HMS Furious | The First Aircraft Carrier

The HMS Furious, initially conceived as a modified Courageous-class battlecruiser, underwent significant transformations to become an instrumental aircraft carrier for the Royal Navy during the early 20th century. Commissioned amidst the tumult of World War I, its design evolved to accommodate a full-length flight deck, marking a shift in naval warfare strategies. Perhaps most notably, on 19 July 1918, HMS Furious spearheaded a historic air raid—launching seven Sopwith Camels that successfully targeted and destroyed German Zeppelins and their sheds at Tondern. This operation heralded the era of carrier-based airstrikes. Post World War I, in the 1920s, HMS Furious further contributed to naval aviation advancements, facilitating the first carrier night-landing in 1926. As World War II unfurled, HMS Furious transitioned to various roles, from hunting German raiders in the North Atlantic to supporting operations during the Norwegian Campaign and later ferrying aircraft. Its service culminated in 1945, post which it was decommissioned and eventually scrapped in 1948, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and adaptability in naval aviation.

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