HMS Formidable was an Illustrious-class aircraft carrier ordered for the Royal Navy before the Second World War. After being completed in late 1940, she was briefly assigned to the Home Fleet before being transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet as a replacement for her crippled sister ship Illustrious. Formidable’s aircraft played a key role in the Battle of Cape Matapan in early 1941, and they subsequently provided cover for Allied ships and attacked Axis forces until their carrier was badly damaged by German dive bombers in May.
Assigned to the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean in early 1942, Formidable covered the invasion of Diego Suarez in Vichy Madagascar in mid-1942 against the possibility of a sortie by the Japanese into the Indian Ocean. Formidable returned home for a brief refit before participating in Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa in November. She remained in the Mediterranean and covered the invasions of Sicily and mainland Italy in 1943 before beginning a lengthy refit.
Formidable made several attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz in Norway in mid-1944 as part of the Home Fleet. She was subsequently assigned to the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) in 1945 where she played a supporting role during the Battle of Okinawa and later attacked targets in the Japanese Home Islands. She was hit twice by kamikaze aircraft on the 4th and 9th of May. In both instances, she was saved by her armoured deck and was able return to flight operations rapidly. The ship was used to repatriate liberated Allied prisoners of war and soldiers after the Japanese surrender and then ferried British personnel across the globe through 1946. She was placed in reserve the following year and sold for scrap in 1953.
A Grumman Wildcat on HMS Formidable November 1942HMS FormidableHMS FormidableHMS FormidableHMS Formidable 3 August 1942HMS Formidable approaching Gibraltar January 1944HMS FormidableHMS FormidableHMS FormidableHMS Formidable, April, 1943HMS Formidable November 1943Aircrew on HMS Formidable June 1942Crewmen seen during daily exercises on the flight deck of HMS Formidable.Turkish Military Mission With Western Mediterranean Fleet. 9 April 1943, on Board HMS FormidableHMS FormidableAircraft flying off from HMS Formidable November 1943
Bomb Damage From the Pedestal Convoy
A bomb explodes in the water near HMS Formidable 26 May 1941HMS Formidable hit by bombs 26 May 1941HMS Formidable listing after the attack 26 May 1941Damage to HMS Formidable 26 May 1941
HMS Formidable in the Far East
Fairey Albacores of No 820 Squadron Fleet Air Arm from HMS Formidable (R67) in the Indian Ocean.HMS Formidable at Leyte, Philippines 1945HMS Victorious is nearest the camera. On the row to the right are HM ships Formidable, Unicorn, Indefatigable and Indomitable San Pedro Bay Leyte 1945 Task Force 57HMS Formidable and HMS Implacable return to SydneyHMS Formidable, flight deck filled with Corsair aircraft, seen from HMS Whimbrel U-45 in 1945.HMS Formidable seen from HMS Whimbrel U-45 in 1945.HMS Formidable sailing into a monsoon while serving with Force A. Note the wind screens raised at the front of the flight deck.HMS Formidable (67) in the Indian Ocean 1944-45HMS Formidable returning to Sydney 24 August 1945HMS Formidable returning to Sydney 24 August 1945 with 1300 POWs and internees from JapanHMS Formidable seen in Sydney Harbour.HMS Formidable seen at Sydney, Australia.HMS Formidable being towed to her berth in Sydney 24 August 1945QF 4.5-inch Mk III guns aboard HMS Formidable, Sydney harbor, Australia, 6 Dec 1945
Kamikaze Attack
HMS Formidable in the Captain Cook Dry Dock on Garden Island Sydney for repairs following the Kamikaze attacks
4 May 1945
HMS Formidable under attackHMS Formidable on fireHMS Formidable on fireHMS Formidable on fireHMS Formidable on fireFirefighting on the flight deck following the attackFirefighting on the flight deck following the attackFirefighting on the flight deck following the attackThe ‘dent’ at the junction of three armoured plates on HMS Formidable’s flight deck, with debris blocking the small puncture wound to the hangar below.Concrete patch on HMS Formidable’ flight deck
9 May 1945
HMS Formidable under attack on 9 May 1945HMS Formidable on fire 9 May 1945Aircraft on fire on HMS Formidable 9 May 1945Damage control following the 9 May attack on HMS FormidableVought Corsair destroyed in the 9 May attack on HMS Formidable
Aircraft Operations
Fairey Albacore
Fairey Albacore crews of No. 820 NAS on board HMS Formidable September 1942Fairey Albacore of No. 820 NAS on board HMS FormidableFairey Albacore of No. 820 NAS on board HMS FormidableFairey Albacore of No. 820 NAS on board HMS FormidableFairey Albacore of No. 820 NAS on board HMS FormidableFairey Albacore on board HMS Formidable June 1943Fairey Albacore with full bomb-racks being wheeled into position on the flight deck of HMS Formidable 6-9 November 1942Fairey Albacore taking off from HMS Formidable September 1942Loading 250lb bombs onto a Fairey Albacore for the raid on Algiers Nov 1942Bombing up a Fairey Albacore on the flight deck of HMS FormidableAlbacore ∅L BF653 from 820 Squadron, HMS Formidable, during Operation TorchFairey Albacores on the flight deck of HMS FormidableFairey Albacore coming up in the after lift of HMS Formidable Sep 1942Fairey Albacores of 820 NAS being ranged on the flight deck of HMS FormidableFairey Albacore with full bomb-racks being wheeled into position on the flight deck of HMS Formidable Nov 1942Fairey Albacore taking off from HMS Formidable Sep 42A Fairey Albacore I BF759 4L of 820 Squadron in flight, during the North African landings Nov 1942Fairey Albacores on a training flight off Mombasa 25 May 1942Fairey Albacores of 820 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm from HMS FormidableFairey Albacores on a training flight off Mombasa 25 May 1942Fairey Albacores of 820 Naval Air Squadron starting out on an exerciseA formation of three Fairey Albacores of 820 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm from HMS FormidableFairey Albacore planes of 820 Naval Air Squadron starting out on an exercise carrying torpedoesEight Fairey Albacore planes of 820 Naval Air Squadron in echelon
Fairey Barracuda
A Fairey Barracuda makes a bad landing on HMS Formidable and hits the crash barrier at speed. Bits of the propellor can be seen flying in the air.A Fairey Barracuda on fire from enemy flak lands on HMS Formidable and the fire is put out by the crash party Aug 1944A Fairey Barracuda on HMS Formidable Aug 1944A Fairey Barracuda maintenance crew on HMS Formidable Aug 1944Bombing up a Fairey Barracuda with a 1600 lb bomb on board HMS FormidableA Fairey Barracuda with its undercarriage damaged makes a landing on the extreme edge of HMS Formidable’s deck. It was rescued by a crane.Barracudas landing on HMS Formidable after attacking the Tirpitz and other enemy ships off NorwayFairey Barracuda torpedo bombers and Vought Corsair fighters on HMS FormidableFairey Barracuda bombers on HMS Formidable August 1944
Fairey Fulmar
Fairey Fulmar Mark Is of No. 803 Squadron from HMS Formidable, photographed from a third while flying to HMS Eagle during February 1941Fairey Fulmar Mark Is of No. 803 Squadron on the flight deck of HMS Formidable, after the Battle of Matapan, March 1941Fairey Fulmar on HMS Formidable during the Madagascar Operation 24 April – 10 May 1942Fairey Fulmars on the flight deck of HMS Formidable part of the naval covering force for the Madagascar Apr-May 1942803 Sqn FAA Fairey Fulmar on HMS Formidable during the Madagascar Operation 24 April – 10 May 1942
Grumman Wildcat
The flight deck party folding the wings of a Martlet (Wildcat) which has just landed on HMS Formidable Sep 1942Martlet fighters on the flight deck of HMS Formidable Sep 1942Martlet fighters on the flight deck of HMS FormidableMartlet fighter warming up on the flight deck of HMS FormidableMartlet (Wildcat) fighter on HMS Formidable Sep 1942Martlet (Wildcat) fighter on HMS Formidable Sep 1942Martlet (Wildcat) fighter on HMS Formidable Sep 1942Martlet (Wildcat) fighter on HMS Formidable Sep 1942Martlet (Wildcat) fighter on HMS Formidable Sep 1942. The crew are watching HMS Rodney firing.Martlet (Wildcat) fighter on HMS Formidable Sep 1942Martlet (Wildcat) fighter on HMS Formidable Sep 1942A Grumman Martlet of No 888 Squadron taking off from HMS Formidable in the Mediterranean.
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Part of
ADMIRALTY OFFICIAL COLLECTION
Roper, F G (Lt)
Royal Navy official photographerGrumman Wildcats of No 888 Squadron on HMS FormidableMartlet (Wildcat) fighters on HMS Formidable Sep 1942Grumman Martlet (Wildcat) Mk. II of No. 888 AJ148 from HMS Formidable on an airfield at Oran Algeria in Dec 42
Grumman Avenger
Grumman Avenger Mk.II JZ466 of 848 NAS from HMS Formidable
Supermarine Seafire Mk.II HMS Formidable Dec 1942Supermarine Seafire Mk.II HMS Formidable Dec 1942Supermarine Seafire Mk.IIC MB182 HMS Formidable July 1943 during the invasion of SicilySupermarine Seafire Mk IIc landing on HMS Formidable in the Mediterranean, December 1942Supermarine Seafire Mk.IIC landing on HMS Formidable Oct 1943Supermarine Seafire Mk.IIC MB156 on HMS FormidableSupermarine Seafire Mk.IIC on HMS Formidable while at GibraltarSupermarine Seafire Mk IIc taking off from HMS Formidable. Mediterranean Sea December, 1943Supermarine Seafire on Board HMS Formidable in the Mediterranean December 1942
Vought Corsair
Ranging Corsairs on board HMS Formidable July 1944A damaged Vought Corsair being moved on HMS Formidable July 1944Crewmen aboard HMS Formidable pushing a damaged Vought Corsair which had just landed, off Norway, Aug 1944Vought Corsair fighters on board HMS Formidable off Norway, July 1944Vought Corsair on HMS Formidable. The bombs are for Barracuda bombers. August 1944Vought Corsair lands HMS Formidable with its tail elevator shot away by enemy flak after the August raids off the Norwegian coastHMS Formidable at Leyte, Philippines in 1945 with Vought Corsairs on deckCorsairs in HMS Formidable’s hangar.