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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY (UNITED KINGDOM)

AIRCRAFT CARRYING SHIPS

ATTACKER escort aircraft carriers (1942-1943)

Attacker 1943

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Battler (ex-AVG6 Altamaha, ex-Mormactern) D18 293 Ingalls, Pascagoula, USA 15.4.1941 4.4.1942 15.11.1942 to USA 2.1946
Tracker (ex-BAVG6 Mormacmail) D24, R317 17 Seattle-Tacoma, Seattle, USA 3.11.1941 7.3.1942 31.1.1943 to USA 11.1945
Attacker* (ex-AVG7 Barnes, ex-Steel Artisan) D02 62 Western Pipe & Steel, San Francisco, USA 17.4.1941 27.9.1941 10.10.1942 to USA 1.1946
Hunter* (ex-ACV8 Block Island, ex-Mormacpenn) D80 294 Ingalls, Pascagoula, USA 15.5.1941 22.5.1942 11.1.1943 to USA 12.1945
Chaser (ex-ACV10 Breton, ex-Mormacgulf) D32, R306 295 Ingalls, Pascagoula, USA 28.6.1941 15.1.1942 9.4.1943 to USA 5.1946
Fencer (ex-ACV14 Croatan) D64, R308 77 Western Pipe & Steel, San Francisco, USA 5.9.1941 4.4.1942 20.2.1943 // 27.2.1943 to USA 12.1946
Stalker* (ex-AVG15 Hamlin) D91 65 Western Pipe & Steel, San Francisco, USA 6.10.1941 5.3.1942 30.12.1942 to USA 12.1945
Pursuer* (ex-ACV17 St. George, ex-Mormacland) D73, R309 296 Ingalls, Pascagoula, USA 31.7.1941 18.7.1942 14.6.1943 to USA 2.1946
Striker (ex-ACV19 Prince William) D12, R315 78 Western Pipe & Steel, San Francisco, USA 15.12.1941 7.5.1942 29.4.1943 to USA 2.1946
Searcher* (ex-ACV22) D40 22 Seattle-Tacoma, Seattle, USA 20.2.1942 20.6.1942 8.4.1943 to USA 11.1945
Ravager (ex-ACV24 Charger) D70 24 Seattle-Tacoma, Seattle, USA 11.4.1942 16.7.1942 26.4.1943 to USA 2.1946

* - attack carrier

Displacement standard, t

10200

Displacement full, t

14170

Length, m

149.9 - 151.2

Breadth, m

21.2 wl 24.0 fd

Draught, m

7.19 deep load

No of shafts

1

Machinery

1 set geared steam turbines, 2 Foster-Wheeler boilers

Power, h. p.

8500

Max speed, kts

18.5

Fuel, t

oil 3018 - 3160
Endurance, nm(kts) 26000(15)

Armament

2 x 1 - 102/50 Mk 9, 4 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors Mk 1.2, up to 14 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk 1.2, up to 7 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk 1.2, 18 - 24 aircraft (Fulmar, Sea Hurricane, Seafire, Martlet, Corsair fighters, Swordfish, Albacore, Barracuda torpedo bombers)

Searcher: 2 x 1 - 102/50 Mk 9, 8 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors Mk.1/2, 10 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk.1/2, 18 - 24 aircraft (Fulmar, Sea Hurricane, Seafire, Martlet, Corsair fighters, Swordfish, Albacore, Barracuda torpedo bombers)
Sensors SC, SG radars
Complement 646

Aircraft facilities (fd - 3,204 (3,293)m², ha - ~ 1,500m² / 8,250m³): Flight deck: 134.1 (later lengthened to 137.2m)x25.0m, hangar: 79.5x18.9x5.50m. There were 2 lifts (12.6x10.1m, 6.3t) and 1 catapult H-II (3.2t plane was launched at 113km/h). Aircraft fuel stowage was 689,000l, but immediately after commissioning stowage was decreased to 186,000-240,000l.  

Year Fighters Torpedo bombers Flying boats
12.1942 Attacker --- 4 Swordfish ---
6.1943 Battler 4 Seafire 9 Swordfish ---
7.1943 Attacker 19 Seafire --- ---
7.1943 Hunter 6 Seafire 6 Swordfish ---
8.1943 Hunter 20 Seafire --- ---
8.1943 Fencer 6 Seafire 9 Swordfish ---
9.1943 Battler 18 Seafire --- ---
9.1943 Stalker 19 Seafire --- ---
9.1943 Tracker 6 Seafire 9 Swordfish ---
10.1943 Battler 6 Seafire 12 Swordfish ---
10.1943 Stalker --- 6 Swordfish ---
10.1943 Tracker 6 Seafire 6 Swordfish ---
10.1943 Fencer 6 Seafire 9 Swordfish 1 Walrus
11.1943 Fencer 4 Wildcat, 4 Seafire 9 Swordfish ---
12.1943 Attacker 20 Seafire --- ---
12.1943 Tracker 6 Seafire 9 Swordfish ---
12.1943 Striker 6 Sea Hurricane 9 Swordfish ---
1.1944 Tracker 7 Wildcat 12 Avenger ---
2.1944 Fencer 9 Wildcat 11 Swordfish ---
2.1944 Chaser 11 Wildcat 11 Swordfish ---
2.1944 Pursuer 20 Wildcat --- ---
4.1944 Attacker 28 Seafire --- ---
4.1944 Tracker 9 Wildcat 11 Swordfish ---
4.1944 Searcher 20 Wildcat --- ---
4.1944 Striker 6 Sea Hurricane 12 Swordfish ---
5.1944 Battler 6 Wildcat 12 Swordfish ---
5.1944 Stalker 23 Seafire --- ---
5.1944 Hunter 24 Seafire 1 Swordfish ---
5.1944 Striker 12 Wildcat 12 Swordfish ---
6.1944 Fencer 18 Wildcat --- ---
6.1944 Striker 10 Wildcat 12 Swordfish ---
7.1944 Attacker 20 Seafire --- ---
8.1944 Pursuer 24 Wildcat IV --- ---
8.1944 Striker 10 Wildcat 12 Swordfish ---
8.1944 Searcher 28 Wildcat --- ---
8.1944 Pursuer 24 Wildcat --- ---
9.1944 Stalker 20 Seafire --- ---
9.1944 Hunter 20 Seafire --- ---
9.1944 Searcher 20 Wildcat --- ---
9.1944 Pursuer 20 Wildcat --- ---
10.1944 Tracker 6 Wildcat 10 Avenger ---
10.1944 Fencer 8 Wildcat 4 Avenger ---
2.1945 Searcher 20 Wildcat, 2 Firefly --- ---
2.1945 Chaser 24 Seafire --- ---
4.1945 Stalker 24 Seafire --- ---
4.1945 Hunter 25 Seafire --- ---
6.1945 Stalker 24 Seafire --- 1 Walrus

Project history: USN Bogue class aircraft carriers transferred by lend-lease to RN. They differed from USN carriers by number of air group (20 instead of 28), aviation fuel stowage decreased to 225,000l and other artillery.

Modernizations: 1.1943, Battler: - 2 x 1 - 102/50; + 3 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V

1943, Battler: - 1 x 1 - 102/45

7/1945, Pursuer: number of Oerlikons reduced; + 4 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/II

7/1945, Striker: number of Oerlikons reduced to 4 x 1 - 20/70; + 6 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III

7/1945, Fencer: number of Oerlikons reduced; + 7 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III

1.1946, Attacker, Chaser, Fencer, Ravager: 2 x 1 - 102/50 Mk 13, 4 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, up to 14 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, up to 7 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 18 - 24 aircraft, SC, SG radar

1.1946, Battler: 2 x 1 - 102/45 HA Mk IV, 4 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, up to 14 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, up to 7 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 18 - 24 aircraft, SC, SG radar

1.1946, Fencer: 2 x 1 - 102/50 Mk 13, 4 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 7 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 10 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, 18 - 24 aircraft, SC, SG radar

1.1946, Striker: 2 x 1 - 102/50 Mk 13, 4 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 6 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 18 - 24 aircraft, SC, SG radar

Naval service: Tracker was damaged as a result of collision in June, 1944. Repair was lasted till September, 1944.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.

Battler

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-15