Empire MacCallum 1944
EMPIRE MACALPINE grain carriers / aircraft carriers
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Empire MacAlpine | MH | 268 | Burntisland | 11.8.1942 | 23.12.1942 | 14.4.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Empire MacKendrick | MO | 277 | Burntisland | ? | 29.9.1943 | 12.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
7950BRT |
|
Displacement full, t |
12000 |
|
Length, m |
139.9 |
|
Breadth, m |
18.3 |
|
Draught, m |
7.47 |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
1 Doxford diesel |
|
Power, h. p. |
3500 |
|
Max speed, kts |
12.5 |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | |
|
Armament |
1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV, 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 4 aircraft (Swordfish torpedo bombers) |
| Sensors | type 271, type 279 radars |
| Complement | 107 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 2,231m², ha - ~ 600m² / 4,380m³): Flight deck: 126.1x18.9m, hangar was 7.3m in height. There was a lift (12.8x6.7m, 4.5t). Aircraft fuel stowage was 22,700l.
EMPIRE MACANDREW and EMPIRE MACRAE grain carriers / aircraft carriers
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Empire MacAndrew class | |||||||
| Empire MacAndrew | MK | 1370 | Denny, Dumbarton | ? | 3.5.1943 | 7.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Empire MacDermott | MS | 1378 | Denny, Dumbarton | ? | 24.1.1944 | 3.1944 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Empire MacRae class | |||||||
| Empire MacRae | MU | 992 | Lithgows, Glasgow | ? | 21.6.1943 | 9.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Empire MacCallum | MN | 993 | Lithgows, Glasgow | ? | 12.10.1943 | 12.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
Empire MacAndrew class: 7950BRT Empire MacRae class: 8250BRT |
|
Displacement full, t |
12000 |
|
Length, m |
Empire MacAndrew class: 136.7 Empire MacRae class: 136.1 |
|
Breadth, m |
Empire MacAndrew class: 17.1 Empire MacRae class: 17.6 |
|
Draught, m |
Empire MacAndrew class: 7.54 Empire MacRae class: 7.47 |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
1 Burmeister & Wain diesel |
|
Power, h. p. |
3300 |
|
Max speed, kts |
12.5 |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | |
|
Armament |
1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV, 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 4 aircraft (Swordfish torpedo bombers) |
| Sensors | type 271, type 279 radars |
| Complement | 107 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 2,231m², ha - ~ 600m² / 4,380m³): Flight deck: 128.9 (Empire MacAndrew class)-129.3 (Empire MacRae class)x18.9m, hangar was 7.3m in height. There was a lift (12.8x6.7m, 4.5t). Aircraft fuel stowage was 22,700l.
EMPIRE MACKAY type tankers / aircraft carriers
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Empire MacKay | MH | 1167 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast | ? | 17.6.1943 | 10.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Empire MacColl | MB | 1106 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | ? | 24.7.1943 | 11.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Empire MacMahon | MJ | 1677 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | ? | 2.7.1943 | 12.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Empire MacCabe | MJ | 1726 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | ? | 18.5.1943 | 12.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
Empire MacCabe: 9249BRT Empire MacColl: 9133BRT Empire MacKay: 8908BRT Empire MacMahon: 8856BRT |
|
Displacement full, t |
~12000 |
|
Length, m |
Empire MacCabe: 148.1 Empire MacColl: 146.8 Empire MacKay: 146.1 Empire MacMahon: 147.2 |
|
Breadth, m |
Empire MacCabe: 18.8 Empire MacColl: 18.4 Empire MacKay: 18.6 Empire MacMahon: 17.9 |
|
Draught, m |
Empire MacCabe, Empire MacColl, Empire MacMahon: 8.38 Empire MacKay: 8.23 |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
Empire MacCabe: 1 Doxford diesel Empire MacColl, Empire MacKay: 1 Burmeister & Wain diesel Empire MacMahon: 1 Werspoor diesel |
|
Power, h. p. |
3300 |
|
Max speed, kts |
11 |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | |
|
Armament |
Empire MacCabe, Empire MacMahon: 1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV, 8 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 4 aircraft (Swordfish torpedo bombers) Empire MacColl, Empire MacKay: 1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV, 8 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 3 aircraft (Swordfish torpedo bombers) |
| Sensors | type 271, type 279 radars |
| Complement | 122 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 2,456 - 2,579m², ha - 0m² / 0m³): Flight deck: 140.5 (Empire MacCabe, Empire MacColl, Empire MacKay)-140.7 (Empire MacMahon) x18.9m, there were no hangar and lift. Aircraft fuel stowage was 22,700l.
RAPANA tankers / aircraft carriers
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Ancylus | MF | 1491 | Swan Hunter, Wallsend | ? | 9.10.1934 | 1.1935 // 10.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Acavus | MA | Workman Clark, Belfast | ? | 24.11.1934 | 1.1935 // 10.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 | |
| Gadila | MX | 732 | Howaldtswerke, Kiel, Germany | ? | 1.12.1934 | 4.1935 // 1.2.1944 | to Netherlands 1.2.1944 (Gadila) |
| Amastra | MD | 870 | Lithgows, Glasgow | ? | 18.12.1934 | 3.1935 // 9.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Alexia | MP | Bremer Vulkan, Germany | ? | 20.12.1934 | 4.1935 // 12.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 | |
| Rapana | MV | 654 | Witton-Fijenoord, Schiedam, Netherlands | ? | 3.1935 | 4.1935 // 7.1943 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Macoma | MR | 235 | Nederlandse Dok, Amsterdam, Netherlands | ? | 31.12.1935 | 5.1936 // 1.4.1944 | to Netherlands 1.4.1944 (Macoma) |
| Miralda | MW | 236 | Nederlandse Dok, Amsterdam, Netherlands | ? | 7.1936 | 7.1936 // 1.1944 | sold mercantile 1945 |
| Adula | MQ | 44 | Blythswood, Scotstoun | ? | 28.1.1937 | 3.1937 // 2.1944 | sold mercantile 1945 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
8000BRT |
|
Displacement full, t |
16256 |
|
Length, m |
Alexia, Rapana, Miralda, Macoma, Gadila: 146.6 Acavus, Ancylus, Amastra, Adula: 147.1 |
|
Breadth, m |
18.0 |
|
Draught, m |
8.38 |
|
No of shafts |
1 |
|
Machinery |
1 Sulzer diesel Gadila: 1 MAN diesel |
|
Power, h. p. |
4000 Gadila: 3500 |
|
Max speed, kts |
12.7 |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | |
|
Armament |
1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV, 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III, 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 4 aircraft (Swordfish torpedo bombers) |
| Sensors | type 271M, type 279 radars |
| Complement | 118 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 2,456 - 2,579m², ha - 0m² / 0m³): Flight deck: 140.7x18.9m, there were no hangar and lift. Aircraft fuel stowage was 22,700l.
Project history: RN created original type of ships, so-called "merchant aircraft carriers" (MAC) in the Second World War. They were rebuilt from tankers and grain carriers and outwardly resembled escort aircraft carriers but retained cargo holds and tanks. In spite of the fact that some of them had not only a continuous flight deck, but also a hangar and elevator, as a matter of fact they were nevertheless merchant vessels and their main task was a carriage of goods. Aircrafts served only for reconnaissance and self-defences, besides the air group consisted from 3-4 planes.
Modernizations: Some ships carried 1 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I/II/III/IV gun instead of 1 x 1 - 102/40 QF Mk IV
Naval service: MAC-ships sailed under Merchant Flag (17 under British and 2, Gadila and Macoma, under Dutch) and officially did not enter into RN battle order.
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
Empire MacAlpine 1943
Empire MacKendrick
Empire MacRae
Miralda
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-14