hms hms seaplane tender aircraft carrier converted elderly ocean liner royal_navy early world war conversion completed ship spent time conducting trials exercises grand_fleet revealed need longer flight deck allow larger aircraft modified accordingly missed number patrols elements grand_fleet saw combat soon relegated training role elderly machinery november anchored capital ships grand_fleet sudden storm caused anchors drag hit ships collisions hull slowly sank loss life early career originally built passenger liner service liverpool new_york holder blue award speed early career october sold wearing purchase conversion royal_navy purchased november initially conversion armed merchant cruiser equipped quick firing inch guns ship converted aircraft carrier instead forward inch guns deleted favour foot flying deck fitted transfer water holds amidships hold capacity seven large forward hold underneath flight deck fit small flight deck lifted hold access hms commissioned april takeoff flight deck occur august mounted wheeled feet flight deck ship steaming wind knots mph aircraft highest powered aircraft service close favourable wind demonstrated heavier aircraft launched flight deck october exercised grand fleet seven times flown aircraft times north_sea rough use captain recommended flying deck lengthened given slope allow gravity boost aircraft acceleration ship accordingly modified november early april forward funnel split funnels flight deck extended bridge length feet aircraft holds use flight deck canvas provided allow aircraft wings wind balloon supporting equipment added aft hold carried seven short type torpedo bombers smaller fighters scouts type takeoff flight deck june wheeled success prompted admiralty order world aircraft designed carrier operations ship received aircraft late joined smaller scouts times carried baby failed receive signal deploy grand_fleet departed flow route sailed hours minutes later slowly overtaking fleet early morning ordered return scapa_flow lacked escort german submarines reported area ship participated anti submarine patrols later declared unfit fleet duty machinery seaplane training balloon depot ship april grand_fleet transferred scapa_flow morning november lying anchor sudden force caused ship drag anchor collided bow nearby battleship battlecruiser glorious hull breached initial collision flooding engine room shutting main electrical power ship started settle stern sank hours breaking free ship crew rescued neighbouring vessels incident held watch officer largely responsible loss citing specifically failure drop second anchor ship started drift wreck hms designated site historic importance making offence dive licence remains aircraft seven board sank wreck
HMS Campania (1914)