View source for HMS Indomitable (92)

{{short description|1941 Illustrious-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy}}
{{other ships|HMS Indomitable}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Indomitable (92) underway 1943.jpg
|Ship caption=''Indomitable'' in 1943
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[United Kingdom]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name=''Indomitable''
|Ship ordered=6 July 1937
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Vickers-Armstrong]], [[Barrow-in-Furness]]
|Ship laid down=10 November 1937
|Ship launched=26 March 1940
|Ship christened=
|Ship commissioned=10 October 1941
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: 92
|Ship fate=Sold for [[ship breaking|scrap]], 1955
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=Modified {{sclass|Illustrious|aircraft carrier}}
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|23000|LT|t|lk=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
|Ship length= {{convert|230.0|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|29.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught= {{convert|8.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=3 shafts; geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship power=*6 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
*{{convert|111000|shp|kW|lk=on}}
|Ship speed={{convert|30.5|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{cvt|11000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|14|kn}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship complement=*1,392
*2,100 (later)
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*8 × twin [[QF 4.5-inch Mk I – V naval gun|{{cvt|4.5|in|0}}]] [[AA gun]]s
*6 × octuple [[QF 2-pounder naval gun|2 pdr ({{cvt|40|mm}})]] AA guns
*10 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|{{cvt|20|mm|1}}]] AA guns
|Ship armour=
|Ship aircraft=48–55
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''HMS ''Indomitable''''' was a modified {{sclass|Illustrious|aircraft carrier}} built for the [[Royal Navy]] during World War II. Originally planned to be the fourth of the class, she was redesigned to enable her to operate more aircraft, 48 instead of 36. A second [[hangar]] was added above the original, raising the [[flight deck]] by {{convert|14|ft|m|1}}, although the hangar-side armour had to be reduced to compensate. The lower hangar was made shorter than the upper hangar due to the need for extra workshops and accommodation to support the added aircraft.<ref>Hobbs, p. 100</ref>

==Construction and early history==
[[File:Martlet landing on HMS Indomitable (92).jpg|thumb|left|An LSO aboard ''Indomitable'' in 1942]]
''Indomitable'' was [[Keel laying|laid down]] by [[Vickers-Armstrong]] at [[Barrow-in-Furness]], on 10 November 1937. She was [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 26 March 1940 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] the following year in October. She was christened by [[Clementine Churchill]].

She sailed to the [[West Indies]] in November 1941 for her maiden voyage. While there, ''Indomitable'' ran aground on a coral reef near [[British Jamaica|Jamaica]], though she returned to service soon afterwards. This did mean she did not reach [[Southeast Asia]] in time to provide air cover for [[Force Z]], a naval force sent to deter the Japanese from attacking [[British Singapore | Singapore]]. This force was [[Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse|sunk by Japanese aircraft]] when the Japanese landed in [[British Malaya|Malaya]] in December 1941. The following month, in January 1942, ''Indomitable'' joined the [[East Indies Fleet|Eastern Fleet]] based at [[Ceylon]] (now [[Sri Lanka]]). At the end of January, she ferried 48 [[Royal Air Force]] [[Hawker Hurricane]]s to airfields in [[Sumatra]] in the [[Dutch East Indies]], to reinforce the air defenses of Singapore, but a large proportion of the [[Hawker Hurricanes]] were destroyed on the ground by Japanese air raids. The British commanders in Singapore [[Battle of Singapore|surrendered to the Japanese]] on 15 February.

After the fall of Britain's remaining Far Eastern colonies [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] and [[British Burma | Burma]], ''Indomitable'' was redeployed. A new Eastern Fleet was established under the command of Admiral [[James Somerville (admiral)|Sir James Somerville]]. ''Indomitable'', and her [[sister ship]] {{HMS|Formidable|67|2}} were the only modern aircraft carriers of the Fleet, and were a vital asset to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] in the [[Far East]]; the only other carrier, {{HMS|Hermes|1923|2}}, was obsolete.

In April 1942 Somerville attempted to intercept the Japanese carrier strike force during their [[Indian Ocean raid]].  Incomplete intelligence led him to abandon his ambush just hours before the Japanese force arrived. Over the next few days ''Indomitable'' was part of a force that attempted to intercept the Japanese fleet at night, where the slow but [[radar]]-equipped [[Fairey Albacore|British torpedo planes]] would have the best chance of a successful strike. Despite several days of searching, no decisive action was achieved and Somerville eventually withdrew his fast carriers to [[Mumbai|Bombay]]. ''Hermes'', the Australian destroyer {{HMAS|Vampire|D68|6}}, the corvette {{HMS|Hollyhock|K64|6}} and two heavy cruisers, {{HMS|Cornwall|56|2}} and {{HMS|Dorsetshire|40|2}}, were sunk in action during this Japanese raid, as were a score of [[Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)|merchant ships]].

In May 1942 the British launched [[Battle of Madagascar|Operation Ironclad]], the invasion of French [[Madagascar]]. It was feared that the Japanese would themselves occupy Madagascar and use it as a [[submarine]] base to attack Allied convoy routes in the Indian Ocean.<ref name="dust p276-7">Shores 1996, pp. 276–277.</ref>

''Indomitable'' was detached from the Eastern Fleet to take part in the invasion, rendezvousing with the covering force (which included sister ship {{HMS|Illustrious|R87|2}}) and the invasion force which had been sent from [[Durban]], [[South Africa]].<ref name="Rohwer p136">Rohwer and Hümmelchen 1992, p. 136.</ref><ref name="dust p278">Shores 1996, p. 278.</ref> The assault began on 5 May at [[Courrier Bay]], just west of the actual objective of [[Diego-Suarez|Diego Suarez]]. ''Indomitable''{{'}}s air wing attacked [[Arrachart Airport|Arrachart airfield]] on the opening day of the invasion, destroying five [[Morane-Saulnier M.S.406]] fighters and damaging two more as well as two [[Potez 63.11]]s.<ref name="dust p279">Shores 1996, p. 279</ref> The following day a ground assault began, with ''Indomitable''{{'}}s [[Fairey Albacore|Albacores]] bombing the defences and her [[Fairey Fulmar|Fulmars]] and [[Hawker Sea Hurricane|Sea Hurricanes]] flying ground attack sorties. French forces in Diego Suarez surrendered on 7 May.<ref name="dust p280-3">Shores 1996, pp. 280–283.</ref> On 8 May, the French submarine {{ship|French submarine|Monge|Q144|2}} attempted to torpedo ''Indomitable'' but was sunk by depth charges from the destroyers {{HMS|Active|H14|6}} and {{HMS|Panther|G41|2}}.<ref name="Rohwer p136"/><ref name="navhist">{{cite web|last=Mason|first=Geoffry B|title= HMS INDOMITABLE - Illustrious-class Fleet Aircraft Carrier including Convoy Escort Movements|year=2003|work=Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2|publisher=naval-history.net|access-date=23 August 2014|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-04CV-HMS_Indomitable.htm}}</ref>

==The Mediterranean==

[[File:HMS Charybdis screening.jpg|thumb|12 August 1942: ''Indomitable'' on fire after being bombed. {{HMS|Charybdis|88|6}} is screening the carrier.]]
In July, ''Indomitable'' returned to the [[United Kingdom]]. She was soon back in action, participating in [[Operation Pedestal]], the largest [[Malta Convoys|convoy]] to supply the besieged island of [[Malta]]. This convoy comprised 14 cargo ships and an unprecedentedly large escort of warships: {{HMS|Cairo|D87|2}}, {{HMS|Charybdis|88|2}}, {{HMS|Eagle|1918|2}}, ''Indomitable'', {{HMS|Victorious|R38|2}}, {{HMS|Kenya|C14|2}}, {{HMS|Manchester|C15|2}}, {{HMS|Nelson|28|2}}, {{HMS|Nigeria|60|2}}, {{HMS|Phoebe|43|2}}, {{HMS|Rodney|29|2}}, {{HMS|Sirius|82|2}} and 32 destroyers. One objective was for {{HMS|Furious|47|2}} to launch her [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfires]] to land at Malta, where they would remain; this was done on 11 August, and ''Furious'' returned to [[Gibraltar]].

During the operation ''Indomitable'' was hit by two 500&nbsp;kg bombs (by [[Junkers Ju 87|Ju 87s]] belonging to [[StG 3]]) and suffered three near misses. One 500&nbsp;kg bomb penetrated the unarmoured portion of the flight deck, causing damage that required her to withdraw for repairs, although she was able to steam at {{convert|28.5|kn}} fewer than two hours after the hits.<ref>Friedman, p. 151</ref> Casualties were 6 officers and 40 ratings killed, and 70 ratings wounded.  <ref>[https://www.armouredcarriers.com/adm26784/2014/10/16/indomitable-august-12-damage-report-bomb-shell Section X. Effect on Fighting Efficiency. 16 October 2014]</ref>  (The attack may be viewed at the seventeen-minute mark of the documentary ''Malta Convoy'' listed in the external links section). She sailed to Liverpool's Gladsone Dock, where repairs were completed in February 1943, after which she worked up off Scapa Flow and in the Clyde area before returning to the [[Mediterranean]] in the build-up to Operation Husky.

She was torpedoed by a [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79]] of 204<sup>a</sup> ''Squadriglia'' of the 41° Torpedo Bomber Group on 16 July<ref>Shores 2018, pp. 209–210</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.godfreydykes.info/INDOM_1.jpg?01DB4647 |title=H.M.S Indomitable-Torpedoed-16.7.43 |access-date=29 October 2012 |archive-date=31 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831184425/http://www.godfreydykes.info/INDOM_1.jpg?01DB4647 |url-status=dead }}</ref> while supporting the buildup for the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]] (Operation Husky) and returned again to the United States, where repairs were completed. She commenced sea trials 10 April 1944.<ref>McCart, p. 126</ref>

==The Far East==
''Indomitable'' returned to the Eastern Fleet in early 1944.  She and ''Victorious'' launched bombers against Sumatra in August and September. They later bombed the [[Nicobar Islands]], after which ''Indomitable'' joined up with ''Illustrious'' to attack [[Medan, Indonesia|Medan]] and Sumatra again on 20 December. The following year, ''Indomitable'' joined the [[British Pacific Fleet]]. On 4 January 1945 she, her sister ship ''Victorious'' and another fleet carrier {{HMS|Indefatigable|R10|2}} attacked Medan. Subsequent actions were taken against [[Palembang]] and Sumatra, later in January. On 4 May 1945 she was hit by a ''[[kamikaze]]'', but her [[armoured flight deck]] saved her from serious damage. In August, with the war ending, ''Indomitable'' supported the liberation of [[Hong Kong]], arriving after a landing party from {{HMCS|Prince Robert}} had taken the Japanese surrender. Her aircraft flew the carrier's last combat missions of the war and of her career on 31 August and 1 September against Japanese suicide boats which were attacking British forces.

==Post-war==
''Indomitable'' returned to the UK in November 1945. The following year she carried the [[Great Britain national rugby league team]] to [[Australia]] on their first post-war tour, earning the team the nickname, 'The Indomitables'. In 1947, she was placed in reserve, and then given a refit that took three years, from 1947 to 1950. Late in her refit her boilers were discovered to have only 10 years of life, and the engine spaces had to be torn apart and rebuilt to replace the boilers. Upon the completion of her refit she returned to operational duty with the [[Home Fleet]] in far cooler climates than her wartime operations. She was unique in carrying the day-and-night [[de Havilland Hornet]] fighter, and the navalised Sea Hornet NF.12 radar-equipped night fighter<ref>Beaver, 1987 p.145</ref> also carried by {{HMS|Eagle|R05|6}} in 1951–53,<ref>Beaver, 1987 p. 145</ref> which was faster and longer-ranged compared to the carrier's [[Blackburn Firebrand]] torpedo strike aircraft.<ref>Polar, 2011 pp.15–15</ref>

In 1951, ''Indomitable'' replaced the Royal Navy's last battleship, {{HMS|Vanguard|23|6}}, as the Home Fleet flagship. On 3 February 1953, she was badly damaged by an internal fire and explosion, due to arson  sabotage.<ref name="vdv339"> D. Van Der Vat. ''The Standard of Power. The Royal Navy in the Twentieth Century'' (2001) p 339 </ref> Sabotage was not uncommon in the 1950s Royal Navy: major fleet units assigned to the Far East were often sabotaged by disgruntled crew embittered by poor living conditions. <ref name=vdv339/> The damage was later covered in concrete and never repaired. In the same year, she sailed to take part in the [[Fleet Review]] to celebrate the [[Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II]].<ref>Souvenir Programme, ''Coronation Review of the Fleet, Spithead, 15th June 1953'', HMSO, Gale and Polden</ref> She then did deck landings in the [[English Channel|Channel]] the same month. with the prototype mirror landing light setup to make the landing of faster jet aircraft more efficient and safer<ref>  D. Hobbs.  ''The British Carrier Strike Fleet after  1945'' (2021) p102 </ref> replacing the batsman. ''Indomitable'' was not modernized for several reasons, chief of which was that to make her capable of handling jet aircraft, her hangar height would have to be increased from {{convert|14|ft|m}} to {{convert|17.5|ft|m}}. This would require tearing the ship down to the hangar deck itself. Given the escalating costs of the modernization of her half-sister ''Victorious'', the Admiralty decided against a complete modernization for a ship of her age.

==Decommissioning and disposal==
''Indomitable'' returned to the reserve fleet, and in October 1953 she was placed in unmaintained reserve. She was sold for scrap and arrived at Faslane for breaking up on 30 September 1955.

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book|last=Beaver |first=P |year=1987 |title=The British Aircraft Carrier |publisher=Patrick Stephens |location=London |isbn=978-0-85059-877-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Brown |first=David |title=WWII Fact Files: Aircraft Carriers|location=New York |publisher=Arco Publishing |year=1977 |isbn=0-668-04164-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Brown|first=J. D.|title=Carrier Operations in World War II|year=2009|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-108-2}}
* {{cite book|last=Campbell|first=John|title=Naval Weapons of World War II|year=1985|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=0-87021-459-4}}
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau |editor1-first=Roger |publisher=Mayflower Books|location=New York|year=1980|isbn=0-8317-0303-2 |chapter=Great Britain |last1=Campbell |first1=N. J. M.|pages=2–85}}
* {{cite book|last=Chesneau|first=Roger|title=Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present: An Illustrated Encyclopedia|edition=New, Revised|year=1995|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=0-87021-902-2|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/aircraftcarriers00ches}}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Eneberg|first1=E.|last2=Frampton|first2=Viktor |title=Question 19/84 |journal=Warship International |date=1987 |volume=XXIV |issue=1 |page=93 |issn=0043-0374|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|author-link=Norman Friedman|title=British Carrier Aviation: The Evolution of the Ships and Their Aircraft|year=1988|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=0-87021-054-8}}
* {{cite book| last1 = Garzke| first1 = William H.| last2 = Dulin| first2 = Robert O.| year = 1985| title = Battleships: Axis and Neutral Battleships in World War II| publisher = Naval Institute Press| location = Annapolis, Maryland |isbn = 978-0-87021-101-0 |name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Hobbs|first=David|title=British Aircraft Carriers: Design, Development and Service Histories |year=2013|publisher=Seaforth Publishing|location=Barnsley, UK|isbn=978-1-84832-138-0}}
* {{cite book|last=Hobbs|first=David|title=The British Pacific Fleet: The Royal Navy's Most Powerful Strike Force |publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2011|isbn=978-1-59114-044-3}}
* {{cite book|last=McCart|first=Neil|title=The Illustrious & Implacable Classes of Aircraft Carrier 1940–1969 |publisher=Fan Publications|location=Cheltenham, UK|year=2000|isbn=1-901225-04-6}}
* {{cite book|last=Polmar|first=Norman|title=Aircraft Carriers: a History of Carrier Aviation and Its Influence on World Events, Volume II: 1946-2006|publisher=Potomac Books|location=Dulles|year=2011|isbn=978-1-59797-343-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6z7quhWS-BoC}}
* {{cite book|editor1-last=Chumbley|editor1-first=Stephen|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995 |year=1995 |publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=1-55750-132-7 |chapter=United Kingdom |last1=Preston |first1=Antony|pages=479–543|author-link=Antony Preston |name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last1=Rohwer|first1=Jürgen|last2=Hümmelchen|first2=Gerhard|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945|year=1992|publisher=Greenhill Books|location=London|isbn=1-85367-117-7|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Shores|first=Christopher|title=Dust Clouds in the Middle East: The Air War for East Africa, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Madagascar, 1940–42|year=1996|publisher=Grub Street|location=London|isbn=1-898697-37-X}}
* {{cite book |last1=Shores |first1=Christopher |last2=Massimello |first2=Giovanni |last3=Guest |first3=Russell |last4=Olynyk |first4=Frank |last5=Bock |first5=Winfried |last6=Thomas |first6=Andy |title=A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945: Volume Four: Sicily and Italy to the Fall of Rome: 14 May, 1943 – 5 June 1944 |year=2018 |publisher=Grub Street |location=London |isbn=978-1-911621-10-2 |name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Sturtivant|first=Ray|title=The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm|year=1984|publisher=Air-Britain (Historians)|location=Tonbridge, UK| isbn=0-85130-120-7|author-link=Ray Sturtivant}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMS Indomitable (92)}}
* [http://www.armouredcarriers.com/ Armoured aircraft carrier action and damage reports, 1940-1945]
* [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1951/1951%20-%200736.html cutaway in Flight magazine 1951]
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/pages/aircraft_carriers/hms_indomitable_92.htm Maritimequest HMS ''Indomitable'' photo gallery]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140810020207/http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/ships/Indomitable.html Fleet Air Arm entry for ''Indomitable'']
* [http://www.naval-history.net/WW2Memoir-Indomitable-Whiteing1.htm Leading Air Mechanic Maurice Whiteing and his photographic record of HMS ''Indomitable'' in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, 1944-45]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120920031315/http://navalistica.com/index.php/royal-navy-united-kingdom/19-ukcv/153-2106-indomitable-fleet-aircraft-carrier-1941 INDOMITABLE fleet aircraft carrier (1941)]
* [http://www.godfreydykes.info/DAMAGE%20CONTROL%20FOR%20REAL!.htm#Neither! DAMAGE CONTROL FOR REAL!]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViAKdtarKZ4 PEDESTAL: HMS Indomitable bombed - Malta Convoy 1942 at YouTube]
* [http://www.armouredcarriers.com/battle-damage-to-hms-indomitable/ HMS Indomitable, Damage Control, Operation Pedestal convoy bomb damage, August 12, 1942]

{{Illustrious class aircraft carrier}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Indomitable}}
[[Category:Illustrious-class aircraft carriers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Barrow-in-Furness]]
[[Category:1940 ships]]
[[Category:World War II aircraft carriers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Cold War aircraft carriers of the United Kingdom]]