The Hermes Viraat Heritage Trust

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    • Home
    • About Us
    • HMS Hermes
      • HMS Hermes 10
      • HMS Hermes 9
      • HMS Hermes 8
      • HMS Hermes 7
      • HMS Hermes 6
      • HMS Hermes 5
      • HMS Hermes 4
      • HMS Hermes 3
      • HMS Hermes 2
      • HMS Hermes 1
    • The Hermes Association
      • About Us
      • Apply for Membership
      • INS Viraat visit
      • HMS Sultan visit
    • INS Viraat
    • Shop
    • Blog
    • Contact Us
    • Aircraft since 1959
    • HMS Hermes layout
    • FALKLANDS TRIP SURVEY
    • Falklands Project

The Hermes Viraat Heritage Trust

The Hermes Viraat Heritage TrustThe Hermes Viraat Heritage TrustThe Hermes Viraat Heritage Trust

Signed in as:

filler@godaddy.com

  • Home
  • About Us
  • HMS Hermes
    • HMS Hermes 10
    • HMS Hermes 9
    • HMS Hermes 8
    • HMS Hermes 7
    • HMS Hermes 6
    • HMS Hermes 5
    • HMS Hermes 4
    • HMS Hermes 3
    • HMS Hermes 2
    • HMS Hermes 1
  • The Hermes Association
    • About Us
    • Apply for Membership
    • INS Viraat visit
    • HMS Sultan visit
  • INS Viraat
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Aircraft since 1959
  • HMS Hermes layout
  • FALKLANDS TRIP SURVEY
  • Falklands Project

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HMS Hermes (R12)

The Worlds longest serving Aircraft Carrier


HMS Hermes (R12) was a Royal Navy aircraft carrier that served as a key component of Britain's naval aviation capability during the Cold War era. Launched in 1953, she was the last conventional British aircraft carrier and had a long and distinguished career before being sold to India in 1986, where she continued her service as the INS Viraat. 


HMS Hermes was initially laid down as HMS Elephant during World War II in 1944. The ship’s construction was delayed due to post-war budget constraints, and she was finally launched on February 16, 1953, by the Vickers-Armstrongs shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness. Upon her commissioning on November 25, 1959, Hermes became the seventh ship in the Royal Navy to bear the name, embodying the tradition of its predecessors.


Initially intended as a Centaur-class light fleet carrier, HMS Hermes was redesigned during construction to accommodate advances in naval aviation, such as angled flight decks, steam catapults, and mirror landing systems. This marked a shift in British naval strategy, preparing Hermes to support jet aircraft and helicopters, which were becoming the mainstay of naval aviation.


Key Milestones:


  • 1953: Launched as HMS Hermes.
  • 1959: Commissioned into the Royal Navy.
  • 1960-1970s: Operated as a strike carrier, supporting British operations globally.
  • 1982: Led British naval forces during the Falklands War.
  • 1986: Decommissioned from the Royal Navy and sold to India, becoming INS Viraat.



Did you or a relative serve onboard HMS Hermes?

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How is this information used?

The Hermes/Viraat Heritage Trust is compiling  a list of all crew who served on any version of HMS Hermes over the years.  This information is purely for historical purposes so descendants can easily identify the years served on the ship and the messdeck/s you/your relative lived in. The database will not include personal data.


By completing this form you agree to freely giving the information.


No information  will be sold to any 3rd party organisation.

The Hermes Viraat Heritage Trust


AIRCRAFT OPERATING FROM THE SHIP'S DECK SINCE 1959

Operation Mercy 1974

The arrest of HMS Hermes in Quebec

Photo Gallery



    Read about the stories of the men onboard HMS Hermes

    The things the men got up to onboard ship and ashore.

    1953

    Learn more about the year of the launch of HMS Hermes

    Find out more

    HMS Hermes 2nd Commission


    Hermes joins the Royal Navy 1959

    Hermes joins the Royal Navy 1959

    Hermes joins the Royal Navy 1959

    Hermes joins the Royal Navy

    Copyright British Pathe

    890 SQN MK 1 SEA VIXENS 1960

    Hermes joins the Royal Navy 1959

    Hermes joins the Royal Navy 1959

    Sea Vixens from 890 Sqn

    Malta 1967

    Hermes joins the Royal Navy 1959

    Exercise off Aden 1967

    A day in the life of Hermes

    Malta 1967

    Exercise off Aden 1967

    deck landings of A4Gs & S2Es 1968

    Exercise off Aden 1967

    Sailing off Steamer point to give the South Arabian Army ground to air experience 

    deck landings of A4Gs & S2Es 1968

    deck landings of A4Gs & S2Es 1968

    deck landings of A4Gs & S2Es 1968

     First ever deck landings of A4Gs & S2Es Nov 1968 HMS Hermes Copyright Australian War Memorial 

    Exercise Dawn Patrol 1974

    deck landings of A4Gs & S2Es 1968

    deck landings of A4Gs & S2Es 1968

    1974 Nato Exercise Dawn Patrol off Italy 

    Turkey invade cyprus 1974

    The story of  family repatriated on HMS Hermes from the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 1974

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    Exercise Ocean Safari 1977

     Nato Exercise in South West Europe 1977 

    Exercise Ocean Safari 1979

    Exercise Ocean Safari 1979

    Nato Exercise 1979 being monitored by Soviet planes

    Return to Portsmouth 1982

    Return to Portsmouth 1982

    Exercise Ocean Safari 1979

     HMS Hermes comes back from the Falklands War to a Heroes welcome 

    Falklands War, 1982

    Return to Portsmouth 1982

    Falklands War, 1982

     20th Century Battlefields   Episode 7 Falklands War, 1982 


    7th October 1973

    Soviet destroyer shadowing Hermes fires torpedo

    Find out more

    HMS Hermes layout

    Find your way around the ship as we add each section in turn.  Discover places you never knew existed.

    Ships layout

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