HMS Illustrious was the lead ship of her class of aircraft carriers built for the Royal Navy (four vessels: HM Ships Illustrious, Formidable, Victorious and Indomitable). After completion and working up she operated with the Mediterranean Fleet, in which her aircraft’s most notable achievement was sinking one Italian battleship and badly damaging two others during the Battle of Taranto in late 1940. Two months later the carrier was crippled by German dive bombers and was repaired in the United States. After sustaining damage on the voyage home in late 1941 by a collision with her sister ship Formidable, Illustrious was sent to the Indian Ocean in early 1942 to support the invasion of Vichy French Madagascar (Operation Ironclad). After returning home in early 1943, the ship was given a lengthy refit and briefly assigned to the Home Fleet. She was transferred to Force H for the Battle of Salerno in mid-1943 and then re-joined the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean at the beginning of 1944. Her aircraft attacked several targets in the Japanese-occupied Dutch East Indies over the following year before Illustrious was transferred to the newly formed British Pacific Fleet (BPF). The carrier participated in the early stages of the Battle of Okinawa until mechanical defects arising from accumulated battle damage became so severe she was ordered home early for repairs in May 1945.
The war ended while she was in the dockyard and the Admiralty decided to modify her for use as the Home Fleet’s trials and training carrier. In this role she conducted the deck-landing trials for most of the British post-war naval aircraft in the early 1950s. She was paid off in early 1955 and sold for scrap in late 1956.
HMS Illustrious on the building slip, Barrow, 1 April 1939HMS King George V, the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, and the cruiser HMS Nigeria, under construction at Vickers-Armstrong, mid August 1940HMS Illustrious at DevonportHMS Illustrious at GreenockHMS Illustrious in 1940HMS Illustrious July 1942 taken from the cruiser HMS MauritiusHMS Illustrious July 1942 taken from the cruiser HMS MauritiusHMS Illustrious August 1942HMS Illustrious 25 Nov 1942 taken from the destroyer HMS DerwentHMS Illustrious at Malta 1943. HMS Rodney and Orion behindHMS Illustrious 18 Jan 1943 Cape of Good HopeHMS Illustrious June 1943January 1944 HMS Illustrious en route to the PacificJanuary 1944 HMS Illustrious en route to the PacificHMS Unicorn, HMS Renown, and HMS Illustrious in CeylonHMS Illustrious with Type 281 Radar InstalledA Grumman Avenger Flying over HMS Illustrious while with the British Pacific FleetHMS Illustrious in Sydney March 1943 with Chance-Vought Corsair, Avenger and Supermarine Walrus on deckMarch 1, 1945 HMS Illustrious seen at Sydney, NSW, Australia.HMS IllustriousHMS IllustriousHMS IllustriousHMS IllustriousHMS IllustriousHMS Illustrious
Under Attack
January 10, 1941 Bomb splash near HMS Illustrious.January 10, 1941 Bomb splashes near HMS Illustrious.January 10, 1941 HMS Illustrious under aerial attackJanuary 10, 1941 Splashes mark the bombs falling around HMS Illustrious.January 10, 1941 HMS Illustrious under attack by German and Italian aircraft west of MaltaJanuary 10, 1941 HMS Illustrious under attack by German and Italian aircraft west of MaltaJanuary 10, 1941 HMS Illustrious under attack by German and Italian aircraft west of MaltaJanuary 10, 1941 Splashes mark the bombs falling around HMS Illustrious.
Damage
HMS Illustrious after being bombed 10 Jan 1941January 1941 Hole in the armoured flight deck where a 1,250 lb. bomb crashed through.January 1941 Damage from a bomb passing through the port side forward flight deck, the bomb exploded in waterDamage 1942 after collision with HMS Formidable
Under Repair
January 1941 HMS Illustrious under repair at Malta. The remains of the aft lift are being removedJanuary 1941 HMS Illustrious under repair at Malta. The remains of the aft lift are being removedJanuary 1941 HMS Illustrious under repair at MaltaJanuary 1941 HMS Illustrious under repair at Malta. The shattered remains of the aft lift.May 20, 1941 HMS Illustrious in drydock at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard to repair damage from the January 10 attackAt the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, following battle damage repairs, November 1941
Refuelling The Destroyer HMS Derwent
HMS Illustrious refuelling the destroyer HMS Derwent 18 Oct 1942HMS Illustrious refuelling the destroyer HMS Derwent 18 Oct 1942HMS Illustrious refuelling the destroyer HMS Derwent 18 Oct 1942HMS Illustrious refuelling the destroyer HMS Derwent 18 Oct 1942
Detail Photos
November 1940 Bombs about to be dropped on the Italian Fleet at Taranto seen on the flight deck of HMS IllustriousA 40mm Pom-pom gun on HMS Illustrious.
Post War
HMS IllustriousHMS IllustriousHMS Illustrious seen in 1946.HMS Illustrious March 1947HMS Illustrious 1947 running flight trialsHMS Illustrious seen in 1952HMS Illustrious 1954 wit the first mirror landing systemHMS Illustrious off Trondheim, Norway, June 1954
Testing the Mirror Landing System
HMS Illustrious 1954 wit the first mirror landing systemTesting the mirror landing system in 1954 with a Westland Wyvern landing on HMS IllustriousTesting the mirror landing system in 1954 with a Sea Vampire on HMS IllustriousTesting the mirror landing system in 1954
A prototype Firebrand TF Mk II undergoing trials on HMS Illustrious A prototype Firebrand TF Mk II undergoing trials on HMS Illustrious A prototype Firebrand TF Mk II undergoing trials on HMS Illustrious A prototype Firebrand TF Mk II undergoing trials on HMS Illustrious Blackburn Firebrand T.F. IVA prototype Firebrand TF Mk II landing on HMS Illustrious A prototype Firebrand TF Mk II landing on HMS Illustrious A prototype Firebrand TF Mk II landing on HMS Illustrious A prototype Firebrand TF Mk II undergoing trials on HMS Illustrious
Barracuda torpedo aircraft taking off from HMS Illustrious on the ClydeFairey Barracuda Mk.III ME261 of HMS Illustrious 815 Sqn21 June 1941 Barracudas and Corsairs on the forward end of the flight deck of HMS Illustrious being stowed after the raid on the Andaman IslandsMartlet IV’s Fairey Barracudas and Supermarine Seafires on the flight deck of HMS Illustrious in the North Sea July 1943Fairey Barracuda landing on HMS Illustrious 1948Fairey Barracuda Mk. V RK571 of the ships flight aboard HMS Illustrious 1947-48
Arming a Fairey Swordfish on HMS Illustrious 20 Oct 1942Arming a Fairey Swordfish on HMS Illustrious 20 Oct 1942Arming a Fairey Swordfish on HMS Illustrious 20 Oct 1942
Grumman Avenger parked on the flight deck shows her ‘war decorations’, 4 bombing missions and 1 unusual credit of a flying bomb shot down. HMS IllustriousBombing up a Grumman Avenger aircraft on the flight deck of HMS Illustrious sailing in the Indian Ocean in readiness for the raid on SurabayaBomb bay of a loaded Avenger aircraft May 1944Grumman Avengers and Vought Corsairs on the flight deck May 1944 Indian OceanA Grumman Avenger of HMS Illustrious bombing up for the raid on the Japanese Oil Refineries, Palembang, Sumatra Feb 1945Grumman Avengers and Vought Corsairs on the flight deck May 1944 Indian OceanHMS Illustrious in Sydney March 1943 with Chance-Vought Corsair, Avenger and Supermarine Walrus on deckA Grumman Avenger Flying over HMS Illustrious while with the British Pacific FleetGrumman Avenger and Hawke Sea Fury on HMS Illustrious. Post war. Note the Dutch Sea Fury.
Grumman Martlet aboard HMS IllustriousMartlet IV’s Fairey Barracudas and Supermarine Seafires on the flight deck of HMS Illustrious in the North Sea July 1943
Hawker Sea Fury fighters on HMS IlustriousDutch Hawker Sea Fury on HMS Illustrious on Exercise Mariner 1953Dutch Hawker Sea Fury on HMS Illustrious on Exercise Mariner 1953Dutch Hawker Sea Fury on HMS Illustrious on Exercise Mariner 1953Hawker Sea Fury Crash on HMS IllustriousDutch Hawker Sea Fury Crash on HMS IllustriousHawker Sea Fury Crash on HMS IllustriousHawker Sea Fury Crash on HMS Illustrious25 May 1949. Hawker Sea Fury crash aboard HMS Illustrious.25 May 1949. Hawker Sea Fury crash aboard HMS Illustrious. The pilot being assisted from the scene of the crash by an officer.
Supermarine Seafire Mk.IIIC on trials aboard HMS Illustrious 8/9 Feb 1943Supermarine Seafire Mk.IIIC on trials aboard HMS Illustrious 8/9 Feb 1943Supermarine Seafire Mk.IIIC on trials aboard HMS Illustrious 8/9 Feb 1943Supermarine Seafire Mk.IIIC on trials aboard HMS Illustrious 8/9 Feb 1943Martlet IV’s Fairey Barracudas and Supermarine Seafires on the flight deck of HMS Illustrious in the North Sea July 1943
Vought F4U Corsair landing on HMS IllustriousVought Corsair landing on HMS Illustrious Dec 1943Vought Corsair taxiing away from the deck landing area of HMS Illustrious.Vought F4U Corsair having just landed on HMS IllustriousVought Corsair is brought up from the hangar on the forward lift of HMS Illustrious May 1944Corsairs lined up on the flight deck of HMS Illustrious May 1944Damage to a Corsair after a raid on the Andaman Islands 21 June 1944.21 June 1944 Barracudas and Corsairs on the forward end of the flight deck of HMS Illustrious being stowed after the raid on the Andaman IslandsVought Corsair fighters on HMS Illustrious during a strike on BelawanApril 1945 Sub Lieut (A) M Barbour, RNZNVR, of Wellington, NZ in his Corsair aboard HMS Illustrious21 June 1944 Sub Lieut (A) John R examining a bullet hole and anti-aircraft damage to his Corsair after an attack on the Andaman IslandsApril 1945 Vought Corsair Sub Lieut (A) J W Maybank, RNZNVR, and Maintenance Crew. Left to right: AME John Cassidy, AMA C G Tombs HMS IllustriousSub Lieut (A) G S Salmon of Harrow, fighter pilot of HMS Illustrious in his CorsairVought Corsair, pilot and ground crew aboard HMS Illustrious April 1945Corsairs of the HMS Illustrious ranged before taking off to strafe Japanese airfields in SumatraA Chance-Vought Corsair JT208 buckles a wing on landing May 1944Grumman Avengers and Vought Corsairs on the flight deck May 1944 Indian OceanGrumman Avengers and Vought Corsairs on the flight deck May 1944 Indian OceanVought Corsair taking off from HMS Illustrious 21 Dec 1944Vought Corsair takes off from the flight deck of HMS IllustriousVought Corsairs in the hanger of HMS IllustriousVought F4U Corsair after colliding with HMS Illustrious islandLieut P S Cole DSC, RN, back from a straffing airfields in Formosa makes a crash landing in his Chance-Vought Corsair and finishes up near the island. He climbed out and firefighters saw that the machine did not catch fire.After strafing Formosa airfields in his Chance-Vought Corsair fighter, Sub Lieut (A) J H Clarke, RNZNVR, escaped unhurt from this crash-landingVought F4U Corsair with one wheel of the flight deck of HMS IllustriousVought Corsair crash aboard HMS Illustrious
