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HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81)
Encyclopedia
HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81) was a Colossus-class
aircraft carrier
of the Royal Netherlands Navy
. The ship was the British HMS Venerable
before she was sold in 1948 to the Netherlands as a light attack carrier. In 1960 she was involved in the decolonization conflict in Western New Guinea
with Indonesia
. In the mid 60's the role was changed to anti-submarine warfare carrier
and only ASW aircraft and helicopters were carried. An engine room fire took her out of service in 1968, she was sold to Argentina
and renamed Veinticinco de Mayo
.
in Birkenhead
on 3 December 1942, Venerable was launched just over a year later, and commissioned on 17 January 1945.
In 1948, Venerables short career in the Royal Navy
came to an end, when it was sold to the Netherlands
and recommissioned as the Karel Doorman, replacing a smaller Nairana-class
escort carrier of the same name while in Dutch service.
In 1955-58 she was rebuilt with an 8° angled flight deck, new elevators, new island, 40 mm anti-aircraft cannons, steam catapult, and all new aviation facilities and electronics were fitted, including a Dutch-built new radar. A similar Dutch rebuild was done to her sister ship the Brazilian aircraft carrier Minas Gerais at the same time.
In 1954 during a North America
n cruise she visited Montreal, Canada for an airshow appearance.
Early in 1959 the ship made a trip to the United States
(Newport, Rhode Island
and Fort Lauderdale, Florida
), after that again to the Antilles.
In 1960 during the Dutch decolonization and planned independence of Western New Guinea
, a territory which was also claimed by Indonesia
, the Karel Doorman set sail along with two destroyers and a modified oil tanker to "show the flag". In order to avoid possible problems with Indonesian ally Egypt at the Suez Canal
she instead sailed around the horn of Africa. She arrived in Fremantle, Australia where the local seamen's union struck in sympathy with Indonesia, the crew used propeller thrust of aircraft chained down on deck to nudge the carrier into dock without tugs. In addition to her air wing she was ferrying twelve Hawker Hunter
fighters to bolster the local Dutch defense forces, which she delivered when she arrived at Hollandia, New Guinea. The Karel Doorman was also to have visited Yokohama, Japan during this Asian cruise to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the establishment of Japanese-Dutch diplomatic relations but due to Indonesian and local protests Japan withdrew its invitation.
After the 1964 refit, the Karel Doorman served the rest of her career mostly conducting NATO anti-submarine patrols in the north Atlantic, no longer carrying strike or fighter aircraft as part of her regular air wing.
The Karel Doorman also regularly conducted various exercises near Scotland during its career.
prepared for a military action named Operation Trikora (in the Indonesian language, "Tri Komando Rakyat" means "The Three Commands of the People"). In addition to planning for an invasion, the TNI-AU (Indonesian Air Forces) hoped to sink this aircraft carrier with Soviet-supplied Indonesian Tupolev Tu-16KS-1 Badger
naval bombers using AS-1 Kennel / KS-1 Kometa anti-ship missiles (six planes were intended for the attack on the Karel Doorman). This strike plan was cancelled because of the implementation of the cease-fire between Indonesia and the Netherlands which lead to a temporary UN peacekeeping administration and then occupation by Indonesia.
A boiler room fire on 26 April 1968 removed her from Dutch service. To repair the fire damage new boilers were transplanted from the incomplete . In 1969 it was decided that the costs for repairing the damage in relation to the relatively short time Karel Doorman was still to serve in the fleet proved to be her undoing and she was sold to the Argentine Navy
and renamed ARA Veinticinco de Mayo
where she would later play a role in the 1982 Falkland Islands Conflict
.
In the late 1960s, the NATO anti-submarine commitment was taken over by a squadron of Westland Wasp
helicopters operated from six Van Speijk class
anti-submarine frigates and two squadrons of shore based maritine patrol aircraft. These were one squadron of Breguet Atlantique
sea-reconnaissance aircraft and one of P-2 Neptune
s.
First deploying as an attack carrier with 24 WW-II era propeller driven Fairey Firefly
strike fighters and Hawker Sea Fury
fighter/antiship aircraft, for sea rescue a Supermarine Sea Otter
flying boat was carried, it was replaced by a Sikorsky S-51 helicopter.
From 1955-58 she operated with a ASW/Strike profile with up to 14 TBF Avenger
ASW/torpedo bombers, 10 Hawker Sea Hawk
fighters and 2 S-58 ASW helicopters.
In 1960 the Royal Netherlands Navy received 17 Canadian built S-2 Tracker
s ASW aircraft formerly used by the Royal Canadian Navy. Changing roles to a dedicated NATO Antisubmarine warfare carrier, a wing of 8 Grumman S-2 Tracker
s and 6 S-58 ASW helicopters served aboard until the 1968 shipboard fire and removal from Dutch service.
The Hawker Sea Hawk
jet strike aircraft, a first generation naval jet fighter considered by the larger naval powers to be undersized and nearly obsolete at the time of delivery to the Dutch, from 1959 on they were equipped with Sidewinder missiles
significantly enhancing and extending their air to air combat capabilities. The Dutch Sea Hawks never engaged in combat but were present as a carrier based deterrent during the 1962 New Guinea Indonesia crisis. They served aboard between 1957 to 1964 until the Doormans overhaul after which the attack role was eliminated, 22 aircraft were then transferred to land based reserve storage, they were all retired from service by the end of the 1960s after the sale of the Karel Doorman to Argentina.
Colossus class aircraft carrier
The 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier, commonly referred to as the British Light Fleet Carrier, was a light aircraft carrier design created by the Royal Navy during World War II, and used by eight naval forces between 1944 and 2001...
aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
of the Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. The ship was the British HMS Venerable
HMS Venerable (R63)
HMS Venerable was a Colossus-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. She served for only the last few months of World War II, and in 1948 she was sold to the Netherlands and renamed HNLMS Karel Doorman and taking part in the military clash in 1962 in Western New Guinea...
before she was sold in 1948 to the Netherlands as a light attack carrier. In 1960 she was involved in the decolonization conflict in Western New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
with Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. In the mid 60's the role was changed to anti-submarine warfare carrier
Anti-submarine warfare carrier
An ASW carrier is a type of small aircraft carrier whose primary role is to hunt and destroy submarines...
and only ASW aircraft and helicopters were carried. An engine room fire took her out of service in 1968, she was sold to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and renamed Veinticinco de Mayo
ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2)
The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was an aircraft carrier in the Argentine Navy from 1969 to 1997. The English translation of the name is the Twenty-fifth of May, which is the date of Argentina's May Revolution in 1810....
.
Purchase
Built at Cammell LairdCammell Laird
Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company...
in Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
on 3 December 1942, Venerable was launched just over a year later, and commissioned on 17 January 1945.
In 1948, Venerables short career in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
came to an end, when it was sold to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and recommissioned as the Karel Doorman, replacing a smaller Nairana-class
Nairana class escort carrier
The Nairana-class escort carrier was a British-built class of three escort carriers. They were constructed one each in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to the same basic design during the Second World War for service with the Royal Navy....
escort carrier of the same name while in Dutch service.
In 1955-58 she was rebuilt with an 8° angled flight deck, new elevators, new island, 40 mm anti-aircraft cannons, steam catapult, and all new aviation facilities and electronics were fitted, including a Dutch-built new radar. A similar Dutch rebuild was done to her sister ship the Brazilian aircraft carrier Minas Gerais at the same time.
Cruises
The Karel Doorman, frigate Johan Maurits van Nassau, and light cruiser Jacob van Heemskerck made a voyage to the Dutch Antilles on 2 January 1950. Embarked on the Karel Doorman was Prince Bernhard. The ships return to Holland on 4 May.In 1954 during a North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n cruise she visited Montreal, Canada for an airshow appearance.
Early in 1959 the ship made a trip to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
and Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
), after that again to the Antilles.
In 1960 during the Dutch decolonization and planned independence of Western New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, a territory which was also claimed by Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, the Karel Doorman set sail along with two destroyers and a modified oil tanker to "show the flag". In order to avoid possible problems with Indonesian ally Egypt at the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
she instead sailed around the horn of Africa. She arrived in Fremantle, Australia where the local seamen's union struck in sympathy with Indonesia, the crew used propeller thrust of aircraft chained down on deck to nudge the carrier into dock without tugs. In addition to her air wing she was ferrying twelve Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
fighters to bolster the local Dutch defense forces, which she delivered when she arrived at Hollandia, New Guinea. The Karel Doorman was also to have visited Yokohama, Japan during this Asian cruise to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the establishment of Japanese-Dutch diplomatic relations but due to Indonesian and local protests Japan withdrew its invitation.
After the 1964 refit, the Karel Doorman served the rest of her career mostly conducting NATO anti-submarine patrols in the north Atlantic, no longer carrying strike or fighter aircraft as part of her regular air wing.
The Karel Doorman also regularly conducted various exercises near Scotland during its career.
Western New Guinea Crisis
During the 1960 crisis, IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
prepared for a military action named Operation Trikora (in the Indonesian language, "Tri Komando Rakyat" means "The Three Commands of the People"). In addition to planning for an invasion, the TNI-AU (Indonesian Air Forces) hoped to sink this aircraft carrier with Soviet-supplied Indonesian Tupolev Tu-16KS-1 Badger
Tupolev Tu-16
The Tupolev Tu-16 was a twin-engine jet bomber used by the Soviet Union. It has flown for more than 50 years, and the Chinese license-built Xian H-6 remains in service with the Chinese air force.-Development:...
naval bombers using AS-1 Kennel / KS-1 Kometa anti-ship missiles (six planes were intended for the attack on the Karel Doorman). This strike plan was cancelled because of the implementation of the cease-fire between Indonesia and the Netherlands which lead to a temporary UN peacekeeping administration and then occupation by Indonesia.
Decommissioning
In 1964, following the settlement of issues threatening its former colonial territories and changes in the mission for the Royal Netherlands Navy within NATO coupled with the huge costs for operating and maintaining an aircraft carrier, it was decided to withdraw her from the operational fleet by the early 1970s. This was to coincide with the arrival of long range maritime patrol aircraft that were to take over the ASW role Karel Doorman had been tasked to perform ever since the start of the 1960s.A boiler room fire on 26 April 1968 removed her from Dutch service. To repair the fire damage new boilers were transplanted from the incomplete . In 1969 it was decided that the costs for repairing the damage in relation to the relatively short time Karel Doorman was still to serve in the fleet proved to be her undoing and she was sold to the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
and renamed ARA Veinticinco de Mayo
ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2)
The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo was an aircraft carrier in the Argentine Navy from 1969 to 1997. The English translation of the name is the Twenty-fifth of May, which is the date of Argentina's May Revolution in 1810....
where she would later play a role in the 1982 Falkland Islands Conflict
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
.
In the late 1960s, the NATO anti-submarine commitment was taken over by a squadron of Westland Wasp
Westland Wasp
The Westland Wasp was a British small first-generation, gas-turbine powered, shipboard anti-submarine helicopter. Produced by Westland Helicopters, it came from the same P.531 programme as the British Army Westland Scout, and was based on the earlier piston-engined Saunders-Roe Skeeter...
helicopters operated from six Van Speijk class
Van Speijk class frigate
The Van Speijk class frigate were built for the Royal Netherlands Navy in the 1960s. They were versions of the British Leander class frigates with Dutch radars. The British design was chosen in order to enable rapid construction in order to replace elderly destroyer escorts. The ships were...
anti-submarine frigates and two squadrons of shore based maritine patrol aircraft. These were one squadron of Breguet Atlantique
Breguet Atlantique
The Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic is a long-range reconnaissance aircraft, primarily designed for use over the sea. It is used in several NATO countries as a reconnaissance and patrol aircraft as well as anti-submarine aircraft. The Atlantic is also capable of carrying air-to-ground missiles...
sea-reconnaissance aircraft and one of P-2 Neptune
P-2 Neptune
The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a Maritime patrol and ASW aircraft. It was developed for the United States Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon, and being replaced in turn with the Lockheed P-3 Orion...
s.
Air Wing
Fairey Firefly
The Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm ....
strike fighters and Hawker Sea Fury
Hawker Sea Fury
The Hawker Sea Fury was a British fighter aircraft developed for the Royal Navy by Hawker during the Second World War. The last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy, it was also one of the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built.-Origins:The Hawker Fury was an...
fighter/antiship aircraft, for sea rescue a Supermarine Sea Otter
Supermarine Sea Otter
|-Survivors:No museum holds a complete aircraft. Australia's Museum of Flight has the nose section of JN200, a Sea Otter which served with the Royal Australian Navy.-See also:-References:...
flying boat was carried, it was replaced by a Sikorsky S-51 helicopter.
From 1955-58 she operated with a ASW/Strike profile with up to 14 TBF Avenger
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
ASW/torpedo bombers, 10 Hawker Sea Hawk
Hawker Sea Hawk
The Hawker Sea Hawk was a British single-seat jet fighter of the Fleet Air Arm , the air branch of the Royal Navy , built by Hawker Aircraft and its sister company, Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Although its origins stemmed from earlier Hawker piston-engined fighters, the Sea Hawk became the...
fighters and 2 S-58 ASW helicopters.
In 1960 the Royal Netherlands Navy received 17 Canadian built S-2 Tracker
S-2 Tracker
The Grumman S-2 Tracker was the first purpose-built, single airframe anti-submarine warfare aircraft to enter service with the US Navy. The Tracker was of conventional design with twin engines, a high wing and tricycle undercarriage. The type was exported to a number of navies around the world...
s ASW aircraft formerly used by the Royal Canadian Navy. Changing roles to a dedicated NATO Antisubmarine warfare carrier, a wing of 8 Grumman S-2 Tracker
S-2 Tracker
The Grumman S-2 Tracker was the first purpose-built, single airframe anti-submarine warfare aircraft to enter service with the US Navy. The Tracker was of conventional design with twin engines, a high wing and tricycle undercarriage. The type was exported to a number of navies around the world...
s and 6 S-58 ASW helicopters served aboard until the 1968 shipboard fire and removal from Dutch service.
The Hawker Sea Hawk
Hawker Sea Hawk
The Hawker Sea Hawk was a British single-seat jet fighter of the Fleet Air Arm , the air branch of the Royal Navy , built by Hawker Aircraft and its sister company, Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Although its origins stemmed from earlier Hawker piston-engined fighters, the Sea Hawk became the...
jet strike aircraft, a first generation naval jet fighter considered by the larger naval powers to be undersized and nearly obsolete at the time of delivery to the Dutch, from 1959 on they were equipped with Sidewinder missiles
AIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
significantly enhancing and extending their air to air combat capabilities. The Dutch Sea Hawks never engaged in combat but were present as a carrier based deterrent during the 1962 New Guinea Indonesia crisis. They served aboard between 1957 to 1964 until the Doormans overhaul after which the attack role was eliminated, 22 aircraft were then transferred to land based reserve storage, they were all retired from service by the end of the 1960s after the sale of the Karel Doorman to Argentina.