HMS Bulwark (R08)
HMS Bulwark | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Bulwark |
| Ordered | 17 April 1943 |
| Builder | Harland & Wolff |
| Laid down | 10 May 1945 |
| Launched | 22 June 1948 |
| Commissioned | 4 November 1954 |
| Decommissioned | April 1981 |
| In service |
|
| Homeport | HMNB Portsmouth |
| Identification | Pennant number: R08 |
| Motto | "Under thy wings I will trust" |
| Nickname(s) | The Rusty B |
| Honours & awards | Operation Musketeer |
| Fate | Scrapped 1984 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Centaur-class light aircraft carrier |
| Displacement | 22,000 tons standard, 27,000 tons full load |
| Length | 737.75 ft (224.87 m) |
| Beam | 123 ft (37 m) |
| Draught | 27.8 ft (8.5 m) |
| Propulsion | 4 boilers, 2 shafts |
| Speed | 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph) |
| Range | 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Complement | 850 (+ 200 Naval Air Squadron + 800 Royal Marines Commando) |
| Aircraft carried | As a commando carrier: 16 Wessex V helicopters of 845 or 848 Naval Air Squadron |
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The sixth HMS Bulwark of the Royal Navy was a 22,000 ton Centaur-class light fleet aircraft carrier. Initially commissioned as a light aircraft carrier in 1954, the ship was converted into a commando carrier in 1958 and recommissioned as such in 1960. Bulwark remained in this capacity until 1979 following failed efforts to sell the ship, Bulwark re-entered service as an anti-submarine warfare carrier and remained as such until being decommissioned in 1981. The ship was scrapped in 1984.