Editing Courageous-class aircraft carrier (section)

== Description ==
[[File:HMS Glorious underway 1936.jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of ''Glorious'', 1936]]
The ''Courageous''-class ships had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|786|ft|9|in|m|1|abbr=on}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|90|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}}, and a [[draft (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|28|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} at [[deep load]]. These were increases of {{convert|9|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}} in beam and over {{convert|2|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} in draught compared to their earlier incarnations as battlecruisers. They displaced {{convert|24210|LT|t|lk=on}} at normal load and {{convert|26990|LT|t|abbr=on}} at deep load, increases of over {{convert|3000|LT|t}}. Their [[metacentric height]] declined from {{convert|6|ft|1|abbr=on}} at deep load to {{convert|4.4|ft|1|abbr=on}} and the ships had a complete [[double bottom]].<ref name=r65>Roberts, pp. 64–65</ref> In 1939, ''Courageous'' had a complement of 807 officers and [[naval rating|ratings]], plus 403 men in her air group.<ref>Burt 2012, pp. 283, 285</ref>

Their half-sister ''Furious'' was the same length, but had a beam of {{convert|89|ft|0.75|in|m|1|abbr=on}},<ref>Jenkins, front [[endpaper]]</ref> and an average draught of {{convert|27|ft|3|in|m|1|abbr=on}} at deep load, two feet deeper than before the conversion. She displaced {{convert|22500|LT|t}} at normal load and {{convert|26500|LT|t|abbr=on}} at deep load, over 3,000 long tons more than her previous displacement of {{convert|19513|LT|t}} at load and {{convert|22890|LT|t}} at deep load. ''Furious''{{'}}s metacentric height was {{convert|3.6|ft|1|abbr=on}} at deep load, a reduction of {{convert|1.48|ft|1|abbr=on}} after her conversion.<ref name=r65 /> In 1932, ''Furious'' had a complement of 738 officers and ratings, plus 468 men in her air group.<ref>Burt 2012, pp. 266, 273</ref>

=== Propulsion ===
The ''Courageous''-class ships were the first large warships in the Royal Navy to have geared [[steam turbine]]s. Arranged in two engine rooms, each of the turbines drove one of the four [[propeller shaft]]s. ''Furious''{{'}}s propellers were {{convert|11|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}} in diameter. The turbines were powered by 18 [[Yarrow Shipbuilders|Yarrow]] small-tube boilers equally divided among three boiler rooms. The turbines were designed to produce a total of {{convert|90000|shp|lk=on}} at a working pressure of {{convert|235|psi|kPa kg/cm2|0|abbr=on|lk=on}}.<ref>Roberts, pp. 71, 76</ref> No significant changes to the machinery were made during the conversion process to any of the three ships, but their increased displacement reduced their speed to approximately {{convert|30|kn|lk=in}}.<ref name=f5>Friedman, p. 95</ref>

''Furious''{{'}}s fuel capacity was increased by {{convert|700|LT|t}} during her reconstruction, which increased her range to {{convert|7480|nmi|lk=in}} at a speed of {{convert|10|kn}}.<ref name=f3 /> The maximum fuel capacity of ''Courageous'' and ''Glorious'' was increased during the conversion to {{convert|3800|LT|t}} of [[fuel oil]],<ref name=b83>Burt 2012, p. 283</ref> giving them an endurance of {{convert|6630|nmi|abbr=on}} at 10 kn.<ref name=f3>Friedman, p. 363</ref>

=== Armament ===
[[File:British gun, skansin (Faroe Islands).jpg|thumb|left|300px|One of the 5.5-inch guns from ''Furious'', redeployed in the Faeroes]]
''Furious'' retained ten of her original eleven [[breech-loading]] [[BL 5.5 inch Mark I naval gun|BL 5.5-inch Mk I]] guns, five on each side, for self-defence from enemy warships.<ref name=b69 /> They fired {{convert|82|lb|kg|adj=on}} projectiles at a [[muzzle velocity]] of {{convert|2790|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}. Their maximum range was {{convert|16000|yd|m}} at their maximum elevation of 25°, and the rate of fire was 12 rounds per minute.<ref>Campbell, p. 40</ref>

Half a dozen [[QF 4 inch Mk V naval gun|QF 4-inch Mark V]] guns replaced her original [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] guns. Four were mounted on the sides of the flying-off deck and two on the [[quarterdeck]].<ref>Burt 2012, p. 267</ref> They had a maximum depression of −5° and a maximum elevation of 80°. The guns fired a {{convert|31|lb|kg|adj=on}} [[Explosive material#High explosives|high explosive]] (HE) shell at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2387|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} at a rate of 10 to 15 rounds per minute. The guns had a maximum ceiling of {{convert|31000|ft|m|abbr=on}}, but an effective range of much less.<ref>Campbell, p. 58</ref> The four guns on the flying-off deck were removed during trials of the lower flight deck in 1926–1927, but only two were replaced when the trials were concluded.<ref name=f9>Friedman, p. 109</ref>

Four single [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|QF 2-pounder ''pom-poms'']] were installed by 1927.<ref name=f9 /> During ''Furious''{{'}}s September 1930 – February 1932 refit, her anti-aircraft outfit was changed by the substitution of two 8-barrel 2-pounder ''pom-pom'' mounts for the forward 4-inch guns on the flying-off deck removed earlier.<ref name=b69>Burt 2012, p. 276</ref> The Mark V mount could depress to −10° and elevate to a maximum of 80°. The Mark VIII 2-pounder gun fired a {{convert|40|mm|adj=on|order=flip}} {{convert|0.91|lb|kg|adj=on}} shell at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|1920|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} to a distance of {{convert|3800|yd|m}}. The gun's rate of fire was approximately 96–98 rounds per minute.<ref>Campbell, pp. 71–74</ref>

The {{convert|5.5|in|adj=on}} and {{convert|4|in|adj=on|0}} guns were replaced during ''Furious''{{'}}s refit in early 1939 by a dozen [[QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun|QF 4-inch Mk XVI guns]] in twin [[dual purpose gun|dual-purpose]] Mark XIX mounts. One mount each was on the former flying-off deck and the quarterdeck while the other four were mounted two per side.<ref>Burt 2012, pp. 268–269, 276</ref> The Mark XIX mount could depress to −10° and elevate to a maximum of 80°. The Mark XVI gun fired  fifteen to twenty {{convert|35|lb|kg|adj=on}} HE shells per minute at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2660|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}. Against surface targets it had a range of {{convert|19850|yd|m|abbr=on}} and a maximum ceiling of {{convert|31000|ft|m|abbr=on}}, but an effective anti-aircraft range of much less.<ref>Campbell, p. 56</ref> Two more Mark V 2-pounder mounts were added fore and aft of the newly added island at the same time.<ref name=b69 />

During the Second World War, ''Furious'', the only surviving ship of the three, received an eventual total of 22 manually operated automatic [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20&nbsp;mm Oerlikon]] light anti-aircraft (AA) guns, which replaced the single quadruple Vickers 0.50-calibre machine gun mount.<ref name=f9 /> The Oerlikon fired a {{convert|0.272|lb|adj=on}} HE shell at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2750|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}. The maximum ceiling was 10,000&nbsp;ft and the maximum range was {{convert|4800|yd|abbr=on}} although the effective range was under {{convert|1000|yd|abbr=on}}. The cyclic rate of fire was 450 rounds per minute, but the practical rate was between 250 and 320 rounds per minute owing to the need to reload [[magazine (firearms)|magazines]].<ref>Campbell, pp. 75–76</ref>

A mix of single-purpose anti-surface and anti-aircraft guns in various sizes was considered for ''Courageous'' and ''Glorious'' by the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]], but was ultimately rejected for a dual-purpose armament of sixteen [[QF 4.7 inch Mk VIII naval gun|QF 4.7-inch Mark VIII]] guns in single high-angle mounts. One mount was on each side of the lower flight deck and a pair were on the quarterdeck. The remaining twelve mounts were distributed along the sides of each ship.<ref name=b83 /> These mounts could depress to −5° and elevate to a maximum of 90°. The Mark VIII guns fired a {{convert|50|lb|kg|adj=on}} HE shell at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2457|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}} at a rate of 8–12 rounds per minute. The guns had a maximum ceiling of {{convert|32000|ft|m|abbr=on}}, but an effective range of much less. They had a maximum range of {{convert|16160|yd|m|abbr=on}} against surface targets.<ref>Campbell, p. 51</ref>

During refits in the mid-1930s, both ships received multiple 2-pounder ''pom-pom'' mounts. ''Courageous'' received three quadruple Mark VII mounts, one on each side of the flying-off deck, forward of the 4.7-inch guns, and one behind the island on the flight deck (two of these were transferred from the battleship {{HMS|Royal Sovereign|05|2}}). ''Glorious'' received three octuple Mark VI mounts in the same locations. Both ships received four water-cooled [[Vickers .50 machine gun|0.50-calibre Mark III]] [[machine gun]]s in a single quadruple mounting.<ref>Burt 2012, pp. 157, 286</ref> This mount could depress to −10° and elevate to a maximum of 70°. The machine guns fired a {{convert|1.326|oz|adj=on}} bullet at a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2520|ft/s|m/s|abbr=on}}. This gave the gun a maximum range of about {{convert|5000|yd|m|abbr=on}}, although its effective range was only {{convert|800|yd|m|abbr=on}}.<ref>Campbell, p. 78</ref> Neither ship had any further guns added before they were sunk early in the war,<ref name=f9 /> in 1939 and 1940, respectively.

=== Fire control and radar ===
To assist its weapon systems in hitting their target, ''Furious'' was completed with one [[fire-control system]] for each side, with separate [[Fire-control system#Naval fire control|directors]] for low-angle and high-angle guns. The 5.5-inch guns were centrally controlled by a [[Frederic Charles Dreyer#Dreyer Fire Control Table|Dreyer Fire-Control Table]] on the lower deck while the 4-inch guns had their mechanical computers next to their directors.<ref name=f5 /> The existing fire-control directors were removed when ''Furious'' received her new dual-purpose 4-inch mountings in 1939. New high-angle directors, including two for the ''pom-poms'', were mounted on top of the new island and on the former lower flight deck. Over the course of the war [[Type 285 radar|Type 285]] gunnery [[radar]]s were mounted on top of the high-angle directors. She also received a [[List of World War II British naval radar#Type 290|Type 290]] air-search radar.<ref name=f9 />

''Courageous'' was initially fitted only with low-angle directors for her guns, but these were replaced by dual-purpose directors when she was refitted in 1930. (''Glorious'', completed later, had hers from the beginning.) Neither ship was fitted with radar before its early loss.<ref>Burt 2012, pp. 285–286</ref>

=== Protection ===
Little armour other than that of the [[barbette]]s was removed during their conversion to aircraft carriers. The transverse bulkheads were carried through the locations of the former barbettes. The flight deck was {{convert|0.625|in|mm}} in thickness.<ref>Burt 2012, pp. 273, 282</ref>

Unlike other British battlecruisers, the bulk of the armour of the ''Courageous''-class ships was made from [[Ultimate tensile strength|high-tensile]] steel (HTS), a type of steel used structurally in other ships. Their waterline [[Belt armor|belt]] consisted of {{convert|2|in|0}} of HTS covered by a {{convert|1|in|0|adj=on}} thick mild steel skin. It protected roughly the middle two-thirds of the ship with a one-inch extension forward to the two-inch forward transverse [[bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]] well short of the bow. The belt had a height of {{convert|23|ft|m|0}}, of which {{convert|18|in|m|1}} was below the designed waterline. From the former forward barbette, a 3-inch bulkhead extended out to the ship's side between the upper and lower decks and a comparable bulkhead was in place at the former location of the rear barbette as well. Four decks were armoured with thicknesses varying from {{convert|0.75|–|3|in}}, thickest over the magazines and the steering gear. After the [[Battle of Jutland]], {{convert|110|LT|t}} of extra protection was added to the deck around the magazines.<ref>Burt 1986, pp. 308, 313</ref>

The [[torpedo bulkhead]]s were increased during building from 0.75–{{convert|1.5|in|abbr=on}} in thickness.<ref>Roberts, pp. 54, 106, 113</ref> All three ships were fitted with a shallow [[anti-torpedo bulge]] integral to the hull, which was intended to detonate the torpedo before it hit the hull proper and deflect the underwater explosion to the surface, away from the ship. Later testing proved that it was not deep enough to accomplish its task and that it lacked the layers of empty and full compartments that were necessary to absorb the force of the explosion.<ref>Roberts, p. 111</ref>

=== Air groups ===
[[File:HMS Furious-15.jpg|thumb|right|300px|''Furious'' in the mid-1930s with a flight of [[Blackburn Baffin]] torpedo bombers overhead]]
Normally, ''Furious'' could carry only about 36 aircraft. In the 1920s this commonly meant one flight (squadrons after 1932) of fighters ([[Fairey Flycatcher]]), two of spotters ([[Blackburn Blackburn]] or [[Avro Bison]]), one spotter reconnaissance ([[Fairey III]]D) and two flights of torpedo bombers ([[Blackburn Dart]]). In 1935 there was one squadron of fighters with [[Hawker Nimrod]]s and [[Hawker Osprey]]s, one squadron of [[Blackburn Baffin]] torpedo bombers and one squadron of Fairey IIIF spotters. During the Second World War, the carrier typically carried a single fighter squadron and two of strike aircraft of various types, although the mix was often adjusted for specific missions.<ref name=b69 />

''Courageous'' and ''Glorious'' were generally similar except that they carried a total of 48 aircraft. They commonly flew the same types of aircraft as ''Furious'', although they are also known to have flown the [[Fairey Seal]], the [[Blackburn Shark]], and the [[Blackburn Ripon]].<ref>Burt 2012, p. 284</ref>