| Navy | The Royal Navy |
| Type | Aircraft Carrier |
| Class | Illustrious |
| Pennant | 67 |
| Built by | Harland & Wolff Ltd. (Belfast, Northern Ireland) |
| Ordered | 19 Mar, 1937 |
| Laid down | 17 Jun, 1937 |
| Launched | 17 Aug, 1939 |
| Commissioned | 24 Nov, 1940 |
| End service | Mar, 1947 |
| Loss position | |
| History | HMS Formidable operated mainly in the Mediterranean. Her initial role was to accompany a convoy to Capetown from December 1940 to January 1941. Subsequently she was called to the Mediterranean to replace the damaged HMS Illustrious in February 1941.
She took part in the Battle of Cape Matapan 27-29 March 1941, and in the two following months was involved in convoy escort. She supported Crete operations in May where she suffered serious damage in air attacks by 1000kg bombs on 26 May 1941, and so was out of action for six months. Between June till December 1941 she underwent repairs in the USA, after which she sailed for the Indian Ocean to join the Eastern Fleet remaining there between March-August 1942. In October 1942 she returned to the Mediterranean and remained there until October 1943. She took part in the North African landings in November 1942, Sicily landings in July 1943, and Salerno landings in September 1943. On completion of her Mediterranean tour of duties she took part in an Arctic convoy in October 1943. HMS Formidable was refitted between January -June 1944 and then her aircraft were involved in the operation "Mascot" attack on the German Battleship Tirpitz in Norway on 17 July 1944. She took part in further attacks on Tirpitz 22, 24 and 29 August 1944 as part of the "Goodwood" operations. HMS Formidable sailed for the Eastern Fleet on 16 September 1944, being stationed at Gibraltar between September 1944 till January 1945 after machinery breakdown. She finally joined the British Pacific Fleet in place of the damaged HMS Illustrious on 16 April 1945. She subsequently took part in air strikes against Sakishima Gunto between April-May 1945. Between 4-9 May 1945 she was hit by Kamikazes - yet was able to operate aircraft within a few hours of attack, her aircraft later took part in air strikes against Japanese home islands between July-August 1945. HMS Formidable arrived in Sydney, Australia on 23 August, subsequently undertook trooping voyages to UK September 1945-November 1946. Formidable was reduced to reserve at Rosyth in March 1947, stricken 1950 and sold on 11 November 1953. She was scrapped at Inverkeithing from November 1956. Commanding Officers: Capt. Robert Lionel Brooke Cunliffe, RN Capt. Arthur George Talbot, DSO, RN Capt. Philip Ruck-Keene, CBE, RN Capt. William Gerrard Andrewes, CBE, DSO, RN |
| Noteable events involving Formidable include: 17 Nov, 1942 9 Aug, 1945 |