HELLER CHARLES DE GAULLE 1/400
The story of the Charles de Gaulle starts in 1974 when the oil crisis shook the developed world. In this context, the French government decided to initiate construction of the PH-75, a 16 400 t helicopter carrier, nuclear-powered, to replace the R-95 aircraft carrier, Arromanches, which had just been scrapped following 30 years world-wide naval service. The choice of nuclear power for the ship was an expression of the French government�s will to maintain an independent foreign policy, in particular, with regard to energy. Nuclear power would allow the ship to remain at sea longer without the need to refuel. The economic crisis and procrastination as to the equipment and missions of the vessel resulted in the delaying and ultimalely, the abandonmenl of the project.
It was then decided to modernize the R-98
Clémenceau and the R-99 Foch to prolong their careers in the French Navy. Nevertheless, in 1982 the Conseil Supérieur de la Marine requested that the engineering design studies carried out for the propulsion of the PH-75 (which in the meantime had become the PA-75 then the PA-83) should be used for a new generation of aircraft carriers capable of replacing the Clémenceau and the Foch before the end of the century. More than 10 000 drawings had been prepared by engineers of the Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN). The first vessel in the 1984-1988 programme was named the Richelieu. On 4 February 1986, work on the ship, renamed the Charles de Gaulle, was finally authorized.
Displacement : 35 500t (40 600 fully laden)
Length of flighlt take-off deck : 261.50 m
Height above sea level: 66.50 m
Power: 76 200 HP
Speed: 27 knots (50 kph) |
