The French aircraft carrier Clemenceau was one of the largest and most
powerful ships that served the Marine Nationale. Her keel was laid in
November 1955 at the Brest Arsenal Ch. Atlantique in St. Nazaire, and
she was launched two years later - on December 21, 1957.
Together with the twin Foch, it was built on the basis of a project
developed from the beginning in the 1950s, which included almost all of
the novelties that were introduced in the construction of this type of
ship. Therefore, she received, among others: a sloped flight deck with
two lifts, mirror systems facilitating approach to landing, means of
observation enabling early detection of surface units and means of air
attack, and modern catapults adapted to work with jet aircrafts with a
large take-off mass.
The length of the flight deck was 257 meters, the main runway was 165.5
meters long and 29.5 meters wide, with a deviation from the center of
the ship by 8 degrees. The hangar below it was 180 meters long and 22
meters wide.
In more than forty years of service, which began on November 22, 1961,
the Clemenceau performed countless tasks in both European and Pacific
waters. She supported the activities of the land forces, including in
former French colonies and during nuclear tests. Together with Foch,
she formed one of the strongest task forces in the Mediterranean region
and the waters of Western Europe.
