Dates: 1946 - 1978
HMS Eagle was an aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy, in service 1951-1972. With her sister ship Ark Royal, she is one of the two largest British aircraft carriers yet built.
She was initially laid down in 1942 at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast as one of four ships of the Audacious class. These were laid down during World War II as part of the British naval buildup during that conflict. However, two were cancelled at the end of hostilities, and the remaining two were suspended. Originally designated Audacious, she was finally launched as Eagle (the fifteenth Royal Navy ship to receive this name) in March 1946, after the Audacious class carrier Eagle was cancelled.
A number of changes were incorporated into the design, although Eagle was launched too early to see an angled flight deck installed, and the ship was commissioned in October 1951. A year later she took part in the first large NATO naval exercise, Exercise Mainbrace.
Her first wartime service came in 1956, when she took part in the Suez Crisis. The ship’s aircraft of that period included Westland Wyverns, Douglas Skyraiders, Armstrong Whitworth Sea Hawks and de Havilland Sea Venoms. An angled flight deck was fitted in 1956-1957 with a mirror landing sight. In 1959 she was taken to Devonport Dockyard for an extensive refit and modernisation along the lines of that given to HMS Victorious. She was re-commissioned in 1964 as a very new and different ship. In addition to major improvements to her accommodation, machinery and weaponry she also acquired a proper angled deck (at 8.5 degrees) with steam catapults, enlarged island and as a result of all these plus more changes; an increased displacement (+50,000 tons). This made her the largest ship in the Royal Navy. By this time, the airwing had changed to Blackburn Buccaneer, Sea Vixen and Fairey Gannet aircraft. The Supermarine Scimitar also saw service on the ship during this period before being replaced by the Buccaneer.
She was refitted at Devonport once more to give her the more powerful catapults and wires to operate the McDonnell Douglas Phantom. She re-commissioned in 1967. Eagle had the more advanced 984-series radar then her sister ship Ark Royal and incorporated a digital computerised AIO Syste (ADA). This was to be the fore-runner of the ADAWS weapon computers fitted in subsequent RN DLGs. However, by the mid-1960s, the British Government had decided that the days of the large Royal Navy aircraft carrier were limited. The fleet was swiftly run down, with Eagle being the penultimate to decommission. Initially it had been intended that Ark Royal be decommissioned before Eagle, but when Eagle shed a propeller blade the decision was taken to remove her from service instead of Ark Royal, rather than construct a new propeller. She was paid off in January 1972 at Portsmouth, and was stripped of reusable equipment (Radars and missile systems primarily), after which she was towed to Devonport where she was placed in reserve. Up until 1976 she was officially still in reserve but had been used as a source of parts for Ark Royal until the latter decommissioned as well in 1978. Eagle was then sold for scrap and towed from Devonport in October 1978 to Cairnryan near Stranraer to be broken up, clearing her mooring space in Plymouth sound for the Ark Royal, which after decommissioning was laid up there for two years. Eagle was completely broken up by the time her sister arrived at Cairnryan in November 1980. One of her Anchors (along with one of Ark Royal’s) stands guard at the entrance to the FAA museum in Yeovilton.
Memories of HMS Eagle
malta visit HMS Eagle in 1971Written by les daniels(danny)
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"what a great time had by all ,my fiance came for three weeks we toured the island with the ships country & western group does any one know where they are now?.I'm also trying to contact an old friend Eddie Jones (scouse) he married a plymouth lass called Janet Norman from stonehouse my rank was MEM."
HMS EAGLE in 2011Written by john
Contact this person >> "We were anchored in MOMBASA the day of the world cup final .The ships sparkys had the match on in the radio room They were shouting the scores down as they happened When the final whistle went our ships siren let rip along with several other british ships it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!!!!!!!"
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Eagle
" My father was on board HMS Eagle (an aircraft carrier) which was doing an exercise with the Americans. They received a signal from the USS Nimitz (a huge US aircraft carrier) as follows; Nimitz to Eagle: "Hey Brits, How does it feel it to be in the 2nd biggest Navy in the World?" Eagle to Nimitz: "It’s okay, how does it feel to be in the 2nd best Navy in the World?" "
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" My old dad was in the Mob for 25 years and was a huge fan of "poetic justice" as he called it. They were on HMS Eagle and were on a visit to Gib for a few days. One of the youngest ratings got a right pasting by one of the older (and senior) ratings who used a weapon to break a number of bones ..."
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" You were lucky Alan, only had one ship (HMS Eagle) where I had a bunk, rest of the time was in a really comfy hammock. "
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" Quoting: ian codling Reminds me of the fifty styles Don. Cop this load of wasters. Me on the pipe.Cyprus 59/60? [6.jpg] Last edited by ian codling was in Cyprus in 59 on HMS Eagle we were only alowed to the beach golden sand in them days Ian,but it was a break from being on board.... don "
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"Tea making ...place ...flight deck locker HMS Eagle circa 1958/9 Who put a cupful of Soda crystals in the tea urn??????????no,it wast me honest, but I know a man that did!!!!!!! "
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