▁been ▁poor ly ▁preserved ▁during ▁its ▁length y ▁construction ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁and ▁much ▁of ▁its ▁mach in ery ▁was ▁ob sole te ▁by ▁its ▁completion , ▁including ▁its ▁dated ▁DC ▁elect rics , ▁supp lement ed ▁later ▁by ▁some ▁AC ▁systems , ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁ship ▁which ▁experienced ▁regular ▁defect s ▁and ▁mechanical ▁failure . ▁E agle ▁was ▁a ▁more ▁reliable ▁and ▁well - built ▁ship , ▁and ▁spent ▁far ▁more ▁time ▁at ▁sea ▁than ▁her ▁sister . ▁ ▁The ▁scra pping ▁of ▁Ark ▁Royal ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁two ▁years ▁after ▁E agle , ▁marked ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁conventional ▁fixed - wing ▁aircraft ▁operations ▁ab o ard ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁carri ers . ▁She ▁had ▁bor ne ▁so ▁many ▁innov ations , ▁yet ▁her ▁replacement ▁was ▁not ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁any ▁of ▁these . ▁There ▁was ▁some ▁discussion ▁about ▁pres erving ▁her ▁as ▁a ▁museum ▁ship , ▁and ▁some ▁private ▁funds ▁were ▁raised ; ▁the ▁M OD ▁would ▁not ▁san ction ▁these ▁efforts . ▁The ▁Fle et ▁Air ▁Arm ▁Museum ▁has ▁subsequently ▁m im icked ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁island ▁and ▁flight ▁deck ▁in ▁its ▁central ▁hall ▁as ▁an ▁A ircraft ▁Car rier ▁Exper ience ▁exhibition . ▁ ▁The ▁▁ ▁remained ▁in ▁service ▁after ▁her , ▁but ▁had ▁been ▁converted ▁to ▁a ▁hel ic opter ▁comm ando ▁car rier ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁and ▁then ▁as ▁a ▁V / ST OL ▁car rier . ▁The ▁much ▁smaller