Royal Canadian Navy Aircraft Carrier, HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21)

(IWM Photo, A 28022)

The Royal Navy Majestic-class aircraft carriers HMS Magnificent (left) and HMS Powerful under construction at Harland and Wolff's Musgrave shipyard, Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK).  Both carriers would serve with the Royal Canadian Navy, Powerful as HMCS Bonaventure.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3225672, and the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), 20 March 1950)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), 7 Apr 1948.  She was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier that served the Royal Canadian Navy from 1946–1956.  The third ship of the Majestic class, Magnificent was built by Harland and Wolff, laid down 29 July 1943 and launched 16 November 1944.  Purchased from the Royal Navy (RN) to replace HMCS Warrior, she served in a variety of roles, operating both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.  She was generally referred to as the Maggie. Her aircraft complement included Fairey Fireflies and Hawker Sea Furies, as well as Seafires and Avengers.  Her last role was as a transport during the Suez Crisis, carrying a large part of the Canadian peacekeeping force to Egypt, its vehicles parked on her deck.  Magnificent was decommissioned by the RCN in 1956 replaced in RCN service by HMCS Bonaventure, another RN Majestic class carrier (HMS Powerful) that had not been completed at the end of the war.  Magnificent was returned to the RN in 1957 and placed in reserve until disposed of. The ship was broken up in Faslane in July 1965.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951079)

HMCS Magnificent's Capt. A.B. Fraser-Harris and Cdr. A.I. Collier study a chart of Port Said harbour while en route to Middle East, United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF), 14 January 1957.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951071)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), unloading vehicles for the Canadian Forces at Port Said for the UN Emergency Force (UNEF) 13 January 1957.

(Dennis Cardy Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21).

(Harry Pot Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), visiting Rotterdam, 24 Oct 1955.

  (DND Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21).

(DND Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21).

(Gerald Sullivan Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), at anchor off San Raphael, French Riviera, fall, 1951.

(Gerald Sullivan Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), entering Grand Harbour, Malta, 1951.

(USN Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), view from the air with a RCN Grumman TBM-3 Avenger, 1953.

(Dennis Cardy Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), visiting Rotterdam, with RCN Grumman TBM-3 Avengers on deck, 1950.

(Erling Baldorf Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), visiting Copenhagen, ca 1951.

(DND Photos via James Craik)

In October 1951, HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21) loaded a cargo of 35 RCAF Canadair CL-13 Sabre Mk. 2 aircraft at Norfolk Virginia, destined for Europe.   24 aircraft were concooned and transported above deck and 11 aircraft, uncocooned, were carried below deck.

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), carrying 46 RCAF Canadair CL-13 Sabres cocooned on deck.  The Sabres were being repatriated from Germany, 1957.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951074)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), with an RCAF de Havilland CC-123 Otter on deck, Port Said, UNEF, 14 Jan 1957.

(RCN Photo)

The Royal Canadian Air Force contributed four DHC-3 Otters (along with DC-3s and Caribous) to the United Nations mission known as UNEF, which were delivered by the Canadian aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent to Port Said and flown off to El Arish.  In this photo we see one of the four taking off Maggie’s flight deck at Port Said.  Three more Otters would rotate through later but they would arrive and go home via RCAF CC-119 Flying Box Car or CC-130 Hercules.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951070)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), unloading Canadian Army vehicles, Port Said, UNEF, 13 Jan 1957.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951381)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), view from an RCN Grumman Avenger, 1952.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951375)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), with Grumman Avengers on deck, 1952.

(USN Photo)

Grumman TBM-3W Avenger aircraft on the flight deck of the Canadian aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), circa 1953.

 (USN Photo)

Grumman TBM-3 Avengers on the deck of HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), rough weather, ca 1953.

(USN Photo)

Grumman TBM-3 Avengers on the deck of HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), rough weather, ca 1953.

(USN Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), with Grumman TBM-3W Avenger on the flight deck ca 1953.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3194865)

HMCS Magnificent, Fairey Firefly F.R. Mk. IV, TW753, 825 Sqn swerved off the flight deck.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951278)

HMCS Magnificent, flight crew, 1956.

(Gerald Sullivan Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), Fairey Firefly prang, 1951.

(DND Photo)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), Fairey Firefly launch.

(RCN Photo)

Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 on the HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), ca 1955.

(RCN Photo)

Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 on the HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), ca 1955.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo,  MIKAN No. 4950940)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), welcome home, Halifax, 1950.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950941)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), Halifax, 1950.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950940)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), alongside HMCS Quebec, June 1954.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951037)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), Halifax, June 1954.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951038)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), Halifax, June 1954.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951045)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), leaving her berth at Halifax, May 1953.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951040)

Arrival of HMCS Magnificent in Halifax returning from the United Kingdom, docking in Halifax beside the cruiser HMCS Quebec, with the historic Citadel in the background, June 1954.

Mariner Miracle, 1953

(Gerald Sullivan Photo)

A U.S. Navy Douglas AD-4B Skyraider from Attack Squadron VA-75 Sunday Punchers, Carrier Air Group 7 (CVG-7) from the USS Bennington (CVA-20), piloted by LTJG Jim Elster, ready for launch from the Canadian aircraft carrier HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21), after the so-called "Mariner Miracle" in 1953.  In September 1953 the carriers USS Wasp (CVA-18), USS Bennington and HMCS Magnificent were taking part in naval exercise "Mariner" in the North Atlantic.  On the afternoon of 23 September 1953, with 42 planes aloft, the carriers were completely socked in by fog.  The aircraft were unable to find and return to their carriers in the fog and as they ran low on fuel, Vice Admiral T.S. Combs and Rear Admiral H.H. Goodwin ordered all aircraft to ditch near the submarine USS Redfin (SSR-272) at 1620 hrs.  Just as the aircraft were about to do so, however, the fog lifted slightly and all planes were ordered to land on the first carrier platform they could find.  All 42 aircraft were recovered safely with only minimum fuel remaining.  USN LTJG Elster's Skyraider landed on HMCS Magnificent and while onboard Canadian sailors painted a red mapleleaf on the American stars.  It is reported that in spite of many refits and repairs, the maple leaf was still intact on the aircraft many years later.

(Gerald Sullivan Photo)

USN LTJG Elster's Skyraider with maple leaf painted, HMCS Magnificent.

(Gerald Sullivan Photo)

HMCS Magnificent entering Saint John, NB, June 1953.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950875)

Batsman on HMCS Warrior, signaling aircraft to land on the flight deck, ca 1946-1948.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4951377)

RCN Grumman Avenger in flight, No. 881 Anti-submarine Squadron, 1952.

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