(dramatic music) - [Narrator] The idea of uniting
the aircraft and the ship is a simple one. But this simple idea has been the subject of
great technical innovation has led to decisive military success and has found itself the focus
of increasing controversy. The first ships to carry aircraft appeared during the First World War. To begin with they were little
more than floating hangars. They had to find calm water and then stop to launch and recover their fragile reconnaissance seaplanes. But Britain needed fighters to combat German Zeppelins
shadowing the fleet. Over the guns of a battleship
a platform would be built with the turret turned into a wind a two-seater Sopwith could be launched. (dramatic music) 120 ships like HMS Renown
carried a Sopwith Pup on board. HMS Furious commissioned in June 1917 had a special deck fitted for takeoff and carried several planes. (dramatic music) But getting an aircraft airborne
was only half the story. (dramatic music) Once they had completed their mission planes could not return to HMS Renown but simply had to be ditched in the water. (dramatic music) Pilots would climb unto
the tail of their plane to await rescue. Understandably, the idea of trying to land back on Renown's deck
appealed to the pilots but this required a strange operation. Crew had to run on to the flight deck and pull the plane down by
ropes attached to its wings just as the pilot cuts his engine. This led to Renown being
fitted with a special afterdeck for landings. But the improvement was not well received. The deck being after the funnel meant that the excessive
turbulence was created for aircraft trying to land. (dramatic music) Only three successful landings
were ever made on this deck. In August 1918 a converted
liner, HMS Argus, provided the solution, remove the funnel. Argus had a flush deck 600 feet long and was the first real aircraft carrier. With no funnel there was
no turbulence to deal with. Nevertheless, early aircraft were light and sea winds could be strong. Landing was still a tricky matter. As a plane dipped into a
shallow gully on the deck hooks on its undercarriage would
attach to a series of wires preventing the plane from
being blown overboard. But the system was not fail-safe. Judge a landing wrong and
a delicate undercarriage would be unable to withstand the violent tug of the restraining wires. (dramatic music) So, the wires were removed. During the 1920s, landings relied solely on slowing aircraft down. The carrier would steam
full speed ahead into wind and the low speed of contemporary
planes would do the rest. But by the early '30s faster aircraft were finding a 600-foot deck too short. So, the transverse wire system came in. A hook attached to the plane's tail would be grabbed by one of
several wires crossing the deck. (dramatic music) By this time, carriers like HMS Glorious had sprouted the familiar tower or island on their starboard side. In Britain, the aircraft carrier found itself with two masters. The carrier itself
belonged to the Royal Navy. However, since its inception in 1918, the RAF had been responsible
for naval aviation. It procured the aircraft,
provided many of the pilots and provided all of the ground crews. At top level, the situation
created a good deal of tension although on the carriers the relationship between the two forces was more amicable. RAF pilots routinely flew
with naval navigators flying at this time though
was still fairly basic and a navigator's task was rudimentary. Planes could not fly out
of sight of a carrier because they still had
no navigational aids. Meanwhile, the Americans had
recovered from a slow start to take the lead in the development
of the aircraft carrier. The first US carrier, a converted coal ship named the Langley, did not arrive until 1922. The Langley could not
steam into wind fast enough to slow a landing plane down. So, the transverse wire system
was adopted from the start. At the end of the 1920s
the much larger carriers, Lexington and Saratoga, were built. These were the first
carriers to employ a batsman to guide planes into land. In the US, the navy had
control over naval aircraft as well as their carriers. They were able to order
specialized machines like torpedo planes and bombers and they were able to order
them in large numbers. Whilst the British Fleet Air Arm possessed no more than
130 planes in total, the big US carriers
could each boast over 90. By the '30s, the US Navy
carried more than 700 aircraft. (plane engines roaring) The Americans had now
surpassed the British not only in number but also in the quality of their naval aircraft. Many like the Grumman F3F were designed specifically for carrier operation. Organization was impeccable. American carriers were
expected to remain at sea for long periods. By the late '30s, the
US Navy was operating all metal monoplanes. And instead of striking
aircraft below as they landed, the Americans have started
the practice of parking planes furrowed on deck. However the safety barrier that
protected the part of planes became a hazard to a pilot
who missed an arrestor wire. (metal clunking) Early barriers were too low. (plane crashing) (plane screeches) But the US was setting the pace. In contrast, RAF control
of the Fleet Air Arm lasting until spring 1939
had held the British back and the outbreak of war found the navy flying obsolete biplanes. After losing HMS Glorious
early in the war, a new carrier, Ark Royal, was built sporting the Navy's first
monoplane fighter, the Skua. But the Skua was too slow to be effective so the first of many American
planes to be used by the navy, the Grumman Martlet appeared on the scene. With its big radial engine, the Martlet later to
be called the Wildcat, was well-liked by British pilots. Specially designed for carrier use it had been given an extremely
robust undercarriage. It was fast, it was strong and it could cover long distances. (plane skids) But the best loved carrier aircraft had to be the Fairey Swordfish. Nicknamed the Stringbag,
this cloth-covered biplane from 1936 should have
been history by the 1940s. But the Swordfish remained in production until the end of the war and sank more ships than
any other allied aircraft. (propeller buzzing) In 1940, Swordfish launched
from HMS Illustrious scuppered the Italian
fleet in a night raid on the Mediterranean port of Taranto. (plane engine roars) In 1941, equipped with air
to surface vessel radar, Swordfish from Ark Royal took off in pursuit of the Bismarck. A Swordfish torpedo succeeded
in crippling the Bismarck. (bombs exploding) She was later sunk by a Destroyer. After the Bismarck action
the carrier's concern return to the Mediterranean
where since early 1941 a running battle had been
fought over the Malta Convoys. Carriers were used to ferry RAF Hurricanes and Spitfires to Malta. They became obvious targets
for Italian and German planes. (bombs exploding) (plane engine roars) A new eight-gun fighter, the
Fulmar, took on the Stukas. It had some success. But the Fulmar doubling
as a reconnaissance plane was large and slow. (plane engine roaring) HMS Eagle began flying hastily modified ex-Battle of Britain Hurricanes. Later in the war, the Royal
Navy would enlist the Seafire adapted from the Spitfire. But neither of these planes were suited to carrier operations. The Seafire was naturally a
very high performance machine but it had a narrow rather
delicate undercarriage and was not easy to land on a carrier. It tended to float over the arrestor wire and would then crash into the barrier. In the hangar, a new engine
would have to be fitted. Developments in the Atlantic
led to a different approach. Since 1940, the Focke-Wulf Condor with a range of over three
and a half thousand miles had been harassing convoys well beyond the reach
of land-based fighters. No carriers could be spared
to protect the convoys. Instead, merchant ships were fitted with rocket fired catapult mechanisms from which to launch Hurricanes. However, the rockets could
not always be relied upon to fire properly. (plane engine roars) And in any case, the plane
had to be ditched in the water after its mission. Subsequently, a large
number of escort carriers were supplied to the convoys. These were converted merchant ships and sometimes still carried grain or oil as well as aircraft. The escort carriers flew Martlets against the German condors and later, the trusty
Swordfish found favor. Their slow speed made landing on these short carriers easier. Equipped with centrimetric radar, the Swordfish flew mission
in search of U-boats. Once one was located they
would drop depth charges. But developments in the
west were being watched. Taking their cue from the
British attack on Taranto, Japan sent a carrier
force to bomb the US fleet at Pearl Harbor in December 1941. (plane engine roaring) Japanese aircraft and their pilots had been unwisely dismissed by the west. In 1942, the US engaged the
Japanese in the Coral Sea in what was to be the first battle between opposing carrier fleets. But they made the mistake
of underestimating the quality of the Japanese fighters. (plane engine roaring) The Japanese Mitsubishi Zero was quick and immensely maneuverable. American Wildcats found they could not match them for agility. (plane engines roaring) But the Zero was not built
to withstand punishment. If it could be hit it was
invariably put out of action. (guns firing) (plane engines roaring) The Coral Sea produced
something of a stalemate. But shortly afterwards,
new folding wing Wildcats and dauntless dive bombers
helped the Americans score a decisive victory at Midway. (guns firing) (plane engine roaring) (bomb explodes) (plane engines roaring) The Japanese carrier fleet was crushed and the tide of the
Pacific war was turned. Now, the US geared up
for a war of production. Drawing on experience in
the Coral Sea and at Midway, Grumman designed a new fleet fighter to outclass the Zero. The Hellcat. The Hellcat was 60 miles an
hour faster than the Wildcat, had a range of 1,500 miles and was an easy plane to learn to fly. The Americans now prepared
to storm the Pacific islands. (plane engines buzzing) US naval pilots were sent
to Annapolis, Maryland or Pensacola, Florida and put
through a rigorous training. (planes buzzing) At these schools they
learn to fly an aircraft called the SMJ before being transferred to one of the big,
newly-completed carriers like the Hornet or Yorktown. (dramatic music) On arrival the first
task facing the novice would be to become familiar
with his cavernous new home. The hangar, the size of
several football pitches. Lifts, the size of a tennis court. (dramatic music) And the nerve center of
the carrier, the tower. The tower was where
the bridge was located, together with various observation posts. The tower also housed
the complex machinery of the carrier's anti-aircraft batteries. The giant guns were operated by remote from a control room inside. (dramatic music) (guns firing) Remaining at sea for months at a time meant crew had to carry out
frequently dangerous refuelings. (dramatic music) Below deck, engine crew had to oversee a system of huge boilers. (dramatic music) In the bows of the ship,
the massive propeller shaft that drove the carrier
required constant monitoring. (dramatic music) Top of the pecking order on
board were the naval pilots. They were the reason for
the carrier's existence and their comfort was
the prime concern of all. After them came the air crew, aerial gunners and radiomen. Other crew term them the mercenaries because they receive 50%
extra wages when they flew. (dramatic music) Preparing meals for 3,000 men was a project on a truly grand scale. (dramatic music) Catering for the welfare
of such a large body of men meant that the big US
carriers had to provide all the services of a small town. From the local chemist, to the local hospital, to the local barber. There was even a cobbler and of course a post office. (dramatic music) After hours crew could get
a drink at the local bar. Or else pick up an ice cream during intermission at the movies. (dramatic music) One way or another,
everyone on board a carrier had to find a way to
deal with the waiting. (dramatic music) Floating around for weeks or months on the endless Pacific
waiting to see action produced a characteristic blend
of apprehension and boredom. (dramatic music) Eventually, action would come. During 1944, US carriers
put into operation a systematic plan to destroy
Japanese Pacific island bases. Now survival kits were checked. Ammunition was loaded. Bombs were winched out of their base and torpedoes were made ready for loading. Whilst aircraft were being loaded with their high explosive cargo, pilots prepared themselves
for the task ahead of them. Preparation would include an
all-American steak breakfast before pilots kitted themselves up for their pre-battle briefing. (beeping) Now came the moment when the
tough US training program would be put to the test. (beeping) (plane propellers buzzing) (plane engines roaring) On the way to their mission planes would relay information
to the radio plotting room enabling a map of enemy
positions to be built up. (plane engines roaring) (guns firing) (plane engine roars) (bombs exploding) (guns firing) (bombs exploding) (plane engines roaring) Landing back on deck and
maneuvering aircraft to be parked had now developed into
an intriguing ritual. (plane engine roaring) Trying to land battle-damaged planes resulted in frequent accidents. (plane crashes) Other planes would have to circle until the deck could be cleared. (plane engines roaring) And then there were the injured. Afterwards the score would be chalked up. Painted flags for the Japanese casualties, real ones for the American dead. In 1945, the Japanese made
a last desperate attempt to repel the US carriers. (explodes loudly) Carriers could do little
to protect themselves against kamikaze attacks. (plane engines roaring) (guns firing) Unless a plane could
be blown up in the air, its destination was more or less assured. (guns firing) (plane engines roaring) American carriers with their wooden decks were particularly vulnerable. (plane engine buzzing) But the kamikaze pilots could
not hold off the inevitable. Within months it was all over. With the ending of the war however, the future of the aircraft carrier began to attract controversy. (atomic bomb explodes) In the aftermath of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it seemed a future war would
be fought with the atomic bomb. US funding for a new
class of aircraft carrier was withdrawn in favor
of building a type of long range bomber large
enough to carry the bomb. (plane engine roars) But in 1949, communist forces
advanced into South Korea and drew an American response. With South Korean air bases overrun, US carriers moved in. Operating under freezing
conditions in the sea of Japan the carriers launched sky
raiders and bombing raids on target inside Korea. As a result, congress gave the go ahead for new carriers to be built. (bomb explodes) But a new age had dawned. (plane humming) (plane engine roars) - [Pilot] Travel 40 miles
heading to some (mumbles). (background noise drowns out other sounds) - [Narrator] The advent of the jet engine meant heavier aircraft and
hugely increased speeds. The fundamental problems of how to takeoff and land on a carrier
had to be readdressed. Initial solutions included
experimenting with a rubber deck to absorb an aircraft speed on landing but this was impractical and a strengthened transverse
wire system was reverted to. Subsequently, three British
innovations became standard. The adoption of an angled deck for landing did away with the need to protect parked planes with a barrier. If an aircraft came in too fast it could simply overshoot
and come round again. (plane engine roars) A second innovation,
the mirror landing site enabling pilots to
gauge their own approach replaced the time-honored batsman. And perhaps the most essential development was the introduction of the steam catapult without which the new larger planes would be unable to get airborne. (plane whirs) Steam from the boilers was pumped up to a high pressure reservoir
below the flight deck. Aircrew would hook an
aircraft up to the reservoir and the pressure would be let through. Planes that required a
mile-long takeoff on land could be launched by catapult
in a few hundred feet. These changes were all
incorporated into the new carriers built by the US Navy after
its success in the Korean War. But the new US carriers
had one extra difference. They were huge. With the United States now fully committed to a global military role, each 6,000-man carrier was intended to be a complete floating airbase capable of dominating an area of almost a thousand miles. Despite congressional approval, the expense of these vast fortresses had not ceased to be an issue
for the American public. Carriers were now equipped
with extremely sophisticated information gathering technology. The strange-looking Hawkeye spotter plane could relay radar surveillance to an electronic intelligence
center on board the carrier. In turn, this was connected to a more conventional plotting room. With the crew now twice as large as wartime carriers could accommodate, the local services provided
became evermore comprehensive. (dental drill whirring) (machine buzzing) (rattling) In 1965, Lyndon Johnson
sent the USS Enterprise to North Vietnam. (dramatic music) (plane engine whirring) (plane engine roars) The decision sparked new controversy over the role of the aircraft carrier. (bombs exploding) (guns firing) (bombs exploding) But the Enterprise was controversial for an additional reason. Nuclear power. An original supply of
uranium-enriched fuel was able to sustain the
Enterprise for three years at sea. The need for costly and
often dangerous refuelings could be dispensed with. By an increasingly vocal
anti-nuclear lobby however, this was not seen as an improvement. Meanwhile, the fate of
the aircraft carrier was taking a different turn elsewhere. No other country could
afford the giant carriers America was maintaining. Another direction had to be sought if carriers were to have any future. (helicopter buzzing) The beginning of the jet age had also ushered in the helicopter. With the need for only a very small area for takeoff and landing, the helicopter seemed
to show the way forward. (helicopter buzzing) Russia, France, Britain all
started to think in terms of smaller vessels that
would carry helicopters as well as a reduced assignment of jets. It was another British innovation that made this proposition
a really viable one. In February 1963, Bill Bedford, Hawker Siddeley's chief test
pilot brought the prototype of the Harrier Jump Jet
into land on Ark Royal. (plane engine roaring) As vertical takeoff consumed
a large amount of fuel, the Harrier was also capable of taking off in a conventional manner
from a very short deck. The adoption of a ski jump allowed aircraft with heavy payloads to get airborne with these. The Harrier revolutionized
aircraft carrier design seeming to consign the
American style Leviathans to a previous era. (crowd clapping) In 1982, the new smaller carriers were put to the test when British troops were sent to the Falklands. It was a show of force that resulted in a swift victory for Britain. But the victory came not without loss. Six British ships were lost and 10 others were damaged
by Argentine planes flying too low for
British radars to pick up. The Harriers were equipped
only with short range radar and with a mere four to a carrier, air defense of the fleet was
arguably just not heavy enough. For the US Navy, the
event served to vindicate the much larger carriers they
were continuing to build. But for many, the part
super carriers were playing in American foreign policy was becoming evermore questionable. In 1981, President Reagan
sent the Sixth Fleet into the Libyan Gulf drawing an immediate
response from Gaddafi. (plane roars) Then in 1986, F-4 Phantoms and F-111s were sent to hit targets inside Libya. (bomb explodes) As aircraft carriers
constitute sovereign territory the US were able to act unilaterally. Four years later, US super carriers were again deployed in the Middle East. - Five months ago, Saddam Hussein started this cruel war against Kuwait. Tonight the battle has been joined. - [Narrator] Moving between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, only the carriers could evade detection in the computerized war. (plane engines roaring) (bombs exploding) (guns firing) (bombs exploding) (plane skids) At the close of the 20th century, the United States was the only power able to afford a fleet of large carriers. (plane engines roaring) Whether it can continue to justify this expense in the new century will depend on the
future international role America seeks to play. (dramatic music)
