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As with so much British equipment the Tiger conversions were a case of reaching for what was available.Designing a purpose built helicopter carrier/escort cruiser and brlnging it into service only became possible when these resources were no longer needed for CVA01 and the R class Polaris subs were well under way.The three newish Tiger class cruisers appeared to offer a cheap and easy way of getting both ASW helicopters and a Task Group command ship to sea quickly.As so often for the RN shipyards and the MOD did not get the result they wanted.Blake did get into service before a purpose built ship but Tiger went badly wrong and ended up as "Liger" because of using Lion to finish her.The three Invincibles ended up taking as long as fixed wing carriers to order, build and deliver. But Britain in those years was summed up by the word "grotty", a state we seem to have returned to sixty years later.
As with so much British equipment the Tiger conversions were a case of reaching for what was available.
Designing a purpose built helicopter carrier/escort cruiser and brlnging it into service only became possible when these resources were no longer needed for CVA01 and the R class Polaris subs were well under way.
The three newish Tiger class cruisers appeared to offer a cheap and easy way of getting both ASW helicopters and a Task Group command ship to sea quickly.
As so often for the RN shipyards and the MOD did not get the result they wanted.
Blake did get into service before a purpose built ship but Tiger went badly wrong and ended up as "Liger" because of using Lion to finish her.
The three Invincibles ended up taking as long as fixed wing carriers to order, build and deliver. But Britain in those years was summed up by the word "grotty", a state we seem to have returned to sixty years later.
