Pretoria Castle 1943
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Pretoria Castle | F61 | 1006 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast // Swan Hunter, Wallsend | ? | 12.10.1938 | 1939 // 9.4.1943 | sold mercantile 4.1946 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
19650 |
|
Displacement full, t |
23450 |
|
Length, m |
180.4 |
|
Breadth, m |
23.3 wl |
|
Draught, m |
8.89 deep load |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
2 Burmeister & Wain diesels |
|
Power, h. p. |
16000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
18 |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil 2430 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 16000(16) |
| Armour | magazines, steering gear: splinter protection |
|
Armament |
2 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 14 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 21 aircraft (Fulmar, Sea Hurricane, Seafire, Martlet, Corsair fighters, Swordfish, Albacore, Barracuda torpedo bombers) |
| Sensors | type 279, type 281 radars |
| Complement | 666 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 3,977m², ha - ~ 2,100m² / 11,130m³): Flight deck: 170.7x23.3m, hangar 70.4x18.5x5.3m. There was a lift (13.7x11.9m, 6.8t) and 1 catapult C-II (6.4t plane was launched at 122km/h). Aircraft fuel stowage was 345,500l.
| Year | Fighters | Torpedo bombers |
| 1944 | 6 Sea Hurricane | 12 Swordfish |
Project history: Former passenger liner (17,392BRT) was mobilized in October, 1939 and converted to armed merchant cruiser. In the mid-1942 the decision to convert her to escort aircraft carrier was accepted. Converted to carrier 7.1942 - 8.1943. Pretoria Castle became the largest escort aircraft carrier in the world. Unlike remaining representatives of the type, she had a light protection of magazines and steering gear, and also underwater protection consisted of empty compartments fitted alongside. Two planned octuple pompoms were never installed.
Protection: there were splinter protection of magazines and steering gear and underwater protection.
Modernizations: None.
1/1946: 2 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 14 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 21 aircraft, type 279, type 281 radars
Naval service: No significant events.
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
Pretoria Castle 1944
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-15