NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Avenger (ex-BAVG2, ex-Rio Hudson)	D14	186	Sun SB, Chester, USA // Bethlehem, Staten Is, USA	28.11.1939	27.11.1940	2.3.1942	sunk 15.11.1942
Biter (ex-BAVG3, ex-Rio Parana)	D97	187	Sun SB, Chester, USA // Atlantic Basin Iron Wks, Brooklyn, USA	28.12.1939	18.12.1940	1.5.1942	to France 9.4.1945 (Dixmude)
Charger (ex-BAVG4, ex-Rio de la Plata)	D27	188	Sun SB, Chester, USA // Newport News, USA	19.1.1940	1.3.1941	2.10.1941	to USA 4.10.1941
Dasher (ex-BAVG5, ex-Rio de Janeiro)	D37	189	Sun SB, Chester, USA // Tietjen & Lang, USA	14.3.1940	12.4.1941	1.7.1942	sunk 27.3.1943

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	10366
Displacement full, t	15125
Length, m	150.0
Breadth, m	21.2 wl 23.7 fd
Draught, m	7.67 deep load
No of shafts	1
Machinery	4 Sun-Doxford diesels
Power, h. p.	8500
Max speed, kts	16.5
Fuel, t	diesel oil 3061
Endurance, nm(kts)	15000(15)
Armament	3 x 1 - 102/50 Mk 9, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk 1.2, 7 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk 1.2, 6 x 1 - 12.7/90, 15 aircraft (Fulmar, Sea Hurricane, Seafire, Buffalo, Martlet fighters, Swordfish torpedo bombers)
Electronic equipment	type 79, type 271 radars
Complement	555

Air group

Year	Fighters	torpedo bombers
4.1942 Avenger	---	4 Swordfish
7.1942 Dasher	---	4 Swordfish
8.1942 Avenger	12 Sea Hurricane (+6 spare)	3 Swordfish
10.1942 Biter	15 Sea Hurricane	---
10.1942 Dasher	12 Sea Hurricane	---
2.1943 Dasher	6 Sea Hurricane	12 Swordfish
4.1943 Biter	3 Wildcat	9 Swordfish
10.1943 Biter	6 Wildcat	6 Swordfish
1.1944 Biter	4 Wildcat	11 Swordfish
4.1944 Biter	7 Wildcat	11 Swordfish

Standard scale images

Aircraft facilities(fd - 2,963 (3,192)m², ha - 1,275m² / 6,222m³)

 (fd - 2,963 (3,192)m², ha - 1,275m² / 6,222m³): Flight deck: 125 (later 134.7)x23.7m, hangar: 57.9x14.3x4.88m. There was 1 lift (12.8x10.4m, 5.4t) and 1 catapult H-II (3.2t plane was launched at 113km/h). Aircraft fuel stowage was 341,000l, but immediately after commissioning stowage was decreased to 164,000l.

Project history

First (with Archer) British escort aircraft carriers ordered in the USA under lend-lease. They were converted from merchant hulls. Works were begun in April-May, 1941. Avenger was flush-decked, without an island. Remaining ships had small island on the starboard. Carriers had hulls of standard type СЗ cargo vessels. The stability was ensured with a solid ballast (1930t of concrete). Besides, holding of 1000t of water ballast was recommended. Ships had no armour or underwater protection.

Machinery included four diesels, working on one shaft through a reduction gear. Diesel fuel stowage consisted from 1362-1600t of ship stock and 1100-1700t in additional (cargo) tanks, used mainly for refuelling of the escorts at sea.

Modernizations 8.

1942, Biter; 10.1942, Dasher: - 3 x 1 - 102/50; + 3 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V10/1943, Biter: - 4 x 1 - 20/70; + 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, displacement was 12850/15300t with load draught of 7.75m, oil stowage was 1308t of fuel oil and 1097t of cargo oil.

Naval service

Avenger was torpedoed by German submarine U155 in 100nm W of Gibraltar 15.11.1942. She has blown up and sunk in three minutes. 505 people dead. Dasher was lost as a result of explosion of aviation petrol tanks 27.3.1943 in Clyde mouth. 378 people were lost.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.