HMS Furious (47)

HMS Furious

Company type	Aircraft carrier (originally battlecruiser)
Industry	Naval military vessel
Founded	June 8, 1915 (1915-06-08) (keel laid down)
Headquarters	Newcastle upon Tyne , United Kingdom
Products	Warship

Overview

HMS Furious was a modified Courageous-class battlecruiser constructed for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Conceived to support the Baltic Project advocated by the First Sea Lord, Lord Fisher, the vessel featured very light armor and was armed primarily with just two 18-inch (457 mm) guns. During construction, Furious underwent conversion into an aircraft carrier, which involved removing her forward turret and installing a flight deck in its place. This design required aircraft to navigate around the superstructure for landing. Later in the conflict, her aft turret was also removed to accommodate a second flight deck behind the superstructure; however, this arrangement proved problematic due to air turbulence. After a brief period in reserve following the war, she was rebuilt in the early 1920s with a continuous full-length flight deck. Her sister ships, Courageous and Glorious, were similarly converted into aircraft carriers around that era.

Following her transformation, Furious played a significant role in naval aviation trials and subsequently served as a training vessel once more advanced fleet carriers like Ark Royal entered service during the 1930s. In the initial phase of the Second World War, she conducted patrols in the North Atlantic targeting German raiders and escorted convoys. Her mission profile shifted markedly during the Norwegian Campaign of early 1940 when her aircraft provided air support for British ground forces and attacked enemy shipping. The campaign also marked her first of many aircraft ferry operations. After British forces withdrew in May, Furious undertook several anti-shipping sorties off Norway with limited success before settling into a routine of transporting aircraft for the Royal Air Force.

Initially, Furious ferried aircraft to locations in West Africa, but by 1941 she was primarily delivering planes to Gibraltar. Her ferrying operations were interrupted mid-year by an unsuccessful strike against German-held ports on the Arctic Ocean. Subsequently, she underwent an extensive refit in the United States and conducted training exercises upon returning in April 1942. She resumed ferry duties later that year and participated with her air group in attacks on airfields in Vichy French Algeria during the opening phase of Operation Torch in November 1942. The carrier remained stationed in the Mediterranean until February 1943 before transferring to the Home Fleet.

Throughout most of 1943, Furious was engaged primarily in training activities but carried out several assaults against the German battleship Tirpitz and other targets along Norway’s coast during early 1944. By September 1944, due to her advancing age, she was placed into reserve. The ship was officially decommissioned in April 1945 and ultimately sold for dismantling in 1948.

Design and description

During the First World War, Admiral Fisher was restricted by a wartime regulation that prohibited the construction of vessels larger than light cruisers, preventing him from commissioning an enhanced version of the earlier Renown-class battlecruiser class. To fulfill the traditional battlecruiser functions—such as fleet reconnaissance and pursuing enemy raiders—he opted for ships featuring the minimal armor typical of a light cruiser combined with the firepower characteristic of a battlecruiser. He defended this approach by asserting the necessity for swift, shallow-draught vessels to support his Baltic Project, which aimed to launch an invasion along Germany’s Baltic coastline.

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Furious as initially completed, featuring a forward flying-off deck for aircraft

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Stern perspective of Furious in 1917, highlighting the single 18-inch gun

Furious measured an overall length of 786 feet 9 inches (239.8 m), with a beam spanning 88 feet (26.8 m), and a draught of 24 feet 11 inches (7.6 m) when fully loaded. Her standard displacement was 19,513 long tons (19,826 t), increasing to 22,890 long tons (23,257 t) at deep load. The vessel exhibited a metacentric height of approximately 5.33 feet (1.6 m) under deep load conditions. She and her related half-sisters were pioneers within the Royal Navy as the first large warships equipped with geared steam turbines. To expedite design, the geared turbine system used in the light cruiser Champion—the RN's first cruiser with geared turbines—was duplicated to provide two turbine sets. Propulsion was delivered by four Brown-Curtis turbines powered by eighteen small-tube water-tube boilers built by Yarrow Shipbuilders, collectively designed to generate 90,000 shaft horsepower (67,000 kW). Although her speed was projected at around 31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph), she did not undergo formal sea trials.

The fuel capacity of Furious was originally intended to hold 750 long tons (762 t) of fuel oil under normal conditions, with a maximum capacity reaching 3,160 long tons (3,211 t). At full fuel load, she could operate for an estimated range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) cruising at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Armament plans included two single turrets each housing a BL 18-inch Mark I gun positioned fore ('A') and aft ('Y'). The secondary battery consisted of eleven BL 5.5-inch Mk I guns. Additionally, two quick-firing (QF) 3-inch (76 mm) 20 cwt anti-aircraft guns were installed ahead of the funnel. The ship also featured two submerged torpedo tubes capable of launching British 21-inch torpedoes, with ten torpedoes carried aboard.

While still under construction, Furious underwent modifications that replaced her forward turret with an expansive hangar designed to accommodate ten aircraft on the forecastle deck. A 160-foot (49 m) flight deck was constructed atop this hangar to enable aircraft launches and landings, though landing operations proved challenging. Floatplanes such as the Short Type 184 utilized a four-wheel trolley running along a central track on the flight deck for takeoff, while cranes transferred aircraft between hangar and deck. Although initially fitted with and testing the aft turret’s gun, Furious soon returned to her builders for further alterations. In November 1917, the rear turret was substituted with a 300-foot (91 m) landing deck above another hangar. The funnel and superstructure remained unchanged, connected by a narrow walkway linking fore and aft flight decks. Unfortunately, turbulence generated by these structures severely hindered landing attempts; only three successful landings occurred before such operations were discontinued. During the war, her 18-inch guns were repurposed for use on the Lord Clive-class monitor class monitors General Wolfe and Lord Clive.

Construction began on 8 June 1915 at Armstrong Whitworth’s Low Walker shipyard in Newcastle upon Tyne. She was launched on 18 August 1916 and officially commissioned on 26 June 1917. Upon completion, her crew comprised 737 officers and ratings.

Aircraft landings during the First World War

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Furious in 1918, after the addition of an aft landing deck

On 2 August 1917, during trial operations, Squadron Commander Edwin Dunning successfully landed a Sopwith Pup on the moving deck of Furious, marking the first-ever aircraft landing on a moving vessel. He repeated this feat on 7 August; however, on his third attempt, engine failure caused the plane to crash into the sea off the starboard bow. Unconscious from the impact, he tragically drowned within the cockpit. The ship’s deck layout was problematic because aircraft needed to navigate around the superstructure to make their landings. Dunning’s successor leading Furious' air group, Frederick Rutland, also executed a landing in a similar fashion but ceased these trials soon after. He reported to the Admiralty that under favorable weather conditions, pilots could expect an average operational life of only ten such landings.

In October 1917, the trio of Courageous-class vessels joined the 1st Cruiser Squadron (CS). On 16 October, upon receiving intelligence about potential German naval movements hinting at a raid, Admiral David Beatty, commanding the Grand Fleet, dispatched most light cruisers and destroyers to sea to locate enemy forces. Furious was detached from the 1st CS with orders to patrol along the 56th parallel up to 4° East longitude and return before nightfall. Later that day, Courageous and Glorious reinforced the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron operating in the central North Sea. Meanwhile, two German Brummer-class light cruisers slipped through gaps in British patrol lines and attacked the Scandinavia convoy on the morning of 17 October. News of this engagement only reached British command that afternoon. The 1st CS was ordered to intercept these German ships but failed due to their superior speed.

In November, Furious returned to dock for modifications: her aft turret was removed and replaced with an additional landing deck, providing separate launching and recovery areas. Two aircraft lifts servicing the hangars were also installed. She re-entered service on 15 March 1918 and subsequently deployed her aircraft on anti-Zeppelin patrols over the North Sea beginning in May. In July 1918, seven Sopwith Camel fighters launched from her participated in the Tondern raid, striking Zeppelin hangars with moderate effectiveness.

General description

After being laid up post-war, Furious underwent conversion into an aircraft carrier featuring a continuous flight deck between June 1921 and September 1925. This redesign drew upon lessons learned from Britain’s first two carriers, Argus and Eagle, though these experiences were limited since Argus was less than three years old at that time, and Eagle had completed only 143 deck landings during its initial sea trials in 1920.

The ship's superstructure, masts, funnel, and previous landing deck were removed to accommodate a 576-by-92-foot (175.6 by 28.0 m) flight deck spanning over three-quarters of her length. This deck was not flat; it featured an upward slope about three-quarters of the way from stern to bow designed to assist in decelerating landing aircraft that lacked brakes at that era. The fore-and-aft 320-foot (97.5 m) arresting gear was intended not to halt planes outright—landing speeds were sufficiently low with a headwind—but rather to prevent lateral deviation that could cause aircraft to fall off the deck. Various flight deck configurations underwent wind tunnel testing by the National Physical Laboratory, which determined that an elliptical shape with rounded edges minimized turbulent airflow.

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Close-up of Furious shortly after initial conversion painted in Dazzle camouflage; an SSZ class blimp is situated on her aft deck

Though her overall length remained unchanged, beam increased by 1 foot (0.3 m) to 89 feet (), and her average draft deepened by 2 feet (0.61 m), now measuring 27 feet () at full load. Displacement rose significantly to 22,500 long tons (22,900 t) at normal load and 26,500 long tons (26,900 t) at deep load—over three thousand long tons heavier than before conversion. Her metacentric height decreased by 1.48 feet (0.45 m), resulting in a measurement of 3.6 feet (1.1 m) at deep load. During post-conversion sea trials she achieved speeds up to 30.03 knots (55.62 km/h; 34.56 mph). Fuel capacity was augmented by 700 long tons (710 t), extending operational range to approximately 5,300 nautical miles (9,800 km; 6,100 mi) cruising at 16, or up to 7,480 nautical miles (13,850 km; 8,610 mi) when traveling at 10.

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Aircraft stationed on the flight deck

Beneath the flight deck lay a two-tier hangar system with each level offering roughly 15 of vertical clearance. The lower hangar measured about 550 in length by between −35 -50, while the upper hangar spanned approximately 520. Electrically operated steel shutters on rollers allowed each hangar section to be closed off as needed. Boiler exhaust was routed along either side of the ship; gases could vent through gratings near the rear of the flight deck or—during landing operations—via openings on the side of the lower hangar aft section. This arrangement proved problematic as it consumed valuable space within the hangar, created intolerable conditions in parts of it due to fumes and heat, and occasionally disrupted landing activities. The original flying-off deck remained intact for launching smaller aircraft such as fighters, enhancing operational flexibility by allowing simultaneous landings on the main flight deck while fighters took off from this lower platform or enabling rapid launch of aircraft from both decks. Instead of an island superstructure which might cause turbulence over the flight deck like other carriers had, Furious retained a flush-deck design with a navigation station positioned at the starboard leading edge of the flight deck and featured a retractable charthouse located forward along its centerline. Normally she accommodated roughly thirty-six aircraft.

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'Sopwith Camels' aboard Furious

Two lifts measuring approximately 47 were installed for moving aircraft between hangars and flight deck levels. No arrestor wires were fitted initially; two ready-use petrol tanks each holding about 600 were positioned on the upper deck for fueling both aircraft and ship’s boats while bulk storage contained another 20,000 of petrol fuel overall. By 1939 her crew complement numbered forty-one officers alongside seven hundred fifty-four enlisted personnel.

Armament

Furious maintained ten of her original eleven breech-loading 5.5-inch (140 mm) guns, with five positioned on each side, serving as protection against hostile warships. Her initial anti-aircraft weapons were replaced by six QF 4-inch Mark V guns—four installed along the sides of the flying-off deck and two on the quarterdeck. During 1926–27, the four guns on the flying-off deck were removed to facilitate trials involving the lower flight deck; after these tests, only two were reinstalled. In 1927, four single QF 2-pounder "pom-poms" were added. Between September 1930 and February 1932, during a refit, the ship’s anti-aircraft capabilities were enhanced by fitting two eight-barrel QF 2-pounder Mark V pom-pom mounts in place of the forward 4-inch guns previously removed from the flying-off deck.

In early 1939, her original 5.5-inch and 4-inch guns were substituted with twelve QF 4-inch Mk XVI guns arranged in six twin dual-purpose Mark XIX mounts. One mount was placed on the former flying-off deck, another on the quarterdeck, and the remaining four were distributed evenly with two per side. Concurrently, two additional Mark V 2-pounder mounts were installed fore and aft of the newly constructed island superstructure. Later modifications carried out in the United States equipped Furious with up to twenty-two manually operated automatic 20-millimetre (0.79 in) Oerlikon light anti-aircraft guns, replacing the single quadruple Vickers .50 machine gun mount.

A single High Angle Control System director was positioned on the island, with an additional one mounted on an elevated platform above the former flying-off deck. Furthermore, two pom-pom directors were installed on the island to control weapons located both fore and aft of it.

Inter-war service

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Stern perspective of Furious captured in 1925 shortly after her rebuilding

Following her commissioning in 1925, Furious was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet, though much of her time over the following years was devoted to conducting trials involving nearly every aircraft type within the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). These included takeoff and landing experiments with Fairey IIID and Fairey Flycatcher floatplanes equipped both with wheels and floats made from wood or metal to evaluate different float designs. To facilitate these operations, her lower flight deck was lubricated to minimize friction during takeoff. A Flycatcher variant fitted with wooden skids underwent testing and performed satisfactorily. The arresting gear saw little use during this period and was subsequently removed. In 1927, deck-edge palisades were installed to prevent aircraft from being blown overboard during rough seas. The first night landing on a carrier was accomplished aboard Furious on May 6, 1926 by a Blackburn Dart. Throughout the 1920s, her air group typically consisted of one fighter flight (Fairey Flycatcher), two spotter flights (Blackburn Blackburn or Avro Bison), one spotter reconnaissance unit (Fairey IIID), and two torpedo bomber flights (Blackburn Dart), each generally comprising six aircraft.

On July 1, 1930, Furious was placed in reserve status ahead of an extensive refit at Devonport, which lasted from September 1930 until February 1932. This overhaul primarily focused on refurbishing her machinery and re-tubing boilers. Additionally, her quarterdeck was elevated by one deck level, anti-aircraft armaments were updated, and spraying systems were installed within the hangars. Upon completion of these works, she underwent a full-power trial on February 16, 1932 that achieved a top speed of 28.8 knots (53.3 km/h; 33.1 mph) powered by 89,745 shaft horsepower (66,923 kW).

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Oblique view of Furious at anchor prior to armament installation; her retractable charthouse is clearly visible at the forward end of the flight deck

Recommissioned in May 1932 as part of the Home Fleet, Furious initially operated with a reduced crew before reaching full complement by November. During the mid-1930s she received transverse arresting gear. Between May and October of 1934 she served with the Mediterranean Fleet. On May 20, 1937 she participated in the Coronation Fleet Review at Spithead for King George VI. That same year she became a deck-landing training carrier; between December 1937 and May 1938 she underwent another refit at Devonport where the forward section of her lower flight deck was raised to reduce water accumulation forward. During the September 1938 Munich Crisis, she embarked squadrons 801, 821, and 822 before joining the fleet at Scapa Flow. After tensions eased peacefully, she returned to training operations. During this period she sustained minor damage after being grazed by the destroyer Encounter.

From 1933 through late 1938 Furious carried Squadron 801 which initially flew six Hawker Nimrod fighters alongside three Flycatchers. Early in 1934 Flycatchers were replaced by Hawker Ospreys while Nimrods were phased out by October 1936. Squadrons 811 and 822 operated reconnaissance and anti-shipping missions using aircraft such as the Blackburn Ripon, Blackburn Baffin, and Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers as well as reconnaissance types including Fairey IIIFs, Fairey Seal, and Blackburn Shark.

Between January and May of 1939 she underwent a more comprehensive refit that eliminated her original palisades and 5.5 inches (140 mm) guns while relocating anti-aircraft weapons to her lower flying-off deck; additionally plating was added to close off doors at the forward end of the upper hangar and a small island structure was constructed on her starboard side. Following this refit Furious resumed training duties until October of that year. As a training carrier in 1939 she embarked 767 Squadron, operating Shark, Swordfish and Fairey Albacore torpedo bombers as well as reconnaissance aircraft, alongside 769 Squadron, which flew fighters including the Blackburn Skua, Blackburn Roc, and Gloster Sea Gladiator.

Second World War

Furious continued with training operations and conducted anti-submarine patrols off the eastern coast of Scotland until 2 October 1939. She was then assigned to the Home Fleet, taking over from the lost Courageous, and carried nine Swordfish aircraft from 816 Squadron along with a detachment of three additional Swordfish from 818 Squadron. On 8 October, she set out with the fleet in an unsuccessful pursuit of the German battleship Gneisenau and its escorting vessels near southern Norway. After returning, Furious left her moorings beside the battleship Royal Oak at Scapa Flow on 13 October to conduct further fruitless searches for German naval forces, just one day prior to the sinking of Royal Oak by U-47. Subsequently, she was redeployed to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she teamed up with the battlecruiser Repulse to form a task group aimed at intercepting German raiders. In mid-December 1939, Furious served as flagship for the convoy transporting most of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division to Britain. During darkness on 17 December, the westbound ocean liner RMS Samaria passed through the convoy undetected, damaging Furious by tearing off the horizontal wireless masts on her starboard side, removing five lifeboats overhanging from the port side of RMS Aquitania, and narrowly missing two other vessels in line.

Norwegian campaign

Main article: Norwegian campaign

On 10 April 1940, Furious rejoined the Home Fleet off Norway’s coast, carrying only eighteen Swordfish aircraft from 816 and 818 Squadrons; no fighter planes were able to join her in time. The following morning, sixteen Swordfish conducted unsuccessful torpedo attacks against German vessels in Trondheim harbour. On 12 April, both squadrons attempted assaults on German ships near Narvik amid poor weather conditions. Dissatisfied with previous torpedo failures, they switched to bombing. The first attack by 818 Squadron damaged several captured Norwegian ships but lost two aircraft to anti-aircraft fire; their crews were rescued by the British cruiser Penelope and destroyer Punjabi. Arriving about 40 minutes later, 816 Squadron was forced to abort due to severe weather; one aircraft was lost during landing but its crew recovered. Another strike was launched the next day in support of British naval forces entering Narvik but had limited impact and resulted in two more Swordfish being downed.

Ordered to remain behind after most of the Home Fleet departed on 15 April, Furious left Narvik on 14 April escorted by three destroyers to refuel at Tromsø. En route, her Swordfish targeted Junkers Ju 52 transport planes that had landed on frozen Lake Hartvikvatnet, about 10 miles (16.1 km) northeast of Narvik, destroying two and damaging several others. She arrived at Tromsø on 16 April with fuel reserves at only 27%. Remaining there until 18 April, she then sailed southward to scout around Narvik but was attacked by a single high-altitude Heinkel He 111 bomber from II./KG 26. Two large bombs narrowly missed her port aft side—one just 11 yards (10.1 m) away—causing shock damage that misaligned her propeller shafts and jarred the port inner high-pressure turbine, limiting her speed to 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Despite these damages, Furious stayed off Norway’s coast and attempted to launch aircraft on 22 April under severe weather conditions to disrupt German supply flights into Narvik. One aircraft was shot down while others returned reporting heavy snowstorms between the ship and Narvik. With worsening weather on 23 April, Captain Thomas Hope Troubridge decided to move to Harstad for damage assessment; findings were worse than expected and he received orders to return to the United Kingdom. Only six out of nine Swordfish remained operational.

Following prompt repairs that included removing several turbine blade rows, Furious returned to Norway on 18 May carrying Gloster Gladiators from a reformed Royal Air Force unit, 263 Squadron. These were flown off on 21 May once their base at Bardufoss became operational. Tragically, one Gladiator and its guiding Swordfish crashed en route with all crew lost. After completing this mission, she returned to Scapa Flow carrying six Sea Gladiators from 804 Squadron and nine Swordfish from 816 Squadron for self-defense during transit while ferrying 263 Squadron.

On 14 June, Furious, transporting only half of 816 Squadron for protection, sailed unescorted for Halifax carrying £18 million in gold bullion. On 1 July she escorted a convoy of Canadian troops destined for Iceland from Halifax and transported nearly fifty aircraft along with spare parts and ammunition. At his discretion, Captain Troubridge ensured all available space was utilized for shipping sugar back to Britain. Upon arrival, she embarked the remainder of 816 Squadron plus nine Skuas from 801 Squadron and nine Swordfish from 825 Squadron, conducting several largely ineffective air raids against shipping in Norwegian waters and on Tromsø’s seaplane base during September and October 1940 at considerable aircraft losses. Both Swordfish squadrons disembarked afterward as she prepared once again for duties as an aircraft transport vessel.

Ferry duties

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Furious in August 1941 with four Hurricanes on her flight deck

On 7 November 1940, Furious embarked 55 aircraft, primarily dismantled Hawker Hurricane fighters from No. 73 Squadron RAF, in Liverpool. She set sail on 15 November for Takoradi, Gold Coast, where the aircraft were either flown off or unloaded by 27 November, destined ultimately for deployment in Egypt. Throughout this period, only six Skuas from 801 Squadron remained aboard for defensive purposes. Returning to Liverpool by 15 December, she took on an additional 40 Hurricanes bound for Takoradi. Departing again on 21 December 1940, she joined Convoy WS5A alongside the smaller carrier Argus. On 25 December, the convoy was intercepted by the German cruiser Admiral Hipper; however, minimal damage was inflicted before the cruiser was repelled by escort vessels. Due to operational constraints—Swordfish aircraft with bombs were aboard Argus, while torpedoes were stowed on Furious—no air strike could be mounted against Admiral Hipper. After the Skuas from Furious took off to search for the cruiser, space was cleared to land Swordfish and arm them with torpedoes. Nevertheless, poor visibility prevented the Skuas from locating the target. Furious reached Takoradi on 10 January 1941 and returned to Britain by 5 February for a brief refit. Another ferry voyage commenced on 4 March, this time carrying 12 Fairey Fulmars of 807 Squadron and six Swordfish of 825 Squadron for self-defence.

The focus of Furious's ferry missions shifted when she transported 24 Hurricanes to Gibraltar on 25 April; these aircraft were then transferred to Ark Royal for deployment to Malta. Shortly afterwards, she underwent a short refit at Belfast. During a German air raid in early May while docked there, she sustained minor damage from one small bomb hit and two near misses. Subsequently, she loaded another consignment of 40 Hurricane IIs and nine Fulmars from 'X' Flight of 800 Squadron at Liverpool before arriving back in Gibraltar on 18 May. Some fighters were transferred to Ark Royal using planks laid between the carriers’ flight decks when berthed stern-to-stern. Accompanying Ark Royal, both carriers launched their fighters south of Sardinia. On her next trip, Furious carried an additional 48 Hurricane IIs to Gibraltar by 1 June, some of which were again moved to Ark Royal. The two ships departed Gibraltar on 4 June and launched 44 out of the 48 fighters onboard. Returning to the Clyde, Furious transported her largest load yet—64 Hurricanes—alongside nine Swordfish from 816 Squadron. Upon arrival on 25 June, she transferred 22 Hurricanes to Ark Royal, which flew them off to Malta the following day. Of the remaining 42 Hurricanes aboard Furious, 26 were handed over to Ark Royal when it returned on 28 June. Both carriers then sailed to their usual launch point west of Sicily. Unfortunately, during this operation, the tenth aircraft taking off from Furious crashed into her island superstructure, resulting in the deaths of 14 crew members and igniting a serious fire on the flight deck. Due to the blocked deck, six Hurricanes remained onboard and were returned to Gibraltar. After swapping squadrons—replacing 816 with 818 from Ark Royal—she set course for home.

In July, Furious embarked a mixed air group comprising nine Fulmars from 800 Squadron; 'A' Flight of 880 Squadron with four Sea Hurricane IBs; nine Swordfish from 812 Squadron; and nine Albacores from 817 Squadron. She departed Scapa Flow on the 23rd alongside carrier Victorious, two cruisers, and six destroyers to conduct strikes against German-occupied ports at Kirkenes, Norway, and Petsamo, Finland. The force assembled at Seidisfjord, Iceland under Rear Admiral Wake-Walker’s command for refuelling in late July. On 30 July, Furious attacked shipping in Petsamo utilizing all her Swordfish and Albacores escorted by six Fulmars and all four Sea Hurricanes; however, enemy shipping presence was minimal. The British destroyed one small vessel (MV Trotter), ignited several oil storage tanks, and torpedoed multiple wooden jetties. Pre-attack detection led to losses: two Fulmars and one Albacore were shot down by enemy defences. Low on fuel thereafter, Furious had to depart soon after but transferred her Albacores to Victorious to replenish its depleted squadrons. As she withdrew on 31 July, Sea Hurricanes from 880 Squadron downed a shadowing Dornier Do 18 flying boat.

Departing Belfast on 30 August with a cargo of 49 Hurricanes plus three Fulmars from 800 Squadron and four Sea Hurricane IBs of 'A' Flight from 880 Squadron for defence along with nine Swordfish from 812 Squadron destined for transfer to Ark Royal, she arrived at Gibraltar on 6 September. The following day saw the transfer of forty Hurricanes to Ark Royal. However, due to some Bristol Blenheim bombers failing to rendezvous—these bombers guided fighters en route to Malta—only fourteen Hurricanes could be flown off during the carrier’s subsequent departure. Upon returning, Ark Royal handed over six Swordfish of 810 Squadron back to Furious. Both carriers then set sail that same day for another fighter delivery mission. This operation marked the final ferry trip for Furious, as she proceeded to Philadelphia for an extensive refit arriving there on 7 October; she did not return until April of the following year.

Following her return, Furious dedicated three months to intensive training exercises or working up. In August she was assigned to escort a convoy heading towards Malta as part of Operation Pedestal but only accompanied them far enough to deploy her complement of thirty-eight Supermarine Spitfires onto Malta’s airfields—a task completed just as carrier Eagle was torpedoed. After launching her fighters successfully, she returned safely to Gibraltar. On August16th she loaded another batch of thirty-two Spitfires which were flown off southeast of the Balearic Islands the next day. Upon completion of this mission, she rejoined the Home Fleet for further training duties. She undertook one final reinforcement sortie delivering thirty-two Spitfires at Gibraltar on October27th before being assigned officially to Force H.

During Operation Torch, Furious carried twelve Supermarine Seafire IBs from 801 Squadron alongside twelve Seafire IICs from 807 Squadron and nine Albacores from 822 Squadron tasked with providing air cover during amphibious landings by the Central Task Force. On the morning of November8th, Seafires launched strikes against Vichy French airfields at Tafraoui, destroying three aircraft on the ground and shooting down a single Dewoitine D.520 fighter—the first aerial victory claimed by a Seafire. Concurrently eight Albacores escorted by Sea Hurricanes from two escort carriers attacked La Senia airfield but faced interception by D.520 fighters during their attack run; despite losses including one Albacore shot down by anti-aircraft fire and three damaged plus two more impaired during dogfights with French fighters—the strike succeeded in destroying forty-seven aircraft parked on the ground. Seafires belonging to '807' squadron aboard Furious provided cover during landings at Oran where they engaged D.520 fighters shooting down three while destroying approximately twenty aircraft on airfields.

Home waters

Furious continued to serve with Force H until February 1943, after which she was reassigned to the Home Fleet, where she remained for the duration of the conflict. In July, the fleet staged a strong demonstration off the Norwegian coast designed to divert attention from the Allied invasion of Sicily; during this operation, Furious was tasked with allowing a German reconnaissance plane to locate the British vessels and report their presence before shooting it down. Following an August refit, she dedicated the remainder of the year to training exercises. In February 1944, while escorting Convoy JW 57 en route from the United Kingdom to Russia, Furious, accompanied by the British battleship Anson and the French battleship Richelieu, launched attacks against German shipping along Norway’s coastline on 24 February. The carrier deployed Seafire IB fighters from 801 Squadron alongside Fairey Barracuda torpedo bombers from 827 and 830 Squadrons. No aircraft were lost during these operations, and a stranded freighter was successfully destroyed.

Ahead of Operation Tungsten, which targeted the Tirpitz, Furious and Victorious swapped Barracuda squadrons—827 Squadron was exchanged for 831 Squadron—to ensure that aircrews who had trained together would operate jointly during the attack. Additionally, Furious embarked 880 Squadron, bringing eight Seafire L.IIC fighters to supplement the six Seafire IBs of 801 Squadron. On 3 April 1944 morning, 21 Barracudas from 827 and 830 Squadrons initiated the assault just as Tirpitz was departing for sea trials. The Germans were caught completely off guard; their smokescreen had only just begun forming. British pilots had an unobstructed view and struck the battleship six times. Approximately an hour later, a second wave of 19 Barracudas from 829 and 831 Squadrons arrived and delivered eight additional hits. Each wave lost only one Barracuda, with another crashing during takeoff. Throughout this operation, 801 and 880 Squadrons remained aboard for fleet air defence. While bombs caused moderate damage to Tirpitz’s superstructure and upper hull, her machinery remained unharmed because pilots attacked below the 3,000-foot (910 m) altitude needed for their 1,600-pound (730 kg) armour-piercing bombs to penetrate her main armoured deck. Despite this, repairs kept Tirpitz out of action for three months.

Black and white photograph of a single-engined monoplane running along the deck of an aircraft carrier

An 830 Naval Air Squadron Barracuda launching from the temporary ski-jump on Furious at the commencement of Operation Mascot

The Home Fleet made another attempt against Tirpitz on 23 April 1944; however, adverse weather conditions prevented any attack that day or in subsequent days. Instead, on 26 April, aircraft targeted installations at Bodø but encountered a German convoy and succeeded in sinking three vessels. On 6 May 1944, Furious alongside escort carrier Searcher struck shipping near Kristiansund, sinking the ore carrier Almora and tanker Saarburg, losing two aircraft in return. Further attempts to attack Tirpitz on 15 May and again on 28 May were thwarted by poor weather; nevertheless, a successful strike on a German convoy occurred on 1 June, resulting in one ammunition ship sunk and two others set ablaze.

On 17 July 1944, during Operation Mascot, Furious, together with fleet carriers Formidable and Indefatigable, launched another offensive against Tirpitz. For this mission, she carried 880 Squadron with three Seafire L.IICs, twenty Grumman Hellcats from 1840 Squadron, Barracudas from 830 Squadron, and three Swordfish from 842 Flight. The Barracudas were heavily armed with bombs up to 1,600-pound (730 kg) and took off using a wooden ramp temporarily installed at the flight deck’s end—an early iteration of what would later be known as a ski-jump. The attack failed due to fully prepared German defences; a smokescreen concealed Tirpitz, forcing Barracudas to release bombs blindly through it. In August 1944, four additional assaults under Operation Goodwood aimed at sinking Tirpitz. For these efforts, Furious carried twelve Seafire F.IIIs from 801 Squadron, twelve Seafire L.IICs from 880 Squadron, and nine Barracudas from 827 Squadron. The initial planned strike on 20 August was aborted due to weather conditions; however, on 22 August, German forces detected the attack resulting in eleven aircraft losses. Two days later, another raid saw one armour-piercing bomb penetrate Tirpitz’s armoured deck but fail to detonate while a separate 500-pound (230 kg) bomb caused only superficial damage. A final attack on 29 August inflicted no harm.

By late summer of that year, it became evident that age and operational constraints limited the ship's effectiveness; consequently, she was placed into reserve status on 15 September 1944. In April 1945, she was paid off and moored at Loch Striven, where she served as a test platform to study the impact of aircraft explosives on ship structures. Eventually sold for scrap in 1948, Furious was fully dismantled in Troon by 1954.

External links

• Commons category for HMS Furious (47)
• Royal Navy's archived webpage dedicated to Furious
• Archived FleetAirArmArchive.net resource on Furious
• United States Navy historical photographs of Furious (archived)
• Maritimequest's photographic collection of HMS Furious (47)
• Popular Science article from 1919 discussing vessels designed to support seaplanes, potentially involved in early transatlantic flights
• Technical details and original design information for H.M.S. Furious (1916) at The Dreadnought Project