The Royal Navy's 'Old Ark'

摘要

After pioneering naval aviation and launching the first true aircraft carrier, HMS Argus, in late 1917,the Royal Navy emerged from World War Ⅰ with two flattops under construction, the Eagle and Hermes. But battleships were still the reigning capital ships. Carrier development slowed after the war, and the British navy eventually had to face the next conflict with a mixed bag of flattops that were mostly converted warships or merchant vessels. The Eagle was a former battleship meant for Chile, the Vindictive was a converted heavy cruiser, and the Furious, Glorious, and Courageous had started out as light battlecruisers. Only one modern carrier was in British service when World War Ⅱ broke out in 1939-the Ark Royal.