The Centaur-class ships Centaur, Albion, Bulwark, and Hermes joined the larger Eagle and Ark Royal in the postwar carrier programme. Construction began during the Second World War, but commissioning dates in the 1950s made most of them new operational ships at Suez. Hermes, laid down as HMS Elephant, entered service after the crisis and later became the Indian Navy's INS Viraat. HMS Victorious also returned to service. Six carriers commissioned after 1950 gave Britain substantial carrier capacity at the start of the jet era, without depending entirely on worn wartime hulls.
Chapter · 1:26-4:37
The Royal Navy's new postwar carrier fleet
Meet the Centaur- and Audacious-class carriers that gave the Royal Navy a largely new carrier force by the Suez Crisis.