Eagle first with angled deck; VIEWPOINTS.
STEVE JONES says the Ark Royal was the first ship to carry an angled deck (Viewpoints, June 29).I served on HMS Eagle and joined her at Devonport in September 1954 where she was in dry dock being fitted with the new angled flight deck.
We did extensive exercises and during that time a Wyvern plane crashed into the funnel while trying to take off after an aborted landing.
We returned to Portsmouth for repairs in a force nine gale and with the engine still in the funnel.
We set sail again and spent a year in the Mediterranean on exercises with the new angled flight deck and returned in July 1955 to Greenock, Scotland.
I hope this clarifies the Eagle to be first ship with angled flight deck.
The old Ark Royal was our sister ship and just a few feet longer than HMS Eagle.
Dave Holdham Brendon Close Llanrumney, Cardiff
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Ark Royal - not the first with an angled flight deck
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| Publication: | South Wales Echo (Cardiff, Wales) |
|---|---|
| Geographic Code: | 4EUUK |
| Date: | Jul 3, 2009 |
| Words: | 164 |
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