In the quiet predawn of July 17, 1945, the
vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean shrouded HMS Implacable in darkness. As the pride of
the British Pacific Fleet, she loomed like a ghostly fortress on the water. Below deck,
the air buzzed with tension and anticipation. Without warning, the silence was shattered.
The deck of Implacable burst into a frenzy of activity as pilots rushed to their aircraft,
engines roared to life, and the first glimmers of dawn began to outline the formidable shape of
the carrier. Eight Fireflies and twelve Seafires, like metallic birds of prey, took to the skies in
a relentless assault aimed at the heart of Tokyo. The city below was already bearing the scars of a
nation unwilling to yield, its resolve as unbroken as the spirit of those who sought to defend it.
Renowned for her robust design and heavy armor that practically shielded all of her
aircraft, Implacable joined the BPF off the Japanese coasts to avenge the Japanese
occupation of the Empire’s co
lonial territories. Day after day, Implacable’s aircraft took
off to bomb the Japanese Home Islands while her crew ferociously fought off wave after
wave of the surviving Japanese aircraft. Her guns roared without rest, and no aircraft
ever got close enough to attack the crew. Soon, Implacable’s aircraft surpassed 1,000
sorties in the Pacific, preparing the crew for what was to come with Operation
Olympic: the ground invasion of Japan. Tensions were rising in Europe. Germany was
once more
claiming a place among the world’s powers under the leadership of Adolf Hitler and
the National Socialist Party. The economy was flourishing. There was no unemployment,
and the military had been reinstated. The Kriegsmarine, the Luftwaffe, and the
ground army were back on their feet and ready to defend the Fatherland from the West and
the East if needed. After harsh negotiations, the United Kingdom had approved
allowing the German Navy to exist again. Nonetheless, the Britons soon regretted
this
choice with the Kriegsmarine’s quick growth, becoming a direct threat to the Royal
Navy’s supremacy of the sea. Consequently, the Royal Navy emitted the 1938 Naval
Program to prepare the naval fleet for a possible clash against the Third Reich.
The project called for the expansion and modernization of the Royal Navy in response to
the growing threats of Germany, fascist Italy, and, to a certain extent, the Japanese Empire. Particular emphasis was put on constructing
new battleships an
d aircraft carriers in recognition of the ever-changing nature of
naval warfare that prioritized air power. As part of the modernization process, existing
ships would be fitted with new technologies, weapons, and equipment. Given the threat
of German U-boats lurking in the North Sea, the 1938 program also included measures
to strengthen anti-submarine capabilities. Germany’s annexation of Austria, Czechoslovakia,
and other territories increased tensions with France and the United Kingdom, p
rompting the
Royal Navy to quickly develop a new type of aircraft carrier: the Implacable class.
An improved version of the Illustrious class carriers was planned. The newer ships
were designed to be over two knots or four kilometers per hour faster and some tons heavier
to carry additional aircraft at the cost of armor. The design parameters were meticulously crafted
to adhere to the 23,000 long tons limit set by the Second London Naval Treaty negotiated between
the victors of World War 1
during peacetime. A fourth steam turbine and shaft were fitted to
attain a remarkable top speed of around 32 knots, or 59 kilometers per hour. However, compromises
were made to accommodate the additional weight of this enhanced propulsion and the expanded air
group. The armor thickness of the hangar deck and bulkheads was strategically reduced,
a decision that reflected the shifting priorities in carrier design towards speed and
aircraft capacity over defensive capabilities. Design D, a mod
ified version of the
Illustrious design, could carry a supplementary dozen aircraft, making it a total
of 48 with the addition of a lower hangar. The Implacable class was 233.6 meters long
overall and 222.5 meters at the waterline. Their beam was 29.2 meters, and she had a
draught of over 8.9 meters at deep load. Despite the initial design intentions, the
Implacable class was overweight for an aircraft carrier and displaced over 32,100 long tons. The
carriers required a substantial crew, n
umbering approximately 2,300 officers and crew members,
to maintain and operate the floating air bases. British engineers worked hard to maximize
the internal space of the aircraft carrier. Initially, the hangar height was
only meant to fit the Fairy Albacore, for which an upper limit of
only four meters was set. The lower hangar was set to five meters to
accommodate fighters. However, it was soon discovered that taller aircraft needed more
space, leading to a slight height increase. Overa
ll, the armored flight deck had a width
of 31 meters and featured a single hydraulic aircraft catapult. The Implacable was also
equipped with two lifts on the centerline. The final design, Design D, was submitted
to the Board of Admiralty in August 1938 and could fit up to 80 aircraft. After
weeks of discussions and amendments, it was finally approved on November 17.
Implacable was powered by four Parsons geared steam turbines, with each one driving a single
shaft. These turbines utilized s
team supplied by eight Admiralty 3-drum boilers and provided
a combined output of 148,000 shaft horsepower. During sea trials, the Implacable ship could
carry a maximum of 4,690 long tons of fuel oil, giving her a range of around 6,720 nautical miles
at a speed of 20 knots, or 37 kilometers per hour. Before the ship was laid down in February
1939, the main armor was raised to over 51 millimeters. Flight deck armor was 76 millimeters
thick, and the magazines were protected by armor between 7
6 and 114 millimeters thick.
This robust protection was Implacable’s main advantage, covering all the
aircraft from above, the sides, and two large bulkheads in an impregnable citadel
once the external lifts were fully enclosed. The ship traded off aircraft capacity for
armor, a design specification contrary to United States Navy carriers that greatly
favored increased fighters instead of armor. The HMS Implacable's arsenal bore similarities
to that of the Illustrious-class vessels, albeit
with a notable difference
in its anti-aircraft (AA) armament, featuring fewer guns. Its primary firepower came
from eight twin QF 4.5-inch Mk.II dual-purpose guns housed in MK—II twin-gun turrets with
distinctive flat roofs. These cannons hurled shells at velocities exceeding 740 meters per
second, reaching targets up to 18,000 meters away. For its secondary armament, Implacable was
equipped with an array of AA guns: five octuple and one quad QF 2-pounder pom-pom AA guns,
totaling 48 barre
ls, each capable of engaging targets up to 6,200 meters distant. The ship's
defensive capabilities were further enhanced by 21 and 61 Oerlikon 20-millimeter AA guns,
mounted individually for close-range defense. Targeting was aided by four Mk
V M type fire-control directors, each outfitted with a Type 285 gunnery radar.
The Vickers 2-pdr "pom-pom" guns were guided by their own Mk IV director and Type 282 gunnery
radar. High above, Implacable’s tripod mast was equipped with a Type 293 target
indicator radar,
complemented by the Type 277 radar mounted on the bridge for surface-search and height-finding.
The ship’s journey from blueprint to battle-ready began in February 1939 at the Fairfield
Shipbuilding and Engineering Company. However, her construction faced delays in 1940 and
1941, as resources were diverted to prioritize vessels critical for the Battle of the Atlantic,
pitting the Royal Navy against the Kriegsmarine. It was December 1942 when Princess Elizabeth
christened t
he carrier, launching her into the waters. Implacable was officially commissioned
into service in May 1944 amid preparations for Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of
France. After completing sea trials, she entered the conflict in August 1944, equipped with a
versatile air group comprising 24 Barracudas, 12 Fireflies, 12 Hellcats, and 12 Seafires.
Implacable’s inaugural mission in combat was initiated in October 1944. It was tasked with
tracking down the battleship Tirpitz, recently si
ghted departing Kaafjord, Norway. Sailing from
Scapa Flow on October 16, alongside HMS Bellona and a contingent of destroyers, including HMS
Venus, Verulam, Cassandra, Cambrian, Caprice, Savage, and Scourge, Implacable’s aircraft
successfully located Tirpitz. However, the lack of fighter escort for the bombers
meant the German battleship remained unscathed. In the Arctic's unforgiving chill, the HMS
Implacable carved a path back to Tromsø as part of Operation Athletic. The floating fortress
bore a fearsome cargo: a squadron of Supermarine Spitfires. Implacable's aviators took to the skies
to neutralize the enemy's lifelines. In a series of swift assaults, six German vessels were sent
to the depths while a U-boat escaped, bearing the scars of their fury.
Admiral Sir Henry Ruthven Moore set his sights on the waters near Alsten Island,
his flag billowing aboard the Implacable. Their quarry was a convoy, unsuspecting and laden.
The hunt was merciless – two merchantmen, including
the ill-fated MS Rigel, were sent to
their watery graves while six others limped away, battered and bruised. The sinking
resulted in more than 2,500 fatalities. As December started, Vice Admiral Sir Frederick
Dalrymple-Hamilton took up the mantle, his flag unfurled for another minelaying
sortie. Amidst this relentless campaign, the Fireflies aboard the Implacable claimed
a German minesweeper as their prize. On 15th December, As winter's grip tightened,
the Implacable sought refuge in Rosyt
h, her body worn but unbroken. Here, she underwent a
transformation, her arsenal fortified to unleash hellfire upon the kamikaze threats in the Pacific.
After a few months, on March 10, 1945, the overhaul of HMS Implacable was completed, and
she was assigned to the 801, 828, 880, and 1771 Squadrons. Her decks were now home to the largest
air group ever assembled on a British carrier: 48 Seafires, 21 Avengers, and 12 Fireflies.
Implacable departed late in the month and went through the Suez Ca
nal, reaching Port Said
on March 25. However, a strong gust of wind nearly beached the carrier during the crossing,
and it took hours for the escorting tugboats to pull her off. Fortunately, the undamaged ship
proceeded to Sydney, where it arrived in May 1945. The crew was briefly rested after the breaking
news announcing the war's end in Europe. Still, there was fighting to be done in the
Pacific against the Empire of Japan. On May 29, HMS Implacable made her way to
the British Pacific Fl
eet's primary base at Manus Island, in the Admiralty Islands,
stepping into her role as the flagship for Rear Admiral Sir Patrick Brind. This pivotal
position set the stage for Operation Inmate, a bold initiative aimed at seizing control of Truk
and the Caroline Islands through a concentrated, decisive assault. Launched on June 14,
the operation saw Implacable's aircraft execute 113 offensive sorties over two days.
Remarkably, these attacks resulted in the loss of just one Seafire before th
e carrier
returned to Manus Island for resupply. In a strategic push towards the Japanese mainland,
the British Pacific Fleet embarked on July 6, reaching the coast by July 16 with a mission
of retribution. Despite the challenges posed by adverse weather, the fleet's aircraft, including
8 Fireflies and 12 Seafires, launched an attack near Tokyo. Still, they rallied the next day,
pinpointing most of their targets. The fleet stormed Osaka and reached the Inland Sea, where it
encountered and
damaged the escort carrier Kaiyo. After a vital replenishment mission, the
fleet resumed its aerial onslaught from July 28 to July 30. They hunted down and sank the IJN
transport ship Okinawa near the Maizuru arsenal. Hampered by inclement weather and frequent
refueling, many missions were deferred until the atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima. On August
9, the fleet resumed its airborne operations, launching 94 Seafire sorties that ravaged
northern Honshu and southern Hokkaido, albeit at th
e cost of two Seafires.
The offensive on the 10 proved devastating for the enemy, sinking two warships and numerous
merchant vessels and destroying locomotives and grounded aircraft, among other targets.
As HMS Implacable and the fleet returned to Manus Island on August 12, the air was
filled with anticipation and hope. This sentiment was realized on August 15, when
the news of Japan's surrender was received. HMS Implacable was refitted following the end
of the war and was prepared to accomm
odate Allied prisoners of war captured by the
Japanese. The carrier arrived in Manila Bay on September 25, 1945, and loaded over
2,000 American, Canadian, and British POWs. Throughout the year, she gathered and delivered
troops from the Pacific to Europe. She was briefly decommissioned during the early stages of the
Cold War, but tensions with the Soviet Union led to her recommission in 1952 to become the
flagship of the Home Fleet Training Squadron. Nevertheless, she never saw combat after
World War 2, and her role was limited to military exercises with partner nations. HMS
Implacable was decommissioned in September 1954 and scrapped a year later after the
Royal Navy found no more use for her.
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