Major refitair direction radar Type 984 until Dec 1957, major refit and modernisation to include an 8.75° angled flight deck, new radars and lengthened to 240m, two larger centreline lifts and first British carrier to be fitted with Jet Blast Deflectors (JBD), recommissioning on 14 Jan 1958
Accident Landing accident to 701 Sq C Flt Whirlwind XJ399, severed tail boom.
1958-jun-27
Port Visit
To Le Havre
1958-aug
Aircraft
until Feb 1959, Whirlwind HAS.7 of 824 Squadron allocated and embarked on 24 Sep alongside at Portsmouth. Deck letter now V
1958-sep-24
Aircraft
Whirlwind HAS.7 of 824 NAS embarked, whilst alongside in HMNB Portsmouth
1958-sep-27
Aircraft
Accident 824 NAS Whirlwind HAS.7 XL848 /336-V ditched off Portland
1958-oct
Aircraft
while Whirlwind HAS.7 engine problems being were rectified, temporarily took on 2 Whirlwind HAR.3 from 848 NAS at Hal Far, as plane guards.
1958-nov-6
Aircraft
Accident Whirlwind HAS.7 XL838/332-V /P of 824 NAS lost off Malta.
1959-feb
Aircraft
824 NAS Whirlwind HAS.7 grounded again and were transferred in late Feb to HMS Eagle in the Mediterranean, to return to the UK for further rectification
1959-mar
Refit
Enhanced maintenance period for 2 months at HMD Portsmouth.
1959-apr
Aircraft
assigned Dragonfly HR.5 WP495/967-V as SAR Flt, until c Dec 1959
1959-jun
Deployment
to US east coast for exercises with USN Jul-Aug 1959.
1960-mar
Refit
until Aug 1960, at HMD Portsmouth
1960-aug
Aircraft
until Apr 1961, Whirlwind HAS.7 of 825 Squadron assigned and embarked at least 7 airframes on 18 Sep.
1960-oct-18
Deployment
departed HMNB Portsmouth and embarking 825 NAS Whirlwind HAS.7s, for 2 month Mediterranean work up, returning 19 Dec 1960
departed Singapore for Hong Kong. Diverted en route for Persian Gulf.
1961-jul-9
Deployment
Operation Vantage Ordered off Kuwait from Far East duty on 29 Jun to join HMS Bulwark during a period of international tension and arrived 9 Jul. Relieved by HMS Centaur on 31 Jul.
Singapore departed Singapore for Far East deployment, returning HMNB Portsmouth summer 1965
1965-mar-15
Deployment
Exercise FOTEX 65Exercise FOTEX 65 Exercising off Singapore in multi-national Naval Force
1965-oct
Refit
Refit at HMNB Portsmouth, until spring 1966
1966-jul-8
Deployment
After re-commissioning on 7 Apr and work up, HMS Victorious sailed from HMNB Portsmouth to relieve HMS Eagle as East of Suez Carrier. Wessex of 814 NAS embarked. Arrived Singapore 8 Aug 1966 and eventually departed to UK 4 May 1967, being relieved by HMS Hermes, for Victorious to return to Portsmouth on 20 Jun 1967.
1966-sep-23
Port Visit
Victoria Harbour Visit to Hong Kong until 4 Oct during East of Suez carrier deployment