FOURTH ARK ROYAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27381, 5 May 1950, Page 7

FOURTH ARK ROYAL

Powerful New Fleet Unit LAUNCHING BY QUEEN NZPA—Reuter—Copyright LONDON, May 3. Queen Elizabeth this afternqon launched the new Ark Royal, Britain s biggest aircraft carrier, at Birkenhead The Ark Royal has a displacement of 36,800 tons, and will be capable ■ of flying off the largest and heaviest aircraft of the Royal Navy. Officers and men of the old Ark Royal had grandstand seats in Cammell Laird’s shipyard to see the launching. On board the aircraft carrier Illustrious were 1000 other privileged guests. The Illustrious was moored in Mersey docks after -sailing up from Plymouth for the occasion. Sea Hornets, Sea Furies. Seafires, and reserve squadrons of naval aircraft flew past after the Queen had launched the Ark Royal. Her armament will include several flights of planes, many of them jetpropelled. High-speed lifts will enable them to be made ready for action at a few minutes’ notice, making the Ark Royal the most powerful striking unit of the British Fleet. , The First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Hall, proposing the toast of ‘ The Builders ” at the luncheon after the launching, said that, when completed, the new Ark Royal would be the most modern carrier in the world. Much of the scientific research knowledge and experience obtained during and since the Second World War was being used in her equipment. Ihe Ark Royal would be able all new types of naval aircraft which would be forthcoming in the foreseeable future. ~ „ Lord Hall said: “ Together with her sister ship, HMS Eagle, she will greatly strengthen the Naval Air Arm. I have no doubt that these ships, constructed with all the skill and ability of our shipbuilders, will be the envy of many nations.”

The ship launched by the Queen replaces the 22,000-ton Ark Royal, lost during the Second World War. Tpa* Ark Royal was a favourite target of the Germans, who claimed to several occasions to have sunk her. More than once, following their claims of having torpedoed the aircraft carrier, they taunted Britain over the radio: “ Where is the Ark Royal? A legend of unsinkability grew around the ship, but on November 14, 1941, she was torpedoed in the Mediterranean when 150 miles from the safety of Gibraltar She did not sink immediately, but foundered while in tow. Only one life was reported lost at the time. The new Ark Royal is the fourth of her name, the first having been launched, appropriately enough by England's first Queen Elizabeth in 1587.