Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:15:21-1:15:58

Repairing Ark Royal after a successful tow

If Ark Royal reached Gibraltar, temporary work could send her to an American yard within a month for about six months of full repair.

Aircraft CarriersDamage ControlGibraltarHMS Ark RoyalNaval RepairUnited States
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Question

If Ark Royal had reached Gibraltar, how soon could she go to the United States and return from repair?

Short answer

Perhaps a month to prepare for the crossing and about six months for full American repairs and refit work.

Notes

If Ark Royal had remained afloat and reached Gibraltar, temporary repairs could have prepared her for an American yard. The rough estimate allows about a month before she could leave for the crossing. A comprehensive repair programme might then take about six months. That work would include needed refits and full peacetime repairs, with relatively few design changes expected.