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R08 Bulwark (Centaur Class)


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Laid down 10th May 1945
Launched 22nd June 1948
Completed N/A
Commissioned 4th November 1954
Fate Sold for scrapping:
17th April 1984
Builders Harland & Wolff, Belfast
United Kingdom
Complement 1390
Dimensions
Displacement 20260 tons std
26118 tons max
Dimensions 737' x 90' x 27'
224.6m x 27.4m x 8.2m
Armament
Guns As built:
26 x 40mm Bofors (2 x 6, 5 x 2, 4 x 1)
1960:
8 x 40mm
Torpedo tubes None
Other weapons None
Countermeasures N/A
Armour Machinery spaces : 1"
Magazine : 2"
Aircraft Facilities
Aircraft As built:
42 various
1960:
16 x Whirlwind helicopters
Flightdeck 710' x 123'
2 x steam catapults
Hangar N/A
Aviation fuel N/A
Electronics Fit
Radar Type 982 air search
Type 960 air search
Type 983 height finder
Type 277Q aircraft direction
Sonar None
Other N/A
Machinery
Engines 4 x Admiralty boilers
2 x Parsons steam turbines
Power output 76000shp
Speed 29.5kts
Shafts 2
Range 6000NM @ 20kts
Fuel 4064 tons

Bulwark was converted to a helicopter carrier between January 1959 and January 1960. The catapults, arrestor gear and 24 of the 40mm guns were removed. Four landing craft were added along with davits. The crew was reduced to 1037, and facilities for up to 750 commandos were added. In 1963, the Whirlwind helicopters were replaced by Wessexes and Sioux.

Soon after commissioning she was fitted with a mirror landing sight for trials. She operated Sea Hawks and Avengers during the Suez crisis. In 1957 she was used as a training ship, but by 1958 was again a combat carrier. After conversion to a helicopter carrier, she was stationed in the Far East and Mediterranean.

In April 1976 she was designated as an anti-submarine carrier, and in 1977 was given a refit, recommissioning in 1979. She was decommissioned in March 1981, and scrapped from 1984 onwards.