HMS Perseus (R51)

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HMS Perseus was laid down by Vickers Armstrong on the Tyne on 1 January 1943. It was launched on 26 March 1944, and commissioned on 19 October, 1945, thus missing World War II.

As with HMS Pioneer, the design of Perseus was altered during its construction to that of an aircraft maintenance ship. In 1949, Perseus served as a trial vessel for one of the most important inventions for all conventional modern aircraft carriers, the steam catapult. Again paralleling Pioneer, Perseus became a ferry carrier in 1953. However, Pioneer lasted a few years long in service, undergoing a refit in 1955 before entering reserve in 1957 and being sold for scrap in 1958.