Steam was supplied by 12 cylindrical Scotch boilers. Two large cranes were positioned on the quarterdeck, beneath the rear of the flight deck. Since Argus was now classified as a naval auxiliary, her four-inch guns were removed. Her hangar could accommodate one of the new eighteen-plane Torpedo Aeroplane Squadrons equipped with Sopwith T.1s and provided for storage of thirty torpedoes. [7], Argus was re-commissioned at Portsmouth on 24 January, 1924. On her return to the United Kingdom she began a refit. 282–84, Shores, Cull and Malizia 1991, pp. An RAF Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter aircraft taking off and landing on the deck of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Argus, autumn 1918. The Royal Navy originally sought to have HMS Argus in operational service for 1917. A torpedo shop could store another twenty-eight weapons, which were presumably the 18-in Mark IX torpedo. [36] The Spitfires were flown off successfully, but the engines of the Albacores all began to overheat and they were forced to return to the carrier. Page 3 . Argus had her genesis in the Admiralty's desire during the First World War for an aircraft carrier that could fly off wheeled aircraft and land them aboard. Whilst in the United Kingdom, she loaded some Supermarine Spitfire fighters and returned to Gibraltar on 24 February. Petrol storage consisted of 8,000 imperial gallons (36,000 l; 9,600 US gal) in 2-imperial-gallon (9.1 l; 2.4 US gal) tins stowed below the waterline. She and the escort carrier Avenger joined a convoy returning to the United Kingdom on the evening of 14/15 November that was spotted by the Germans. Both Fulmars from 807 Squadron were shot down on 14 June by Italian bombers, but they likely shot down one Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 and one CANT Z.1007 bomber. Sh… [9] She could accommodate between 15 and 18 aircraft. the fleet air arm on board the british carrier hms argus. The latter ship also carried six Albacores bound for Malta as well, but the weather deteriorated over Malta and their fly-off was cancelled. The plan for Operation Spotter I was for Argus to provide fighter cover for Eagle as she flew off the Spitfires for Malta, but the operation had to be cancelled when the long-range fuel tanks of the Spitfires proved defective. Here's the Shapways3-d printed 1/700 HMS Argus having the WWI dazzle camouflage paint scheme being applied displayed with the Combrig 1/700 Armored Cruiser HMS Drake work in progress; As for the aircraft wing, I'll use some of the AJM 1/700 Vindictive Sopwith Pups' Camels etc for the Argus included in their 1/700 HMS Furious converted battlecruiser/Aircraft carrier kit. [20] Sometime after her return, Argus was laid up at Plymouth at 14-days readiness to save money. She rendezvoused with Force H four days later and launched the aircraft on the morning of 17 November. There are two cameras filming the event, on either side of the flight deck and forward of midships - the cameramen can be seen at work on a number of occasions. H.M.S. [27] Accompanied by the battleship Valiant and escorted by two destroyers, she returned to Liverpool to load 30 Hurricanes with their wings removed. [17], In July 1922, Argus was inclined to evaluate her stability in light of the additional weights that had been added since her completion and it was discovered that her metacentric height had been reduced by 0.83 feet (0.3 m). [9], She re-commissioned at the Nore on 19 January, 1927 for service in the Atlantic Fleet, with a Headquarters Flight and Flights 401, 422, and 441 embarked. The exhaust gases were, instead, ducted aft in the space between the roof of the hangar deck and the flight deck and were enclosed by a casing through which cooler air was driven by electric fans. [12] Formally named after Argus of the 100 Eyes from Greek mythology,[13] Argus was nicknamed the Hat Box or "Ditty Box" or the Flatiron due to her flat-topped appearance. Argus was an aircraft carrier completed for the Royal Navy in 1918, but which was originally designed to be the Italian ocean liner Conte Rosso. [9], The ship was armed with four 4-inch (102 mm) anti-aircraft guns, two on the quarterdeck and one on each side of the hull. [5], The ship's flight deck was 549 feet (167.3 m) long and her hangar was 330 feet (100.6 m) long, 48–68 feet (14.6–20.7 m) wide, and 16 feet (4.9 m) high. The problems were not rectified until 7 March, when the 15 Spitfires were successfully flown off. HMS Argus (1904) was a coastguard vessel launched in 1904, renamed HMS Argon in 1918 and sold in 1920. HMS Argus sports a dazzle paint scheme, 1917. She was converted from an ocean liner that was under construction when the First World War began and became the first example of the standard pattern of aircraft carrier, with a full-length flight deck that allowed wheeled aircraft to take off and land. The ship arrived on 8 November and she transferred some of her Hurricanes to Ark Royal. After returning to the UK for repairs, Argus was used again for deck-landing practice until late September 1944. The rear magazine and the torpedo warhead storage magazine were protected by a total of 2 inches (51 mm) of protective plating on all sides, but the forward magazine and bomb storage rooms had only a 2-inch thick deck to protect them. [6], Argus was laid down in 1914 by William Beardmore and Company in Dalmuir, as the Conte Rosso. [16], After the ship's return from its cruise, a conference was convened aboard Argus on 19 May to consider revised landing arrangements. The carrier rendezvoused with Furious and Convoy WS-5A before the combined force was discovered by the German cruiser Admiral Hipper on 25 December, but little damage was inflicted by Hipper before she was driven off by the escorts. F [30] After Furious's Skuas had flown off to search for Hipper, space was cleared to allow Argus' Swordfish to load the torpedoes, but the Skuas could not locate Hipper because of the poor visibility. [2], In November 1916, the ship's design was tested in a wind tunnel by the National Physical Laboratory to evaluate the turbulence caused by the twin islands and the bridge over them. Her refit was completed on 30 July 1938 and she underwent sea trials the following month. In addition, the ship's after lift was permanently locked in the raised position and 150 long tons (150 t) of ballast were added to compensate for the additional weight of the equipment high in the ship. The National Archives. Most read. [24], Afterwards, the ship returned to the UK to ferry 801 Squadron to Gibraltar and delivered the unit on 7 June. In November, the ship provided air cover during Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa and was slightly damaged by a bomb. She was also fitted with two low-angle 4-inch guns, one also on each side of the hull. This meant she was very steady, but heeled noticeably when turning. The islands were connected by braces and the bridge was mounted on top of the bracing, which left a clear height of 20 feet (6.1 m) for the aircraft on the flight deck. The National Archives. In April 1918, Argus was ordered to be modified to a flush-decked configuration after the sea trials of the carrier Furious had revealed severe turbulence problems caused by her superstructure. Argus was sold in late 1946 and scrapped the following year. HMS_Argus_(1917)_cropped. Full description. flush deck). Renamed Peninnis and operated by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company from 1920 to 1926. About this forum RFA Argus is a Primary Casualty Receiving Ship of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The ship carried 2,500 long tons (2,500 t) of fuel oil, which gave her a range of 3,600 nautical miles (6,700 km; 4,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). Palmer Service Record. She was carrying out this duty in the Gulf of Lion when the Second World War began. HMS Argus was a British aircraft carrier that served in the Royal Navy from 1918 to 1944. She spent one brief deployment on the China Station in the late 1920s before being placed in reserve for budgetary reasons. The National Archives. [13], Argus was commissioned at Devonport on 30 July, 1938.[14]. HMS Argus seen in 1918. It was ordered to return to the UK aboard Argus. [14][22] She was classified as a Target Aeroplane Carrier and recommissioned on 11 August 1938 with Captain W. G. Benn in command. This page was last modified on 11 September 2019, at 08:18. This was commonly divided up between one small flight of fighters (Gloster Nightjars or Fairey Flycatchers), one of spotters (Parnall Panthers or Avro Bisons), and one spotter reconnaissance flight with Fairey IIIs. The ship was reduced to Extended Reserve (four months readiness) at Rosyth in September 1932. Construction of the Italian ocean liners Conte Rosso and Giulio Cesare had been suspended by William Beardmore and Company at the outbreak of the war, and both met the Admiralty's criteria. [24][25] Together with the battlecruiser Hood and six destroyers, Argus escorted Convoy US-3, loaded with Australian and New Zealand troops, to the United Kingdom in mid-June. Of 804 Squadron on her return to the Alderney Steam Packet Company in Dalmuir, as the Rosso. New four-inch guns that used fixed ammunition, and Reykjavík in Iceland autumn 1918 with Force four... 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