An introduction to the modernised HMS Victorious and her air group.

Impressive statistics about Britain's "latest aircraft carrier", and a guide to the geography of the ship - bridge, remote machinery control room, damage control HQ, steam boiler rooms and steam catapults. Victorious calls at Gibraltar where two CPOs visit the market and feed the apes. Shipboard routines of the Commander's and the Squadron Offices. Sequence illustrating the labyrinthine quality of the ships passageways and the cryptic nature of many of the notices. Victorious refuels from RFA Tideflow. Scale of the work of the ship's bakery and catering department - 3750 meals a day. Mens' mess and officers' wardroom. Sick bay and dental surgery. HMS Corunna (D.32) in company for exercises. Maintenance work on the hangar deck. Instrument repair shop and metal work shop. Men buying goods at the canteen. Communications - W/T and radio teletype. Entry into Grand Harbour, Malta. Paymaster's office issues pay and men take showers and smarten up at the barbers. Mixing and issue of the daily rum ration. Men on leave take a dghaisa (dghajsa). Views of Grand Harbour and a brief history - the Italian Amerigo Vespucci is present. Those onboard can read books from the library or listen to the ship's radio station. Men play cards in the petty officers' mess. Instruction for one of the ship's helmet divers in the harbour waters. Sunday routine - divisions followed by divine service. At sea again, men occupy their Sunday leisure hours sunbathing - one group listens to a record player. Weather forecasting - an essential prelude to air operations. Aircrews are briefed. Aircraft maintenance control room plans aircraft availability. Hangar control sends aircraft up to the flightdeck. Pilots board their aircraft and the planeguard Whirlwinds take up position. Scimitar F.1s of 803 Squadron are launched. Views of Mirror Landing Sight and Type 984 radar. Scimitars land on - excellent shots of the arrester wires in action. Aircrew at refreshment bar in between flights. Sea Venom FAW.21s of 893 Squadron are launched. Four of them fly overhead in diamond formation. Crash crew wait in asbestos suits. Venoms are recovered. Flying operations flag is hauled down, and flying is finished for the day.

Notes

Technical: the Eastmancolour print is badly faded

Remarks: a pedestrian production, alleviated only by occasionally imaginative camerawork. It is curious that this film does not give much space to the Type 984 air defence radar. Victorious was the first ship to carry this complex and ambitious three-dimensional radar, which made a great impression in the United States during a visit by HMS Eagle later in the year

Summary: the aircraft stars of this film are the Scimitar F.1s of 803 Squadron and the filming here is particularly effective, especially in the landing sequences: the landing of a Scimitar has been described by those who flew them as a 'controlled crash'. Victorious was the first carrier to operate these aircraft. In contrast, the Sea Venom was approaching the end of its operational career - by the end of 1960 Venoms had been retired in favour of the Vixen. In the opening sequence, Sea Venom 461 is armed with Firestreak AAMs. Although the Sea Venom was not designed to carry guided weapons, it proved a useful development aircraft, and three specially modified FAW.21s were used in trials. In December 1958 these three aircraft were transferred to 893 Squadron on HMS Victorious, and made the first firings by an operational squadron while working up in the Mediterranean. At this time Victorious also had embarked Whirlwind HAS.22s of 824 Squadron, and AEW.1 Skyraiders of 849 Squadron, B Flight