HMCS Bonaventure

Class

Majestic Class

Builder

Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Laid down

27. November 1943

Launched

27. February 1945

Acquired by the RCN

23. April 1952

Commissioned

17. January 1957

Decommissioned

3. July 1970

History (short)

Initially laid down as HMS Powerful as part of the second batch of the Colossus class during the Second World War, the vessel's construction was halted following the end of the war and the constructed hull was laid up. Powerful was purchased by the Royal Canadian Navy in 1952 and the hull was taken to the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to be completed to a modernized design of the Majestic subclass. The ship measured 214.6 m long overall with a maximum beam of 39 m and a draught of 7.6 m. The vessel had a standard displacement of 16,000 long tons and 20,000 long tons at full load. Bonaventure was propelled by two geared steam turbines driving two shafts powered by steam from four Admiralty 3-drum boilers rated at 40,000 shaft horsepower. The aircraft carrier had a maximum speed of 24.5 knots.
 
The ship had a complement of 1,370 officers and ratings. For additional protection to the magazines, mantlets were placed over them. The aircraft carrier was armed with four twin-mounted 76 mm guns and four single 3-pounder saluting gun. The American 3-inch/50 calibre guns were chosen over 40 mm guns. Bonaventure had a distinct appearance compared to her sister ships as she had a tall lattice mast, raked funnel and large sponson where the 3-inch guns were situated. Adding to her distinct appearance, was that Bonaventure was completed with U.S. Navy radar, specifically the SPS-8A height finder and the SPS-12 air search radar.

As part of the modernized design, Bonaventure was equipped with three relatively new technologies in relation to her air complement. The Majestic subclass' design allowed for heavier aircraft, those up to 9,100 kg landing at 161 km/h, to be launched and recovered. Bonaventure improved on that limit, able to land aircraft of up to 11,000 kg. The aircraft lifts were enlarged to16m × 10m in order to accommodate larger aircraft. The new design also incorporated an angled flight deck, steam catapults, and optical landing system. The angled flight deck increased the carrier's landing area without limiting space for aircraft parking and allowed for the removal of antiquated crash barriers.

During her service life, Bonaventure carried five squadrons. The aircraft carrier's initial air group was composed of sixteen McDonnell F2H Banshee jet fighters and eight Grumman CS2F- Tracker anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. The Banshee, flown by VF-870 and VF-871, and Tracker, operated by VS-880 and VS-881, were flown from Bonaventure, along with Sikorsky HO4S- ASW helicopters operated by HS-50.

The Banshees were a tight fit, with Bonaventure barely able to accommodate them. The Trackers did not become fully operational aboard until 1959. Despite this, Bonaventure conducted sustained around-the-clock operations, keeping four Trackers and two HO4Ss in the air at all times, while monitoring an area of 200 square nautical miles. The HO4Ss were equipped with dipping sonar and, beginning in 1958, Mark 43 torpedoes. The Banshees were retired in 1962 but were not replaced. The ship's role then changed to one of pure ASW and the air wing was modified, dropping the fighters but keeping the eight Trackers, and increasing the number of HO4Ss to fourteen. In 1963, the aircraft carrier began a refit in order to allow her operate the new Sikorsky CHSS-2 Sea King helicopters, which had been ordered to replace the HO4Ss. When Bonaventure was retired, her former aircraft continued to operate from shore installations, including CFB Shearwater.