Q&A · 2:24:19-2:26:30

Could Indomitable's hangars take Harriers?

Indomitable's two hangars offered enough clearance for a Sea Harrier, though with limited margin.

Question

What was Indomitable's hangar height, and could it accommodate a Harrier?

Short answer

With approximately 14- and 16-foot hangars, it could accommodate a Sea Harrier with a little over a foot of clearance.

Notes

The discussion identifies hangar heights of roughly fourteen and sixteen feet against a Sea Harrier height of about twelve feet two inches. That clearance is not generous, but it is enough to make stowage feasible. Indomitable's double-hangar arrangement differs from the larger Implacable and Indefatigable designs, so capacity should not be confused with simple height clearance. The exchange provides a concrete check on whether wartime carrier geometry could accept a much later aircraft.