HMS Queen (D19)

Last updated

HMS Queen (D19).jpg
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameUSS St. Andrews
Namesake St. Andrews Bay in Florida
Builder Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
Laid down12 March 1943
Launched2 August 1943
FateTransferred to Royal Navy
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Queen
Commissioned7 December 1943
DecommissionedJuly 1947
Identification Pennant number:D19
FateSold as merchant ship; scrapped 1972
General characteristics
Class and type
Displacement8,333 tons
Length496 ft (151 m)
Beam69 ft 6 in (21.18 m)
Draught23 ft 3 in (7.09 m)
PropulsionSteam turbines, 1 shaft, 8,500 shp (6.3 MW)
Speed17 knots (31 km/h)
Complement646 officers and men
Armament
Aircraft carried18-24

The USS St. Andrews (CVE-49) (originally AVG-49, later ACV-49) was assigned to MC hull 260 on 23 August 1942, a ship to be built to modified C3-S-A1 plans. She was laid down on 12 March 1943 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation of Tacoma, Washington; redesignated CVE-49 on 15 July; and launched on 31 July; sponsored by Mrs. Robert W. Morse; transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 7 December; and commissioned the same day as HMS Queen (D19) in the Royal Navy.

Contents

HMS Queen served British and Allied escort forces in protecting the vital convoy supply effort across the North Atlantic in 1944, and in the Pacific campaigns in 1945. On 4 May 1945 aircraft of Queen's 853 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, took part in Operation Judgement, the last air-raid of the European war, at Kilbotn, Norway. After hostilities ceased, she was converted to a troop carrier and used to bring British forces back from the Far East, before being returned to the United States at Norfolk, Virginia, 31 October 1946.

On arrival, Queen was decommissioned by the Royal Navy and was taken over by the U.S. Navy. In excess of Navy needs, CVE-49 was slated, in December, for disposal; struck from the Navy Register in July 1947, sold to the N.V. Stoomv, Maats, Nederland Co., Amsterdam, Netherlands and pressed into merchant service as Roebiah on 29 July 1947 (renamed President Marcos in 1967 and Lucky One in 1972). She was scrapped in Taiwan in 1972.

Design and description

Twin 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun. Twin 40mm bofors gun on escort carrier.jpg
Twin 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun.

These ships were all larger and had a greater aircraft capacity than all the preceding American built escort carriers. They were also all laid down as escort carriers and not converted merchant ships. [1] 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). [1] Propulsion was provided a steam turbine, two boilers connected to one shaft giving 9,350 brake horsepower (SHP), which could propel the ship at 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph). [2]

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. [1] Aircraft could be housed in the 260 feet (79.2 m) by 62 feet (18.9 m) hangar below the flight deck. [1] Armament comprised: two 4"/50, 5"/38 or 5"/51 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. [1] 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 or Grumman Avenger anti-submarine aircraft. [1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cocker (2008), p.82.
  2. ↑ Cocker (2008), p.79.

Related Research Articles

HMS <i>Slinger</i> (D26) American escort carrier transferred to the Royal Navy

USS Chatham (CVE-32) was built at the Seattle-Tacoma S/Y, Hull #27, Seattle, Washington, and fitted-out in Portland, Oregon. She was transferred to the United Kingdom 11 August 1943 under lend-lease and renamed HMS Slinger (D26). Designated as a transport carrier, the ship was mined, off Lowestoft, on 5 February 1944 but returned to service on 17 October, and worked-up a new crew.

HMS <i>Atheling</i> Royal Navy Ruler-class escort carrier

HMS Atheling (D51) was a Royal Navy Ruler-class escort carrier of the Second World War. She was a US built ship provided under lend lease and returned to the US at the end of hostilities.

HMS <i>Emperor</i> (D98) Former U.S. Navy escort carrier transferred to Royal Navy

USS Pybus (CVE-34) was initially a United States Navy Bogue-class escort carrier. The ship was transferred to the United Kingdom for service in the Royal Navy as the Ruler-class escort carrier HMS Emperor (D98) as part of the Lend-Lease program of World War II. Entering service in 1943, the ship took part in operations against the Tirpitz and the invasions of Normandy and southern France. Returned to the United States following the war, the carrier was sold for scrap in 1946.

HMS <i>Ameer</i> (D01) American escort carrier transferred to the Royal Navy

HMS Ameer (D01) was an American escort carrier, the USS Baffins (CVE-35), that was transferred to the Royal Navy in mid-1943. As a Ruler-class escort carrier served in the Far East until the end of the war. Ameer was returned to the US Navy in 1946 and sold off to commercial service.

HMS <i>Begum</i> (D38) American escort carrier transferred to the Royal Navy

USS Bolinas (CVE-36) was an escort carrier launched 11 November 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding, Tacoma, Washington; sponsored by Mrs. G. B. Sherwood, wife of Commander Sherwood; and commissioned 22 July 1943, Captain H. L. Meadow in command.

HMS <i>Trumpeter</i> (D09) 1943 Ruler-class escort aircraft carrier

USS Bastian (CVE-37) was a Bogue-class escort aircraft carrier built by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding of Tacoma, Washington, laid down on 25 August 1942 and launched 15 December 1942. She was transferred to the United Kingdom, under Lend-Lease and commissioned on 4 August 1943 as the Ruler-class escort carrier HMS Trumpeter (D09).

HMS <i>Empress</i> (D42) American escort carrier transferred to the Royal Navy

USS Carnegie (CVE-38) was an escort aircraft carrier built in 1942-43 for transfer to the United Kingdom. She was reclassified ACV-38 on 20 August 1942, and CVE-38 on 15 July 1943. She was commissioned on 9 August 1943 for a period of three days prior to being turned over to the United Kingdom, under whom she served as HMS Empress (D42).

HMS <i>Khedive</i> (D62) Escort carrier

USS Cordova (CVE-39) was an escort carrier launched 27 December 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding of Tacoma, Washington; sponsored by Mrs. A. E. Mitchell. Reclassified CVE-39 on 15 July 1943, Cordova was transferred to the Royal Navy on 25 August 1943, as HMS Khedive (D62)Khedive served as the command ship for the South of France invasion in August 1944. From April to August 1945 was with the East Indies Fleet as part of the 21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron. Khedive was to take part in the invasion of Singapore in September 1945, codenamed Operation Tiderace. But with the Japanese surrender, she was merely deployed to the island for security.

HMS <i>Premier</i> (D23) American escort carrier transferred to the Royal Navy

The first USS Estero (CVE-42) was an escort aircraft carrier launched 22 March 1943 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation, Seattle, Washington, and sponsored by Mrs. C. N. Ingraham. She was reclassified CVE-42 on 15 July 1943. Completed in October 1943, she was transferred to the Royal Navy on 3 November 1943 and commissioned the same day as HMS Premier.

HMS <i>Shah</i> (D21) American escort carrier transferred to the Royal Navy

USS Jamaica (CVE-43), was an escort carrier of World War II that served in the British Royal Navy as HMS Shah (D21). Returned to the United States at war's end, she was converted into a merchant vessel and she was sold into civilian service in 1946 as Salta. She was ultimately scrapped in 1966.

HMS <i>Patroller</i> (D07) 1943 Ruler-class escort carrier of the Royal Navy

HMS Patroller was an escort carrier in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Laid down in 1942 at the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding company, she was originally named USS Keweenaw (CVE-44). USS Keweenaw was an escort carrier laid down under Maritime Commission contract by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding of Tacoma, Washington, 27 November 1942; launched 6 May 1943; sponsored by Mrs. R. G. Risley; assigned to the United Kingdom 10 June 1943; reclassified CVE-44 on 15 July 1943; and transferred to the United Kingdom under lend-lease 22 October 1943.

HMS <i>Rajah</i> (D10) Escort carrier

USS Prince (CVE-45) was an escort carrier laid down on 17 December 1942 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation of Tacoma, Washington. She was renamed Prince on 13 November 1942 and launched on 18 May 1943. She was sponsored by Mrs. J. L. McGuigan, reclassified CVE-45 on 15 July 1943 and transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 17 October 1943.

HMS <i>Ranee</i> American escort carrier transferred to the Royal Navy

USS Niantic (CVE-46) was a US escort carrier, that served in the Royal Navy as HMS Ranee (D03).

HMS <i>Trouncer</i> (D85) American escort carrier transferred to the Royal Navy

The USS Perdido (CVE-47) was a Bogue-class escort carrier laid down as ACV-47 under Maritime Commission contract by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding of Tacoma, Washington, 1 February 1943; launched 16 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. H. M. Bemis, reclassified as CVE-47 on 15 July 1943; and completed at the Commercial Iron Works, Portland, Oregon.

HMS <i>Thane</i> American escort carrier transferred to the Royal Navy

USS Sunset (CVE-48) was a Bogue-class escort carrier. Assigned on 23 August 1942 to MC hull 259, a modified C3-S-A1 laid down on 23 February 1943 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding of Tacoma, Washington; launched on 15 July and redesignated CVE-48 the same day; sponsored by Mrs. C.E. Taylor. She was transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease agreement on 19 November; and commissioned the same day as HMS Thane (D48), a Ruler-class escort carrier in the Royal Navy.

HMS <i>Ruler</i> 1943 Ruler-class escort carrier of the Royal Navy

HMS Ruler was the lead ship of her class of escort carrier of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She was built in the United States as the Bogue-class carrier St. Joseph (AVG/CVE/ACV-50) for Lend-Lease to the United Kingdom.

HMS <i>Smiter</i> (D55) 1943 Bogue-class auxiliary aircraft carrier

USS Vermillion (CVE-52) was laid down on 10 May 1943 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation as a Bogue-class auxiliary aircraft carrier; redesignated an escort aircraft carrier, on 10 June 1943; assigned to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 23 June 1943; launched on 27 September 1943; and accepted by Britain on 20 January 1944.

HMS <i>Reaper</i> (D82) 1943 Ruler-class escort carrier of the Royal Navy

USS Winjah (CVE-54), was a Bogue-class escort carrier of the United States Navy, leased to the Royal Navy during World War II.

HMS <i>Ravager</i> (D70) WWII Attacker-class escort carrier

HMS Ravager (D70) was an Attacker-class escort carrier built in the United States and operated by the Royal Navy during World War II.

<i>Ruler</i>-class escort carrier 1943 class of escort aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy

The Ruler class of escort aircraft carriers served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War. All twenty-three 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. They were the most numerous single class of aircraft carriers in service with the Royal Navy.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.