HNLMSKarel Doorman(R81)(Dutch:Hr.Ms.Karel Doorman(R81)) was aColossus-classaircraft carrierof theRoyal Netherlands Navy.Formerly the British shipHMSVenerable,she was sold to the Netherlands in 1948 as a light attack carrier. In 1960, she was involved in the decolonization conflict inWestern New GuineawithIndonesia.In the mid 1960s, her role was changed toanti-submarine warfare carrierand only ASW aircraft and helicopters were carried. An engine room fire took her out of service in 1968. She was sold toArgentinain 1969 and renamedARAVeinticinco de Mayo.
 HNLMSKarel Doorman
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMSVenerable |
| Ordered | 7 August 1942 |
| Builder | Cammell Laird |
| Yard number | 1126 |
| Laid down | 3 December 1942 |
| Launched | 30 December 1943 |
| Commissioned | 27 November 1944 |
| Decommissioned | April 1947 |
| Identification | Pennant numberR63 |
| Fate | Sold to the Netherlands, 1 April 1948 |
 Netherlands | |
| Name | HNLMSKarel Doorman |
| Namesake | Karel Doorman |
| Acquired | 1 April 1948 |
| Commissioned | 28 May 1948 |
| Decommissioned | 29 April 1968 |
| Refit |
|
| Identification | R81 |
| Fate | Sold to Argentina, 15 October 1968 |
 Argentina | |
| Name | ARAVeinticinco de Mayo |
| Namesake | Date of theMay Revolution |
| Acquired | 15 October 1968 |
| Commissioned | 12 March 1969 |
| Decommissioned | 1997 |
| Out of service | Inoperable by 1990 |
| Refit | 1969 |
| Homeport | Puerto BelgranoNaval Base |
| Identification | V-2 |
| Fate | Provided spare parts forMinas Geraisand remainder was scrapped in 2000 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Colossus-classaircraft carrier |
| Displacement | 19,900 tons |
| Length | 192 m (629 ft 11 in) |
| Beam | 24.4 m (80 ft 1 in) |
| Draught | 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power | 40,000 shp (30 MW) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 25 kn (46 km/h; 29 mph) |
| Complement | 1,300 |
| Armament | 12 xBofors 40 mm L/60 gunAnti-Aircraft guns |
Purchase
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Built atCammell LairdinBirkenheadon 3 December 1942,Venerablewas launched just over a year later and commissioned on 17 January 1945.
In 1948,Venerable's short career in theRoyal Navycame to an end when she was sold to the Netherlands and recommissioned as HNLMSKarel Doorman,replacing a smallerNairana-class escort carrierof the same name while in Dutch service.
In 1955-58 she was rebuilt with an 8° angled flight deck, new elevators, new island, 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, steam catapult, and all new aviation facilities and electronics were fitted, including a Dutch-built new radar. At the same time, a similar Dutch rebuild was done to her sister ship, theMinas Gerais.
Cruises
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Karel Doorman,frigateJohan Maurits van Nassau,and light cruiserJacob van Heemskerckmade a voyage to theNetherlands Antilleson 2 January 1950. Embarked onKarel DoormanwasPrince Bernhard.The ships returned to the Netherlands on 4 May.[1]
In 1954, during a North American cruise, she visitedMontreal, Quebec,Canada for an air show appearance.[2]
Early in 1959 the ship made a trip to the United States (Newport, Rhode IslandandFort Lauderdale, Florida) and then continued on to visit the Antilles again.
In 1960, during the Dutch decolonization and planned independence of WesternNew Guinea,a territory which was also claimed byIndonesia,Karel Doormanset sail along with two destroyers and a modified oil tanker to "show the flag". In order to avoid possible problems with Indonesia's ally Egypt at theSuez Canal,she instead sailed around the Horn of Africa. She arrived inFremantle,Australia, where the local seamen's union went on strike in sympathy with Indonesia; the crew used the propeller thrust of aircraft chained down on deck to nudge the carrier into dock without tugs. In addition to her air wing, she was ferrying twelveHawker Hunterfighters to bolster the local Dutch defence forces, which she delivered when she arrived at Hollandia, New Guinea.Karel Doormanwas also to have visitedYokohama,Japan during this Asian cruise to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the establishment of Japanese-Dutch diplomatic relations but, due to Indonesian and local protests, Japan withdrew its invitation.[3]
After the 1964 refit,Karel Doormanserved the rest of her career mostly conducting NATO anti-submarine patrols in the north Atlantic, no longer carrying strike or fighter aircraft as part of her regular air wing.Karel Doormanalso regularly conducted various exercises near Scotland during her career.
Western New Guinea Crisis
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During the 1960 crisis,Indonesiaprepared for a military action namedOperation Trikora.For an invasion, theIndonesian Air Forces(TNI-AU) hoped to sink this aircraft carrier with Soviet-suppliedTupolev Tu-16KS-1 Badgernaval bombers usingAS-1 Kennel / KS-1 Kometaanti-ship missiles (six planes were intended for the attack onKarel Doorman). This bomber launched missile strike mission was cancelled because of the ceasefire between Indonesia and the Netherlands; this led to a Dutch withdrawal andUnited Nations temporary peacekeeping administrationfollowed by handover of Western New Guinea to Indonesia.[4]
Decommissioning
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In 1964, following the settlement of issues threatening its former colonial territories and changes in the mission for the Royal Netherlands Navy withinNATO,coupled with the huge costs for operating and maintaining an aircraft carrier, it was decided to withdraw her from the operational fleet by the early 1970s. This was to coincide with the arrival of long range maritime patrol aircraft that were to take over the ASW roleKarel Doormanhad been tasked to perform ever since the start of the 1960s.
A boiler room fire on 26 April 1968 removed her from Dutch service.[5]To repair the fire damage, new boilers were transplanted from the incompleteHMSLeviathan,at the Wilton-Fijenoord shipyard in Rotterdam. In 1969, it was decided that the costs for repairing the damage in relation to the relatively short timeKarel Doormanwas still to serve in the fleet proved to be her undoing and she was sold to theArgentine Navy,renamedVeinticinco de Mayo,where she would later play a role in the 1982Falklands War.
In the late 1960s, the NATOanti-submarinecommitment was taken over by a squadron ofWestland Wasphelicopters operated from sixVan Speijk-classanti-submarine frigates and two squadrons of shore based maritime patrol aircraft. These were one squadron ofBreguet Atlantiquesea-reconnaissance aircraft[6]and one ofP-2 Neptunes.
Air wing
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First deploying as an attack carrier with 24 World War II era propeller drivenFairey Fireflystrike fighters andHawker Sea Furyfighters, for sea rescue aSupermarine Sea Otterflying boat was carried, it was replaced by aSikorsky S-51helicopter.[citation needed]
From 1958, she operated with an ASW/Strike profile with up to 14Grumman TBF AvengerASW/torpedo bombers, 10Hawker Sea Hawkfighters (a first generation naval jet fighter considered by the larger naval powers to be undersized and nearly obsolete at the time of delivery to the Dutch) and 2Sikorsky S-55ASW helicopters.[citation needed]
In 1960, the Royal Netherlands Navy received 17 Canadian builtGrumman S-2 TrackerASW aircraft formerly used by theRoyal Canadian Navy.Changing roles to a dedicated NATOantisubmarine warfarecarrier, a wing of 8 Grumman S-2 Trackers and 6Sikorsky S-58ASW helicopters served aboard from 1961 until the 1968 shipboard fire and removal from Dutch service.[citation needed]
From 1959, Dutch Sea Hawks were equipped withSidewinder missilesthat significantly enhanced and extended their air-to-air combat capabilities. While never engaged in combat, the aircraft were present as a carrier based deterrent during the 1962 New Guinea Indonesia crisis.[7]They served aboard between 1957 and 1964 untilKarel Doorman's overhaul, after which the attack role was eliminated and 22 aircraft were transferred to land based reserve storage - they were all retired from service by the end of the 1960s after the sale ofKarel Doormanto Argentina.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Jacob van Heemskerck History".www.netherlandsnavy.nl.
- ^"423 Squadron - Chapter 4".www.shearwateraviationmuseum.ns.ca.Archived fromthe originalon 4 June 2008.Retrieved1 June2008.
- ^"THE HIGH SEAS: Flying Dutchman".Time.19 September 1960 – via content.time.com.
- ^"Tu-16 Badger: The stealth from the Southern Hemisphere - Rubrik HISTORY".Archived fromthe originalon 22 October 2008.
- ^"World Aircraft Carriers List: Netherlands".www.hazegray.org.
- ^"MLD".members.casema.nl.Archived fromthe originalon 13 February 2012.Retrieved27 June2019.
- ^"Hawker Sea Hawk Mark 50".www.historyofwar.org.
- ^"KDoorman".www.steelnavy.com.
Bibliography
edit- W.H.E., van Amstel (1991).De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945.Alkmaar: De Alk.ISBN9060139976.
- Brand, Bert (2005).Hr. Ms. Karel Doorman: vliegveld in zee.Emmen: Lanasta.ISBN9086160018.
- Geneste, Willem (1990).Verguisd en geprezen: Hr. Ms. Karel Doorman.Bergen: Bonneville.ISBN9073304024.
- Hoog, Arie (1991).De dikke boot: herinneringen aan Hr. Ms. Karel Doorman.Bergen: Bonneville.ISBN9073304067.
- Kop, H.J.E. van der (1982).Vliegkampschepen: geschiedenis en ontwikkeling van het vliegkampschip Hr. Ms. Karel Doorman in de Koninklijke Marine.Bussum: De Boer maritiem.ISBN9022818551.
- Kooger, Hans (1999).Het enige vliegkampschip van Nederland; de wereld van de carriers en herinneringen aan Hr. Ms. Karel Doorman.Berkel en Rodenrijs: Nederlandse Historiën.
- Hellema, Duco (2005).De Karel Doorman In Nieuw-Guinea: Nederlands Machtsvertoon In De Oost.Amsterdam: Boom.ISBN9789085061823.
- Cats, Jacques (2014).Viermaal Karel Doorman.de Drvkkery Schrijverspodium.ISBN9789081585644.
- Slot, Rob Bruins (1 November 2005)."Karel Doorman"(in Dutch). Andere Tijden.Retrieved8 March2018.
- Karremann, Jaime (2 June 2014)."Karel Doorman vliegkampschip (1948)"(in Dutch). marineschepen.nl.Retrieved8 March2018.
External links
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Media related toR81 Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (ship, 1944)at Wikimedia Commons