Another one gone with the departure of the Helicopter Support Ship HMS Illustrious, from her home port of Portsmouth on her final journey to end at a Turkish scrapyard, it's the changing face of the Royal Navy. She was decommissioned in 2014 and sold to Leyal Ship Recycling for £2.1 million.
Illustrious was built at the Swan-Hunter yard, on the Tyne, as part of the Invincible Class, of Helicopter Support ships, alongside her sister ships Ark Royal and Invincible.
At a length of 690 feet, with a crew of 685 personnel and a top speed of 30 knots (35 mph). She, along with the others, later had deck adjustments, so that they were able to carry the Harrier Verticle Take-Off Jets. Only being removed in 2010, when the Harriers became obsolete and the ships reverted to their role as Helicopter Carriers.
The ships have seen service in various theatres including The Falklands, Afganistan, Bosnia and Sierra Leone.
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