The world's first purpose-built aircraft carrier was a product of trial and error

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: HMS Hermes was not born from a clear blueprint, but from a decade of naval uncertainty. Its construction was so plagued by design changes that the Admiralty eventually forbade the builders from working above the hangar deck without express permission. It remains a masterpiece of iterative engineering.

Laid down in January 1918, HMS Hermes was the first ship specifically designed as an aircraft carrier. However, its path to completion was remarkably non-linear. Because the Royal Navy was still experimenting with operational carriers like HMS Eagle and HMS Argus, the design of Hermes was constantly reworked. It began with a 1916 seaplane carrier concept that included a complex, three-section submerged slipway for taxiing aircraft. By mid-June 1918, this slipway was deleted entirely, and the ship's armament was overhauled as the Admiralty struggled to define the ideal carrier configuration.

The ship's evolution highlights the transition from experimental theory to practical warfare. Early designs featured two islands and a full-length flight deck between them, but these were replaced by a single island superstructure positioned to starboard. To accommodate the tendency of aviators to veer left during failed landings, the island was intentionally situated on the starboard side for better ergonomics. Further refinements in 1921 moved the aircraft lifts further apart to accommodate arresting gear and allowed the hangar doors to open wide enough for aircraft wings to be spread.

Commissioned in 1924, Hermes served as a versatile workhorse for the British Empire. She suppressed piracy in Chinese waters, conducted anti-submarine patrols in the Western Approaches during the start of WWII, and supported Commonwealth forces in Italian Somaliland and the Persian Gulf. Her career ended tragically on April 9, 1941, near Batticaloa. Attacked by Japanese dive bombers without air cover, she was quickly sunk, resulting in the loss of 307 men. Her wreck was not rediscovered until roughly sixty years later.

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