HMS Illustrious cruise '47 - 49

[Agaricus bisporus]

An acquaintace of mine tells me he was aboard the Illustrious as a National Serviceman (Mech, A & E) for a world cruise of almost 2 years between '47 and '49.

He tells me they only embarked Barracudas and Sea Otters, plus Sea Vampires which landed on but could not be launched due to performance shortcomings and were therefore mothballed on board.

I'm very much hoping to be able to post photos of this deployment if he agrees - watch this space.

But what detail of this cruise is known? Anyone able to fill in some detail?

[Davidsoffice]

I'm sure the Neil McCart book would cover it. I don't have a copy to hand but your local library should be able to get one or buy here...FAN Publications : Maritime Books by Neil McCart (http://www.fanpublications.co.uk/)

[Double Zero]

I can understand the ' performance shortcomings ' as in early jet spool up times, I guess they and the catapults were not compatible for a good end result ?

[papajuliet]

The Neil Mcart book shows Illustrious as being in the Home Fleet in 1947 operating Barracudas, Sea Furies and Avengers - spent most of the time around the British Isles although she did visit Malta at the end of the year.Then returned to Portsmouth for a seven months refit.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Hmm. I rather wondered if the info I was given was completely accurate. He claimed that the ship had no catapult except for a cruiser-type (cordite?) system for launching the Otters, and they couldn't raise enough wind over the deck for the Vampires to launch.

I will find out mor in due course.

[david parry]

HMS ILLUSTRIOUS remained under refit after VJ Day in order to up-date her equipment fit and didnot resume service until June 1946. The ship was then used for deck-landing trials until reduce to Reserve status in 1947, Recommissioned in 1948 the ship had refitted for further trials and training duties during which she carried troops to Cyprus in 1951 and attended the Coronation Review at Spithead in June 1953 but never deployed with the operational Fleet. Placed in Reserveand laid up in the Gareloch this ship went on the Disposal List during 1956 and sold to BISCO for breaking-up at Faslane where she arrived in tow on 3rd November for demolition.

[edskarf]

As an aside HMS Illustrious received the first civilian deck landing on a Royal Navy ship when Auster J/1 Austocrat G-AERO touched down at the second attempt on 16 October 1946 just south of Nab Light. The Auster took off at 1600 hours after spending over 5 hours on board.