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Ruler-class escort carrier

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HMS Puncher
Class overview
NameRuler class
BuildersSeattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byTemplate:Sclass-
Succeeded byNone
Built1942–1943
Planned25
Completed25
Lost2
General characteristics
TypeEscort carrier
Displacement11,420 long tons (11,600 t)
Length492 ft 3 in (150.0 m)
Beam69 ft 6 in (21.2 m)
Draught25 ft 6 in (7.77 m)
Installed power9,350 shp (6,970 kW)
Propulsion1 shaft geared steam turbines
Speed17 kn (20 mph; 31 km/h)
Complement646
Armament
Aircraft carried24
Aviation facilities
  • Hangar 260 ft (79 m) x 62 ft (19 m)
  • Two 42 ft (13 m) x 34 ft (10 m) lifts
  • Nine arrestor wires
NotesBuilt in two groups of 11 and 15

The Ruler class of escort aircraft carriers served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War. All twenty-five ships were built by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in the United States as Bogue-class escort carriers, supplied under Lend-Lease to the United Kingdom.[1] They were the most numerous single class of aircraft carriers in service with the Royal Navy.[2]

As built they were intended for three types of operations, "Assault" or strike, convoy escort, or aircraft ferry.[3]

After the war some were scrapped while other had their flight deck removed and converted as merchant vessels (and all eventually scrapped by the 1970s).

Design and description

These ships were all larger and had greater aircraft capacity than all preceding American built escort carriers. They were laid down as escort carriers and were not converted merchant ships.[4] All the ships had a complement of 646 men and an overall length of 492 feet 3 inches (150.0 m), a beam of 69 feet 6 inches (21.2 m) and a draught of 25 ft 6 in (7.8 m).[4] Propulsion was provided by one shaft, two boilers and a steam turbine giving 9,350 shaft horsepower (SHP), which could propel the ship at 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph).[5]

Aircraft facilities were a small combined bridge–flight control on the starboard side, two aircraft lifts 43 feet (13.1 m) by 34 feet (10.4 m), one aircraft catapult and nine arrestor wires.[4] Aircraft could be housed in the 260 feet (79.2 m) by 62 feet (18.9 m) hangar below the flight deck.[4] Armament comprised: two 4 inch Dual Purpose guns in single mounts, sixteen 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns in twin mounts and twenty 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons in single mounts.[4] They had a maximum aircraft capacity of twenty-four aircraft which could be a mixture of Grumman Martlet, Vought F4U Corsair or Hawker Sea Hurricane fighter aircraft and Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber or Grumman Avenger anti-submarine aircraft.[4]

Ships

First group

Second group

X = Fitted for anti-submarine warfare.[4]
XX = Fitted for strike-operations.[4]
All the others were mainly used for aircraft transport with an added strike capability.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ Cocker (2008), p.81
  2. ^ Cocker (2008), 74–84
  3. ^ Gordon Smith (ed.), "US-built escort aircraft carriers", Lt Cmdr G Mason - His Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2 and Other Researches, naval-history.net
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cocker (2008), p.82.
  5. ^ Cocker (2008), p.79.
  6. ^ a b Cocker (2008), p.83.
  7. ^ http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3330.html
  8. ^ http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3425.html
Bibliography
  • Cocker, Maurice (2008). Aircraft-Carrying Ships of the Royal Navy. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7524-4633-2.

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