HMS Illustrious in combat against German and Italian dive bombers in the Mediteranian from the collection of Jim Sellars RM.

HMS Illustrious in combat

This is from my dads collection from when he served on board HMS Illustrious.  This photo is from when the Illustrious was part of a convoy in support of Malta in the Med.  The German dive bombers have just put a bomb through the flight deck and the ship is on fire below decks in one of the plane hangers.  The crew successfully fought the fire and the Germans and their ship would live to fight another day.

HMS Illustrious hit and on fire

HMS Illustrious enjoys a near miss from German and Italian dive bombers.  The ship was almost sunk but the crew did a fine job of fighting the ship and she was saved to fight another day.  The Illustrious eventually served in the Pacific with the British Pacific fleet in support of American landings at Iwo Jima and Okanawa.  She survived Japanese suicide bombers as well