HMS Implacable (R86)

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HMS Implacable (R86) was an Implacable-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. She was laid down at Fairfields Shipyard on Clydeside three months after her sister-ship Indefatigable and was clearly destined for the British Pacific Fleet once worked up. Her first commanding officer was Captain Lachlan Mackintosh of Mackintosh, but he was replaced on promotion by Captain Charles Hughes-Hallett before sailing for the Far East.

After several attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz early in 1944 the ship prepared for the main task.

In 27 November 1944 Fairey Barracuda planes from the carrier bombed two Norwegian ships carrying Allied prisoners of war, killing 2,571 onboard the Rigel, one of the largest maritime disasters ever. The vessels were apparently mistaken for being German troop transports.

Implacable arrived at Sydney on 8 May 1945 (V-E Day). She joined the carrier squadron as replacement for Illustrious, which was due to return to the United Kingdom for a major refit.

Among other types of plane, Implacable operated the Fairey Firefly, the Supermarine Seafire and the Grumman Avenger.

Her first operation as part of the BPF was against Japanese airfields at Truk in the Caroline Islands.

The ship remained in Pacific waters after the end of the conflict, becoming the flagship of Sir Philip Vian when he took over as Vice-Admiral BPF for a period. She returned to the United Kingdom in time for the Victory Parade.

See HMS Implacable for other ships of this name.