The death of the English aircraft carrier Hermes (HMS Hermes). On April 9, 1942, the aircraft carrier was sunk by Japanese carrier-based aircraft south-west of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), receiving about 40 hits of 250 kg bombs within 10 minutes. The aircraft carrier’s own aircraft were in the raid, anti-aircraft weapons were outdated and weak, so the ship was defenseless against the raid. It was also sunk and export Hermes aircraft carrier – the destroyer “Vampire” and the corvette “Hollyhok.”
The successful departure was headed by the commander of the air group of the aircraft carrier “Soryu”, Lieutenant Commander Egus Takasige. A total of 85 Aichi D3A1 dive-bombers participated in the raid.
Picture taken from a Japanese aircraft.
When it was laid down in 1919, the Hermes aircraft carrier became the first ship in the world specially designed as an aircraft carrier (before this, the role of aircraft carriers was performed by suitable ships of other types). And he became the first aircraft carrier in the world sunk by deck aircraft.
Sources of information about the Hermes aircraft carrier photo:
Location: Southeast Asia
Date: April 9, 1942