HMS Ark Royal

Sunk

Type	Aircraft carrier
War	Second World War
Main guns	16 × 4.5″ guns in 8 twin mounts

Force H's carrier. Her Swordfish attacked Strasbourg and Dunkerque after Mers-el-Kébir and crippled Bismarck's steering in May 1941. Torpedoed by U-81 off Gibraltar on 13 November 1941 and sank the next day; one man was killed.

The British Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (91) photographed circa 1939. A Fairey Swordfish aircraft is taking off as another approaches from astern. Two are visible in the background. Photo: US Navy, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Armament and specifications

Armament

8 × twin 4.5 in (110 mm) DP guns
4 × quadruple 2-pdr (40 mm (1.57 in)) AA guns
8 × quadruple .50 in (12.7 mm) AA machine guns

Armour

Belt: 4.5 in (11.4 cm)
Deck: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) over boiler rooms and magazines

Builder	Cammell Laird
Laid down	16 September 1935
Launched	13 April 1937
Commissioned	16 December 1938
Displacement	22,000 long tons (22,353 t) (standard) 27,720 long tons (28,165 t) (deep load)
Length	800 ft (240 m) overall 721 ft 6 in (219.91 m) waterline
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) as designed 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph) actual
Complement	1,580 officers and ratings