Audacity 1941
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Empire Audacity (ex-Sinbad, ex-Hannover), 7.1941- Audacity | D10 | 765 | Bremer Vulcan, Germany // Blyth SB, Cowpen Quay | 1938 | 29.3.1939 | 5.1939 // 20.6.1941 | sunk 21.12.1941 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
10230 |
|
Displacement full, t |
11000 |
|
Length, m |
142.4 |
|
Breadth, m |
17.1 wl |
|
Draught, m |
6.58 |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
2 MAN diesels |
|
Power, h. p. |
5200 |
|
Max speed, kts |
15 |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil 649 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 12000(14.5) |
|
Armament |
1 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 1 x 1 - 57/40 6pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 4 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 6 aircraft (Martlet fighters) |
| Sensors | type 79B radar |
|
Complement |
210 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 2,566m², ha - 0m² / 0m³): Flight deck: 137.2 x 18.3m. There were no hangar, catapults and elevators. Planes were stored at flight deck. Aviation fuel stowage was 45,500l.
| Year | Fighters |
| 12/1941 | 4 Martlet |
Project history: First escort aircraft carrier of Royal Navy was converted from German refrigerator vessel Hannover (5537BRT), captured 7.3.1940 by British cruiser Dunedin, commissioned as transport Sinbad. Later re-rated as ocean boarding vessel. The decision to convert her to escort aircraft carrier intended for "trade protection" was accepted 2.1.1941. Converted in 1 - 6.1941.
Ship structure was extreme simplified. It was not provided hangar, elevators, neither catapults, nor islands on her. Aircrafts (only 6 planes) were stored simply on a flight deck. Ship stowed 3000t of solid ballast.
Modernizations: None.
Naval service: Audacity was twice torpedoed by German submarine U751 in the evening 21.12.1941. Carrier lost speed after hit of the first torpedo, after 70 minutes two more torpedoes hit the ship, she has broken apart and sunk. 72 people were lost.
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
Audacity
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-14