Editing HMS Glorious (section)

== Conversion ==
[[File:HMS Glorious FL22991.jpg|thumb|''Glorious'' at anchor, 1935; the doors to the lower hangar deck are open]]
The [[Washington Naval Treaty]] of 1922 limited the amount of [[capital ship]] tonnage and the Royal Navy was forced to scrap many of its older battleships and battlecruisers. However up to {{convert|66000|LT|t|0}} of existing ships could be converted into aircraft carriers, for which the ''Courageous''-class ships' large hulls and high speeds made them ideal candidates. ''Glorious'' began her conversion at Rosyth in 1924, and was towed to Devonport where she was completed on 24 February 1930. During the ship's post-conversion sea trials, she reached {{convert|29.47|kn}}.<ref>Burt 1993, pp. 273, 284–285</ref> Her 15-inch turrets were placed into storage and later reused during the [[World War II|Second World War]] for {{HMS|Vanguard|23|2}}, the world's last battleship to be built.<ref>Raven and Roberts, p. 321</ref>

Her new design improved on her half-sister {{HMS|Furious|47|2}} which lacked an [[Glossary of nautical terms (A-L)#island|island]] and a conventional [[funnel (ship)|funnel]]. All [[superstructure]], guns, torpedo tubes, and fittings down to the main deck were removed. A two-storey [[hangar]], each level {{convert|16|ft|1}} high and {{convert|550|ft|m|1}} long, was built on top of the remaining hull; the upper hangar level opened on to a short [[flight deck]], below and forward of the main flight deck. The lower flying-off deck improved [[launch and recovery cycle]] flexibility until heavier fighters requiring longer takeoff rolls made the lower deck obsolete in the 1930s.<ref>Brown, p. 2</ref> Two {{convert|46|×|48|ft|m|adj=on|1}} [[Elevator#Aircraft elevators|lifts]] were installed fore and aft in the flight deck. An island with the [[bridge (nautical)|bridge]], flying-control station, and funnel was added on the [[Port and starboard|starboard]] side as islands had been found not to contribute significantly to turbulence. By 1939 the ship could carry {{convert|34500|impgal|l USgal|lk=on}} of [[petrol]] for her aircraft.<ref>Friedman, pp. 103, 105–106</ref>

[[File:HMS Glorious underway 1936.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of ''Glorious'' under way, 1936]]
''Glorious'' received a [[dual-purpose gun|dual-purpose armament]] of sixteen [[QF 4.7 inch Mk VIII naval gun|QF 4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) Mark VIII]] guns in single mounts. One mount was on each side of the lower flight deck and a pair was on the quarterdeck. The remaining twelve mounts were distributed along the sides of the ship.<ref>Burt 1993, pp. 274–278</ref> During her 1935 refit, the ship received three octuple [[QF 2 pounder naval gun|QF two-pounder (40&nbsp;mm) "pom-pom"]] 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. She also received a single quadruple mount for water-cooled [[Vickers .50 machine gun|{{convert|0.5|in|abbr=on|1}} Vickers machineguns]] for anti-aircraft use.<ref>Burt 1993, pp. 165, 278, 281</ref>

The ship recommissioned on 24 February 1930 for service with the [[Mediterranean Fleet]], but was attached to the [[Home Fleet]] from March to June 1930. She relieved ''Courageous'' in the Mediterranean Fleet in June 1930 and remained there until October 1939. In a fog on 1 April 1931 ''Glorious'' rammed the French [[ocean liner]] {{SS|Florida|1925|2}} amidships while steaming at {{convert|16|knots}}. The impact crumpled {{convert|60|ft|1}} of the flying-off deck and killed 1 seaman aboard ''Glorious'' and 24 passengers and crew aboard ''Florida''.<ref>Hayward 1998, p. 47</ref><ref>Treasure Jones, pp. 57–62</ref> The ship was forced to put into [[Gibraltar]] to temporary repairs. She had to sail to [[Malta]] for permanent repairs which lasted until September 1931. Sometime in the early 1930s, transverse [[arresting gear]] was installed. She was refitted at Devonport from July 1934 to July 1935 where she received two hydraulic accelerators ([[aircraft catapult|catapults]]) on her upper flight deck, which was also extended to the rear, her quarterdeck was raised one deck and she received her multiple ''pom-pom'' mounts. ''Glorious'' participated in the Coronation [[Fleet Review]] at [[Spithead]] on 20 May 1937 for King [[George VI]] before returning to the Mediterranean.<ref name=b15>Burt 1993, pp. 281, 285</ref>

=== Air group ===
[[File:Fairey Seals on HMS Glorious 1936.jpg|thumb|A squadron of Fairey Seals preparing for takeoff from ''Glorious'', 1936]]
The ship could carry up to 48 aircraft; when first recommissioned, she carried [[Fairey Flycatcher]] fighters, [[Blackburn Dart]] and [[Blackburn Ripon]] [[torpedo bomber]]s, and [[Fairey IIIF]] reconnaissance planes of the [[Fleet Air Arm]]. From 1933 until ''Glorious'' returned to the United Kingdom in April 1940, aside from a period when refitting in the mid-1930s, she carried [[802 Naval Air Squadron|802 Squadron]] which flew a mixture of nine [[Hawker Nimrod]] and three [[Hawker Osprey]] fighters, until re-equipping with a dozen [[Gloster Sea Gladiator]]s in May 1939.<ref>Sturtivant, pp. 167, 169</ref> [[812 Naval Air Squadron|812]] and [[823 Naval Air Squadron|823 Squadrons]] were embarked for reconnaissance and anti-ship attack missions. They flew the Blackburn Ripon, the [[Blackburn Baffin]] and the [[Fairey Swordfish]] torpedo bombers and as well as [[Fairey III]]F and [[Fairey Seal]] reconnaissance aircraft.<ref>Sturtivant, pp. 206, 208–209, 256–257</ref> When ''Glorious'' recommissioned after her refit in 1935, [[825 Naval Air Squadron|825 Squadron]] was embarked, initially with Fairey IIIFs, but the squadron converted to Fairey Swordfish in May 1936.<ref>Sturtivant, pp. 266, 269–270</ref>