The Illustrious was designed by the Royal Navy in 1936, laid-down at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard in Barrow on 27th April 1937 and was launched on the 5th April 1939. After the completion of sea trails, the ship was commissioned on the 21st June 1940.
The flight deck had armour plating 3.9 inches thick and she carried more than 60 aircraft and was fitted with 16 4.5 inch guns in twin mountings. She had no fewer than 48 40mm cannons for defence against air attack.
The Illustrious was involved in combat missions for the entire duration of World War II and suffered considerable combat damage. On the 12th November 1940, her Swordfish torpedo aircraft attacked the Italian fleet at Taranto. In January 1941, she was hit by three German 1000Kg bombs and was only saved by her armoured flight deck. After repair in the USA, she was involved in a collision with her sister-ship, the Formidable.
Illustrious took part in the landing at Madagascar in 1942 and the Salerno landings in 1943. At the end of 1944 she sailed to the Pacific with her sister-ships Victorious and Formidable as will as the Implacable and remained there until April 1945.
She was rebuilt at the end of the war and was used for trials, but was laid up in 1954 and scrapped in 1956.
Submitted by The Virtual Navy
The flight deck had armour plating 3.9 inches thick and she carried more than 60 aircraft and was fitted with 16 4.5 inch guns in twin mountings. She had no fewer than 48 40mm cannons for defence against air attack.
The Illustrious was involved in combat missions for the entire duration of World War II and suffered considerable combat damage. On the 12th November 1940, her Swordfish torpedo aircraft attacked the Italian fleet at Taranto. In January 1941, she was hit by three German 1000Kg bombs and was only saved by her armoured flight deck. After repair in the USA, she was involved in a collision with her sister-ship, the Formidable.
Illustrious took part in the landing at Madagascar in 1942 and the Salerno landings in 1943. At the end of 1944 she sailed to the Pacific with her sister-ships Victorious and Formidable as will as the Implacable and remained there until April 1945.
She was rebuilt at the end of the war and was used for trials, but was laid up in 1954 and scrapped in 1956.
Submitted by The Virtual Navy
