HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21)

HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21) was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier that served the Royal Canadian Navy from 1948–1956. Initially ordered by the Royal Navy during the Second World War, the Royal Canadian Navy acquired the carrier as a larger replacement for its existing carrier. She was generally referred to as the Maggie in Canadian service. Following its return to the United Kingdom in 1956, the ship remained in reserve until being scrapped in 1965.

Construction and design

The 1942 Design Light Fleet carrier was divided into two groups of which the Majestic class was one. The Majestic class was intended to be similar in design to the preceding Colossus class but with reduced storage for petrol and fuel, down to 75,000 gallons. This was to compensate for the strengthening of the deck in order to operate heavier aircraft up to 20,000 pounds (9,100 kg). Further improvements over the Colossus class included larger lifts (54 by 34 feet (16 m × 10 m)) and improvements made to internal subdivisions for survivability purposes and accommodations.