Aircraft carrier with peeled back flight deck.
- Thread starter Fw tanky
- Start date
Wightsparker
War Hero
I think the carrier you saw was the former HMCS Magnificent; I remember seeing her moored near the confluence of the Lynher with the Tamar in about 1964. I don't know about the peeled-back flight deck, though; this might have been an urban myth current at Raleigh at the time. There is certainly a reference to such an incident involving a fictional escort carrier in the WW2 novel "HMS Ulysses" by Alistair MacLean.
Another ship moored nearby by was the monitor HMS Roberts, complete with 15 inch guns.
Another ship moored nearby by was the monitor HMS Roberts, complete with 15 inch guns.
bollotom
War Hero
Wightsparker
War Hero
I don't recall that Magnificent looked like that. Certainly, urban myths did circulate ( and of course still do). One of Magnificent's sister ships, HMS Leviathan, was laid up uncompleted at Portsmouth for years. It was rumoured that she was never completed because her keel was twisted - and even that her designer had committed suicide over the failure - but I'm pretty sure that it was simply untrue.
HMS TUNA, had a massive key to allow the aircraft to be put away.....I'll get my coat 
I thought that was the SARDINE?HMS TUNA, had a massive key to allow the aircraft to be put away.....I'll get my coat
Only in your galley shippers
Well, who'd have thought it?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_corvette_Sardine_(1771)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_corvette_Sardine_(1771)
Naval_Gazer
GCM
I remember a similar photo of the flight deck peeled back almost as far as the island on one of 'Bull' Halsey's carriers following a Pacific storm but I've never been able to find it again.
Wightsparker
War Hero
US Navy image of hurricane damage to CV-12 (USS Hornet?) in 1945.
The RN was early to see the advantages of an enclosed bow (HMS Hermes in 1924), but the USN took longer to adopt the "hurricane" bow.
The RN did use a lot of US-designed escort carriers in WW2, though.
The RN was early to see the advantages of an enclosed bow (HMS Hermes in 1924), but the USN took longer to adopt the "hurricane" bow.
The RN did use a lot of US-designed escort carriers in WW2, though.
Wightsparker
War Hero
Looks like a bit of a design fault.....
Not so much peeled back, but simply crushed.
Still no sign of the sardine can effect, though.
Not so much peeled back, but simply crushed.
Still no sign of the sardine can effect, though.
Naval_Gazer
GCM
Thanks @Wightsparker but it was a different photo/different ship; probably an escort carrier. Perhaps it was even a different storm in a different sea. The flight deck was definitely 'peeled back'.
I saw the photo around 50 years ago in one of my father's set of books published immediately after the Second World War. We had to dispose of them when we moved abroad in the mid-1960s but I wish I had them now.
I saw the photo around 50 years ago in one of my father's set of books published immediately after the Second World War. We had to dispose of them when we moved abroad in the mid-1960s but I wish I had them now.
HMS Magnificent ex HMCS Magnificent
In 1964 I was with the reserve fleet and part of the duty was to climb up to the flight deck and turn on a bow lamp at nigh,t she had been heavily vandalised by then as you went past the radar room and all the RPI's were damaged. Majestic class loaned to the Canadians and was damaged on the bow being brought back to pay off and come of loan. the round over was severely buckled in quite a few places on return to uk 1956
There was another carrier further up river opposite the coaling jetty and HMS Adamant with all ships boats including admirals fmb left to rot also a number of steel fleet minesweepers further up and some frigates and destroyers if memory serves
Hope this helps even though a bit late
