devonport Navy Days 1961 present at Plymouth Navy Days 1961
1964-julAircraftWessex of 820 NAS embarked for post-refit trials
1964-aug-1DeploymentHMD Devonport Navy Days 1964 present at Plymouth Navy Days 1964
1964-oct-1Port Visitvisit to Brest for 3 days during autumn work up, departing 3 Oct
1964-decAircraftuntil Oct 1968, Wessex HAS.1 of 820 NAS embarked.
1964-dec-1Deploymentdeparted HMNB Devonport for 6 month Far East deployment, returning 24 May 1965.
1965-mar-15DeploymentExercise FOTEX 65 Exercise FOTEX 65 Exercising off Singapore in multi-national Naval Force
1965-mar-24Aircraft40nm NW of Pulau Pinang Accident 820 NAS Wessex HAS.1 XS123/291-E ditched and sank in the Malacca Strait, while operating from HMS Eagle
1965-mar-25Aircraft25nm W Pangkor Accident recovered wreck of 820 NAS Wessex HAS.1 XS121/295-E after ditching in the Malacca Strait.
1965-aug-24Deploymentdeparted HMNB Devonport for 13 month Far East deployment, leaving Far East on 20 Apr 1966 and returning on 22 Aug 1966
1965-sepDeploymentYEAden Harbour Departed Malta to assist with deteriorating security situation in Aden, in company with HMS Lowestoft, RFA Tidesurge and RFA Reliant, arriving off Aden on 1 Oct.
1965-nov-25DeploymentMozambique Channel stood off Mozambique from mid Nov to discourage Rhodesian AF and provide initial air defence following Rhodesian UDI. Wessex of 820 Sq embarked. Relieved by HMS Ark Royal in Jan 1966.
1966-mar-15DeploymentMozambique Channel Beira Beira Patrol Beira Patrol, off Mozambique to enforce UN sanctions against Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Relieved HMS Ark Royal and in turn was relieved by HMS Ark Royal on 4 May.
1966-aug-27DeploymentHMD Devonport Navy Days 1966 present at Plymouth Navy Days 1966
1966-sepRefituntil Aug 1967, added a waist catapult and DAX II arrestor wires, suitable for the F-4 Phantom (which never happened operationally, although 3 weeks trials were held c Jun 1969) and full squadron helicopter operations
1967-aug-15Deploymentdeparted HMNB Devonport for 10 month Indian Ocean and Far East deployment, returning via Cape of Good Hope (Suez Canal closed) on18 Jun 1968
1967-aug-17AircraftAccident embarked 820 NAS Wessex HAS.1 XS869/064-E ditched, and was recovered same day.
1967-novDeploymentuntil 28 Nov 1967, part of Task Force 318 to cover the British withdrawal from Aden during Operation Magister.
1968-may-31Port Visit4 day visit to Cape Town, departed on 4 Jun
1968-sepPort Visitdocked at Leith for 4 day visit to Edinburgh
1968-octRefitat HMD Devonport, Plymouth, completed around Feb 1969.
1969-mar-5final re-commissioning at HMB Devonport.
1969-aprAircraftuntil Jun 1970, Wessex HAS.3 of 826 NAS embarked.
1969-aprAircraftassigned Wessex HAS.1 XM326 / 147-E as Eagle SAR Flt until Jan 1972
1969-jun-16DeploymentF-4 Phantom trials departed HMNB Devonport for one month deployment to North Atlantic and eastern USA, returning 20 Jul.
1969-jul-26DeploymentTorbay Fleet Review: Ships of the Western Fleet Present at Ships of the Western Fleet review in Torbay.
1969-sep-4Deploymentdeparted HMNB Devonport for 3 month Mediterranean deployment, returning on 5 Dec.
1969-sep-9AircraftCeltic Sea Accident lost 826 NAS Wessex HAS.3 XS126/142-E, c 48nm SW of Skomer
1969-oct-31Port VisitMTGrand Harbour / il-Port il-Kbir / Valletta fortnight maintenance period in Malta until 13 Nov
1969-nov-25AircraftAccident lost 826 NAS Wessex HAS.3 XP153/143-E off Portugal, while operating from RFA Olmeda.
1970-jan-12Deploymentdeparted HMNB Devonport for 2 month Home Waters and W Mediterranean deployment, including 3 weeks Harrier trials, returning 25 Mar.
1970-feb-27Port Visitvisited Liverpool, until 4 Mar.
1970-junAircraftuntil Jan 1972, Sea King HAS.1 of 826 NAS embarked.
1971-augDeploymentRescue from ss Steel Vendor received distress call from ss Steel Vendor which was breaking up after running aground, west of the Philippines following Typhoon Elaine. Four 826 NAS Sea Kings winched the crew of 40 in high sea state and strong winds.
1971-aug-4Port VisitNZWellington, Queen's Wharf visited Wellington, NZ
1971-oct-7Aircraft4 Sea Kings from 826 NAS rescued crew of Steel Vendor which was breaking up in the South China Sea.
1971-oct-31DeploymentSGSembawang naval base Withdrawl from Singapore departed Singapore for the last time, ending the permanent Royal Navy presence in the Far East
1971-decPort VisitZADurban Harbour Durban Christmas visit to Durban, departed on 4 Jan 1972
1972-jan-23Aircraft826 NAS Sea Kings disembarked to RNAS Culdrose
1972-jan-26Decommissioneddecommissioned after decision taken that conversion for F-4K Phantom operations would be too expensive
1978-sep-4Fate: scrappedCairnryan Breakers Yard left HMD Devonport under tow on 4 Sep 1978 for Cairnryan, Scotland. Scrapping complete by 1980

Specifications

    

    from Audacious class
43000light (tn)
50000full load (tn)
250length (m)
34.40beam (m)
10.50draught (m)
7000range (nm)
29.25max speed (knots)
152000power (shp)
4Naval Engine steam turbines
4Missile Launcher Sea Cat
2Naval Radar air direction radar Type 982
1Naval Radar fire direction radar Type 275
2Naval Radar navigation radar Type 974

Aircraft

    

    Typical Max
UK Royal Navy Sikorsky S-55 H-19 00
UK Royal Navy Westland Whirlwind 00
UK Royal Navy Westland Wessex 60
UK Royal Navy Westland Sea King 60
UK Royal Navy Westland dragonfly 11

The Max option implies only aircraft of this model onboard    

Builder

    

UK Harland and Wolff, Belfast



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