Last Updated on June 19, 2025 by Matt Staff
Aircraft carriers have played a crucial role in shaping modern naval history, serving as symbols of strength and innovation. These massive ships weren’t just machines; they were entire communities floating on the ocean that launched missions, supported air fleets, and carried the weight of global conflict on their decks. From the Pacific battles of World War II to tense Cold War standoffs, carriers have quietly anchored some of the most pivotal moments in the 20th century.
Each image offers a glimpse into the past, capturing not just steel and machinery but the human spirit that kept them running. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a military buff, or just curious, these snapshots provide a rare window into the legacy of the great ships that once ruled the seas. Here are 17 vintage photos of aircraft carriers from the past.
1. A catapult officer risks his life to save a pilot from a crash landing, 1943
2. There’s no better spot for a game of cricket, WWII
3. Sitting in an F4 Phantom aircraft on the flight deck of the USS Forrestal, 1967
4. Sailors hanging on as the USS Langley rolls sharply to port during Typhoon Connie, 1945
5. The US Navy’s first aircraft carrier, the USS Langley, 1922
6. A pilot aboard the Indomitable aircraft carrier, 1943
7. Playing basketball aboard the USS Monterey, 1944
8. Landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln
9. The USS Bon Homme Richard, 1945
10. A Navy SEAL taking some practice shots from an aircraft carrier, 1970s
11. Pilots aboard the USS Lexington, following a raid on Tarawa, 1943
12. Sailors aboard the USS Cowpens, 1944
13. The Japanese aircraft carrier Taihō during her sea trials, 1944
14. The German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin shortly before launching, Kiel, Germany, 1938
15. The HMS Ark Royal
16. An aerial view of the Yokosuka Naval Fleet, 1940
17. Admiring the nose art of a fighter aboard an aircraft carrier, 1950s
Want to see more vintage military content?
Check out 25 Vintage Photos From The First World War, or take a look at 20 Colorized Photos of Soldiers in the 1910s. Finally, if you want to see colorized photos of soldiers during WWII, check out 20 Colorized Photos Of Soldiers From WWII.
