INDEX OF NAVAL

AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

HMS TRIUMPH

Light Fleet Carrier

History

Triumph was built by Hawthorn Leslie. Laid down 27 January 1943, launched 2 October 1944, she was not commissioned until 9 May 1946 as a Colossus-class Light Fleet Carrier/Maintenance Carrier 1946-74 .

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HMS Triumph in 1945

She served actively during the post-World War II years, and played a key role at the start of the Korean War in the 1950s. When North Korea invaded South Korea on Sunday 25 June 1950, HMS Triumph was on a cruise to Japan, in company with the other ships of the Far East Fleet - she was the only Royal Navy carrier in the Far East. Her tours of duty in the Korean war were from 25 June 1950 -29 September 1950.

Triumph went into reserve and became a training ship during the mid-1950s and was converted to a heavy repair ship during 1958-65. Converted to heavy repair ship 1958-1965. Paid off 1975. Stricken 1980. Broken up 1981 in Spain.

Battle Honours
None in WWII

Captains
None in WWII.
Squadrons and Aircraft
None in WWII.
Associations and Reunions
HMS Triumph Association
Contact: Eric Buckner, 12 Freshfields Court, Carlisle, Cumbria. CA1 2TT.

Carrier name HMS Triumph

Class Colossus

Type Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier

Ships in Class Colossus, Vengeance, Venerable, Pioneer, Glory, Ocean, Perseus, Theseus, Triumph, Warrior

Launched Laid down 27 January 1943. Launched 2 October 1944. Commissioned 9 May 1946.

Tonnage Displacement: 13,400 tons standard ; 18,330 tons full load

Engines Propulsion: Steam Turbines (4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, Parsons geared turbines), 40,000 shp.

Speed in Knots Speed: 25 knots

Armament Guns: 24 x 2 pdr AA ; 32 x 20 mm

Crew Complement Compliment: 1300 (including air group)

Range Range: 12,000 nmiles at 14 knots

Length (ft/inches) Dimensions: 630 pp, 650 wl, 695 oa x 80 x 23.5 feet

Beam (ft/inches)

Draught (ft/inches)

Flight Deck length (ft/inches)

Flight Deck width (ft/inches)

Armour

Number of aircraft carried Aircraft: 48

Fate of carrier Paid off 1975. Stricken 1980. Broken up 1981/82 in Spain.

Notes Scaled down version of Illustrious class but with a large aircraft compliment achieved by a lack of armour. Designed for rapid construction in merchant yards to make up for the shortfall in carriers but much more capable than escort carriers. Perseus and Pioneer were completed as maintenance carriers without catapults. After the war various units of the class were sold or reconstructed with angled decks or as helicopter carriers.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Online Library of Selected Images: SHIPS of the BRITISH NAVY --HMS Triumph (Aircraft Carrier,
1946-1981). DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER

HMS Triumph - in Britain's Small wars website History of HMS Triumph in the Korean war

Sturtivant, R & Ballance, T (1994). 'The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' Published by Air Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1994 ISBN: 0 85130 223 8
The World’s Warships 1941 by Francis E. McMurtrie (1944). Janes London 1941 1st ed.
Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II by Francis E. McMurtrie (Editor)(1984). 320 pages. Crescent Books; ISBN: 0517679639

World Aircraft Carrier Lists and Photo Gallery - from 1913 to 2000. Naval History Information Center, Haze Gray & Underway

Last Modified: 23-2-2001

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Carrier name	HMS Triumph
Class	Colossus
Type	Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier
Ships in Class	Colossus, Vengeance, Venerable, Pioneer, Glory, Ocean, Perseus, Theseus, Triumph, Warrior
Launched	Laid down 27 January 1943. Launched 2 October 1944. Commissioned 9 May 1946.
Tonnage	Displacement: 13,400 tons standard ; 18,330 tons full load
Engines	Propulsion: Steam Turbines (4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, Parsons geared turbines), 40,000 shp.
Speed in Knots	Speed: 25 knots
Armament	Guns: 24 x 2 pdr AA ; 32 x 20 mm
Crew Complement	Compliment: 1300 (including air group)
Range	Range: 12,000 nmiles at 14 knots
Length (ft/inches)	Dimensions: 630 pp, 650 wl, 695 oa x 80 x 23.5 feet
Beam (ft/inches)
Draught (ft/inches)
Flight Deck length (ft/inches)
Flight Deck width (ft/inches)
Armour
Number of aircraft carried	Aircraft: 48
Fate of carrier	Paid off 1975. Stricken 1980. Broken up 1981/82 in Spain.
Notes	Scaled down version of Illustrious class but with a large aircraft compliment achieved by a lack of armour. Designed for rapid construction in merchant yards to make up for the shortfall in carriers but much more capable than escort carriers. Perseus and Pioneer were completed as maintenance carriers without catapults. After the war various units of the class were sold or reconstructed with angled decks or as helicopter carriers.