ABSTRACT
Aircraft Carriers, British At the beginning of World War II, most British aircraft carriers were of World War I vintage. The oldest in service was the HMS Argus, the first flattop in the world. Converted from a passenger vessel in construction, it was completed in Septem ber 1918. The basic idea behind the Argus design was to provide a flight deck free from the emissions of hot furnace gases. That problem was solved ini tially by eliminating all the superstructure. Hori zontal smoke ducts with big exhaust fans were fit ted to deliver all gas and smoke out over the stern.
