McDONNELL DOUGLAS F-4K/M PHANTOM

摘要

In the early 1960s, the Royal Navy had an ageing but still effective fleet of five aircraft carriers capable of operating fixed-wing aircraft. Three of these were essentially of World War Two vintage and too small to embark a decent-sized Air Group. Two newer carriers, HMS Eagle and HMS Ark Royal, were in much better shape. With continuing refits, their life could realistically have been extended into the mid-1970s. To replace the other three, the Admiralty decided in 1963 to start the construction of a new British carrier, designated CVA-01. This would have been HMS Queen Elizabeth, of 54,500 tons with a flight deck 885.8ft (270m) in length.