Description:Listing Ship 947

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HMS Hermes (R12) 1959 - 1984, Sold to India 1986

Her typical aircraft complement in the late 1960s consisted of 12 Sea Vixen FAW2s, 7 Buccaneer S2s, 4 Gannet AEW3s, 1 Gannet COD4, 5 Wessex HAS3s and 1 Wessex HAS1. She was recommissioned as a commando carrier in 1973, as an ASW carrier in 1976 (carrying around 20 or so Sea King and Wessex helicopters), and then as a V/STOL carrier in 1981. Hermes initial complement of aircraft as a V/STOL carrier was 5 Harriers and 12 Sea King helicopters, though she had the capacity for up to a total of 37 aircraft.

The final CATOBAR air wing in 1968-1970 consisted of:

  • 809 NAS. - 7 Buccaneer S2 naval strike aircraft
  • 892 NAS. - 12 Sea Vixen FAW2 all-weather fighter
  • 849 NAS. - A flt. 4 Fairey Gannet AEW.3 airborne early warning
  • 849 NAS. - 1 Gannet COD4 for carrier onboard delivery
  • 826 NAS. - 5 Wessex HAS3 anti-submarine warfare
  • Ships Flight - 1 Wessex HAS1 air-sea rescue

1976 Converted to CVS

  • 800 NAS - 5 Sea Harrier FRS1 Fighter
  • 826 NAS - 12 Sea King HAS5 ASW

Air group at the height of the Falklands Conflict 1982

  • 800 NAS - 16 Sea Harrier FRS.1
  • 826 NAS - 5 Sea King HAS.5
  • 846 NAS - 5 Sea King HC.4
  • No. 1 Squadron RAF - 10 Harrier GR.3

In the autumn of 1983 she took part in her last exercise, Ocean Safari, where she reverted to a strike carrier role, embarking

  • 12 Sea Harriers,
  • 10 RAF Harrier GR.3s
  • 10 Sea Kings.

After this exercise she returned to the UK for a minor refit and into maintained reserve in February 1984.