Carrier name | HMS Leviathan |
Class | Majestic Class |
Type | Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier |
Ships in Class | Majestic, Terrible, Magnificent, Powerful, Leviathan, Hercules |
Launched | Laid down October 1943. Launched June 1945. Never completed. |
Tonnage | Displacement: 14,224 tons standard ; 18,085 tons full load |
Engines | Propulsion: Steam Turbines (4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, Parsons geared turbines), 40,000 shp. |
Speed in Knots | Speed: 25 knots |
Armament | Guns: 24 x 2 pdr AA ; 19 x 40 mm |
Crew Complement | Compliment: 1100 (including air group) |
Range | Range: 12,000 nmiles at 14 knots |
Length (ft/inches) | Dimensions: 630 pp, 650 wl, 695 oa x 80 x 23.5 feet |
Beam (ft/inches) | |
Draught (ft/inches) | |
Flight Deck length (ft/inches) | |
Flight Deck width (ft/inches) | |
Armour | |
Number of aircraft carried | 37 |
Fate of carrier | Never completed. Scrapped from May 1968. |
Notes | Originally part of the Colossus class, these last six ships were completed to a slightly modified design more suited to operating heavier aircraft. None commissioned into the Royal Navy, all but one being sold. |
Built by Swan Hunter. Laid down 18 October 1943. Launched 7 June 1945. Never completed, boilers removed 1968 to refit damaged ARA 25 de Mayo (formerly HMS Vengeance/HrMs Karel Doorman). Scrapped from May 1968. [Information by Geoff Toon]
In June 1966 it was announced that the nuclear powered 19,000 ton aircraft carrier was being rebuilt and converted for use as a radio ship.
Planned offshore radio station: The Voice of Britain relaying the BBC World Service to protest against the Apartheid movement in South Africa
Planned location: International waters off the coast of Mozambique