Colossus

The Colossus class was envisioned as an intermediate link between the heavy aircraft carriers of the Illustrious class and the U.S. escort ships; the hull was built according to the technology used for constructing merchant ships, while the propulsion unit was partially borrowed from light cruisers. Colossus took part in the liberation of Hong Kong and Shanghai as the flagship of the 11th Aircraft Carriers Squadron. In 1946, she was handed over to the French Navy and renamed Arromanches. In the ranks of the French Navy, the aircraft carrier participated in combat operations in Indochina and the Suez Crisis.