| Archer class Escort
Carrier |
| |
| This page
written by Bruce T. Swain |
| |
| Name |
Builder |
Conversion |
Commisioned |
| Archer |
Newport News Shipbuilding / Sun
Shipbuilding |
June-November 1941 |
Early 1942 |
The first escort carrier, Audacity, was
used as a model for the American prototype conversion, USS Long
Island, completed in 1941. However, this American mercantile
conversion was far superior to the British original.
A sister ship to Long Island, Mormacland, was
transferred to the Royal Navy under Lend-Lease and renamed Archer.
To meet the Admiralty’s order for 5 such vessels, the American
authorities assigned four more mercantile hulls for conversion;
these became the "Avenger" Class.
Archer was slightly different from the later ships in
having four - instead of two - diesel engines, driving a single
shaft. This arrangement was not entirely satisfactory and
machinery problems led to her early retirement.
| Dimensions |
Net displacement |
9,000 tons |
Length |
492’ |
| Gross
displacement |
12,860 tons |
Beam |
69’6" |
| Load |
3,680 tons |
Draught |
22’ |
| Flight Deck
Details |
| Flight Deck
Length |
480’ |
Upper Hangar
Length |
- |
Lifts |
1 |
| Flight Deck Width |
70’ |
Lower Hangar
Length |
N/A |
Catapults |
- |
| Performance &
Propulsion |
| Range |
- |
Speed |
16.5 knots |
| Propulsion |
4 x diesels driving 1 shaft @ 8500
bhp |
| Armament,
Aircraft & Complement |
| Complement |
555 Officers
& Ratings including Air Group |
| Armament |
- Gun
- 3 x
1 x 4"L/50 AA
- 4 x
2 x 20mm Oerlikon AA
- 7 x
1 x 20mm Oerlikon AA
|
Aircraft |
- 16 planes
- Swordfish T.B's
- Martlet (F4F) Fighters
|
| Service History |
- Archer
Atlantic convoy escort Feb.-Nov. 1942
- ferried 30
P-40 Warhawks from USA to Casablanca Nov. 1942
- Atlantic
convoy escort Dec. 1942-Oct. 1943
- aircraft
sank U.752 23 May 1943
- laid up as
stores ship Oct. 1943
- returned to
USA 9 Jan. 1946 and sold into mercantile service.
|