HMS Pioneer (R76)

HMS "Pioneer" (R76) was a "Colossus" class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy The ship was built by Vickers in Barrow-in-Furness. The "Colossus" class was intended to meet a shortage of naval flight decks. Their design was based on that of the Illustrious class aircraft carriers, but modified to permit rapid construction in commercial yards. She was originally named "Ethalion", then "Mars". "Pioneer" was not completed to her original design; the success of the maintenance aircraft carrier "Unicorn" prompted modification of her design to that of an aircraft maintenance ship, without aircraft catapults or armoured flight deck.

After commissioning, "Pioneer" served in the western Pacific in the last months of the war [cite web
last = Toppan
first = Andrew
authorlink = [e-mail]
coauthors =
title = "Mars"
work = The World Aircraft Carrier Lists
publisher = Haze Gray & Underway
date = 1995-2003
url = http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/uk_light.htm#mars
format =
doi =
accessdate = 9 Aug 2008 ] . She was at Manila Fact|date=February 2007 when the Japanese in that area surrendered to the British forces. After the surrender, "Pioneer" ditched unrequired aircraft off the Australian coast [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Maintenance and Replenishment Carrier Ex HMS "Ethalion", Ex HMS "Mars"
work = Fleet Air Arm Archive
publisher =
date = 2000-2001
url = http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Ships/PIONEER.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 9 Aug 2008 ] and returned to the United Kingdom. She was then laid up in reserve from 1946, for seven years. In 1953, "Pioneer" was reactivated for service as a ferry carrier. However, that duty lasted only until September 1954, when the ship was decommissioned and scrapped at Inverkeithing.

References

External links

* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/pages/aircraft_carriers/hms_pioneer_d76.htm Maritimequest HMS Pioneer photo gallery]

References