I was wondering if the UK might have sold more Colossus  class carriers to South American navies? I think Chile would have been an obvious one, perhaps Peru?

I think the main problem would of been one of cost Geoff. Would they be able to afford to operate them even if they did get them at a good price ?

However Chile was always one of those South American countries that the UK looked favourably on, so maybe they might have.

Quote from: NARSES2 on July 31, 2023, 06:18:08 AMI think the main problem would of been one of cost Geoff. Would they be able to afford to operate them even if they did get them at a good price ?

However Chile was always one of those South American countries that the UK looked favourably on, so maybe they might have.

My thoughts as well

Chile operated a decent sized fleet of ex-RN and ex-Dutch ships, some of substantial size, and it has/had a long-standing rivalry with Argentina, so I'd think it definitely top of the list. Perhaps if the RN had hung onto one longer or it had come to Chile third-hand after being sold to somebody else first, that might have got the price down to something Chile could manage.

Some ideas:

HMS Triumph was converted to a repair ship in the early 1960s, went into reserve in 1972 and was finally scrapped in Spain in 1982. That gives a decent window of opportunity for her to be de-converted and sold to Chile in the late 1970s.

HMS Colossus was sold to France in 1946, stayed in service as Arrowmanches until 1974 and was scrapped in 1978. Again, there's a 1970s window for her to be sold on to Chile.

HMS Glory was laid up in reserve in 1955 and scrapped in 1961. Imagine instead her being sold to another user (France/Netherlands/India/Canada/Australia) and then sold on to Chile in the 1970s.

Maybe the Shah of Iran goes on his spending spree a few years earlier and buys HMS Triumph to use as a Royal Yacht to wave the Iranian flag overseas.

Triumph gets refitted as a helicopter carrier and used to protect the sea lanes outside the Persian Gulf. Training supplied by the RN of course.

Quote from: Weaver on July 31, 2023, 10:48:15 PMChile operated a decent sized fleet of ex-RN and ex-Dutch ships, some of substantial size, and it has/had a long-standing rivalry with Argentina, so I'd think it definitely top of the list. Perhaps if the RN had hung onto one longer or it had come to Chile third-hand after being sold to somebody else first, that might have got the price down to something Chile could manage.

Some ideas:


HMS Glory was laid up in reserve in 1955 and scrapped in 1961. Imagine instead her being sold to another user (France/Netherlands/India/Canada/Australia) and then sold on to Chile in the 1970s.

That's the one I need as I have a Sea Vampire in need of a home.
But taken from reserve in '56 or '57 and sold directly to Chile.
I know the price might be high but maybe we sold it cheap as part of a bigger deal due to the Argentine revolution was IIRC formented by the US as Peron was too left wing and the UK was perceived as having too much  influence in South America

Quote from: Geoff on August 01, 2023, 07:55:08 AM

Quote from: Weaver on July 31, 2023, 10:48:15 PMChile operated a decent sized fleet of ex-RN and ex-Dutch ships, some of substantial size, and it has/had a long-standing rivalry with Argentina, so I'd think it definitely top of the list. Perhaps if the RN had hung onto one longer or it had come to Chile third-hand after being sold to somebody else first, that might have got the price down to something Chile could manage.

Some ideas:


HMS Glory was laid up in reserve in 1955 and scrapped in 1961. Imagine instead her being sold to another user (France/Netherlands/India/Canada/Australia) and then sold on to Chile in the 1970s.

That's the one I need as I have a Sea Vampire in need of a home.
But taken from reserve in '56 or '57 and sold directly to Chile.
I know the price might be high but maybe we sold it cheap as part of a bigger deal due to the Argentine revolution was IIRC formented by the US as Peron was too left wing and the UK was perceived as having too much  influence in South America

Seems doable. HMS Vengeance went straight to Brazil as the Minas Gerais in 1957, so there's a precedent.

Quote from: Weaver on August 01, 2023, 04:28:45 PM

Quote from: Geoff on August 01, 2023, 07:55:08 AM

Quote from: Weaver on July 31, 2023, 10:48:15 PMChile operated a decent sized fleet of ex-RN and ex-Dutch ships, some of substantial size, and it has/had a long-standing rivalry with Argentina, so I'd think it definitely top of the list. Perhaps if the RN had hung onto one longer or it had come to Chile third-hand after being sold to somebody else first, that might have got the price down to something Chile could manage.

Some ideas:


HMS Glory was laid up in reserve in 1955 and scrapped in 1961. Imagine instead her being sold to another user (France/Netherlands/India/Canada/Australia) and then sold on to Chile in the 1970s.

That's the one I need as I have a Sea Vampire in need of a home.
But taken from reserve in '56 or '57 and sold directly to Chile.
I know the price might be high but maybe we sold it cheap as part of a bigger deal due to the Argentine revolution was IIRC formented by the US as Peron was too left wing and the UK was perceived as having too much  influence in South America

Seems doable. HMS Vengeance went straight to Brazil as the Minas Gerais in 1957, so there's a precedent.

 

How about Bolivia or Paraguay? 
 

They got their passed down naval vessels from Switzerland, didn't they?

Quote from: zenrat on August 02, 2023, 03:17:42 AMHow about Bolivia or Paraguay?
 

Somehow I just knew someone was going to do that      Just surprised it took so long 

HMS Bulwark was part of a Peru wish list with Sea Harriers in the late 70s.

Glory, Theseus and Ocean were all laid up after 1957 along with Warrior and Triumph (Warrier had the angled deck for intended role as trials and training, Triumph became repair ship) the other three were going to become commando caarriers or act as traing ships capable of training the FAA/RN RNVR and would have operated the earlier jets as they went out of front line service or the seamew in asw role for convoy protection. So they would be available for sale. The incomplete Leviathan was also available.

Interestingly the Admiralty was working on a 50s light fleet carrier replacement with the same hull size as the Colossus but built to post war standards and capable of operating the next generation naval aircraft.

Thank you