Colossus class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy

The Colossus class aircraft carriers were a class of Royal Navy light aircraft carriers. A total of sixteen ships were foreseen.

Two ships of the Colossus class (HMS Perseus and Pioneer) were tailored for aircraft maintenance rather than combat duty. Another five were suspended, to be completed later as Majestic class carriers.
A sixth converted Majestic, the Leviathan, was not completed at all. All five Majestics were sold to Commonwealth or friendly navies
At the start of the war, the Royal Navy operated both escort aircraft carriers
and fleet aircraft carriers.

However, escort carriers were designed solely for defensive convoy work and were of little use for in an offensive role.

Their slow speed and small size ruled them out as platforms for high-performance fighter aircraft.
On the other hand, the expensive fleet carriers were in short supply and would take too long to build.

The conversion of merchant ships was considered for a time, but it was rejected because of the need for transport vessels.

The Colossus class emerged as an expedient solution to this critical shortage of combat aircraft carriers. These ships were based on the Illustrious class design, but reduced in size, and intended to be available within two years.

To expedite construction, the Colossus class was built to commercial scantlings, rather than naval standards.

The first four Colossus carriers were completed in December 1944 and were immediately dispatched to the Far East.

COLOSSUS French, from 1951 after loan (ARROMANCHES)

PERSEUS British. Used as a Maintenance or Supply Carrier. Scrapped in 1958.

GLORY British until scrapped in 1961.

PIONEER British. As for PERSEUS. Scrapped in 1954.

OCEAN British until scrapped in 1952.

THESEUS British until scrapped in 1962

TRIUMPH British until scrapped in 1980.

VENERABLE Netherlands since 1948 (KAREL DOORMAN).

VENGEANCE RAN loan until 1956. Brazil from 1957 (MINAS GERAIS)

WARRIOR Argentine from 1958 (INDEPENDENCIA).