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Despite these good intentions, global
rearmament was very much on the
way, with Germany’s rapid military
expansion setting the tone, leaving
the peace-makers playing catch-up.
Ark Royal was officially laid down
in the midst of these developments
in September 1935. With no little
irony, Britain was in the problematic
position of fast needing to act, but
diplomatically restrained by the very
international restrictions that she
had been so keen to instigate in the
first place. The limitations on ship
tonnage in particular would have a
notable impact on the ultimate design
and build of Ark Royal. For example,
in order to stay within the individual
tonnage limits, plates in the hull
would be welded, rather than riveted,
significantly reducing the overall mass
by some 500 tons.A NEW BREED
One of the first carriers to operate in
an age of prominent naval air power,
Ark Royal was important in the wider
development of ‘flat tops’. From the
outset, she was built as a dedicated
carrier, and several innovations were
incorporated into the design. The
ship included integrated hangars, builtRIGHT
Finishing touches;
Ark Royal being
readied for service
in May 1938.BELOW
V-Adm Sir Lionel
Victor Wells with
Flag Lieutenant
Wyldbore Smith
on Ark Royal's
flight deck,
March 27, 1940.‘pom-pom’ guns and quick-firing 4.5in
guns, as well as machine guns at the
front and rear. Of course, her greatest
weapon was her cargo of planes,
whether dive-bomber fighters, such
as the Blackburn Skua, or the Fairey
Swordfish torpedo bomber. Some
60 aircraft could be accommodated.
When she was built, she was the
Royal Navy’s most expensive ship,
costing over £3 million – almost £213
million in today’s money but a snip
when compared with the £3.1bn cost
of the navy’s latest carrier HMS Queen
Elizabeth. She would be a key asset in
the British fleet and hence a key target- the ultimate prize for the enemy to
claim.
OPERATIONS BEGIN
In her short life, Ark Royal enjoyed a
colourful service history, deployed in
several key theatres of war across the
globe. Originally destined to serve in
the Far East, circumstances revised this
plan to the Mediterranean, which had
become the more pressing concernwithin the hull, rather than ‘bolt-ons’
on deck, as had been fairly typical
up to that point. Ark Royal had two
hangar decks for storing aircraft,
with integrated lifts to bring them
up ready for take-off. This gave her a
particularly high flight deck above
the waterline.
Ark Royal’s hull length was limited
so she could be accommodated by
the dry-dock facilities in Malta and
Gibraltar. Hence her appearance was
also characterized by large overhangs
on the flight deck, extending
considerably beyond the hull itself.
To reduce the length of runway
required, the carrier was an early
adopter of pioneering new hardware- steam-powered piston catapults and
arrestor gear – to assist take-off and
landing, respectively.
Ark Royal was fitted with a ‘torpedo
belt’ side protection system – a strap of
additional armour around the section
most vulnerable to torpedo strikes.
She was also well armed to fend off
air attacks, courtesy of an array of
“When she was built, she was the Royal Navy’s most expensive ship,
costing over £3 million – almost £213 million in today’s money”