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Fomalhaut 1944

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
AK22, 2.1943- AKA5	Fomalhaut (ex-Cape Lookout)	227	Pennsylvania S Yd, Beaumont	1940	25.1.1941	3.1942	underway ammunition replenishment ship AK22 11.1944

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	7480
Displacement full, t	14225
Length, m	140.0
Breadth, m	19.2
Draught, m	6.10
No of shafts	1
Machinery	1 Nordberg diesel
Power, h. p.	4800
Max speed, kts	16
Fuel, t	diesel oil 1235
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armament	1 x 1 - 127/51 Mk 9.15, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20, 4 x 1 - 12.7/90
Military load	15 - 16 LCVP, 8 LCM(3), cargo, troops by 1945: 2 LCM(3), 8 LCVP, 2 LCPL, 4500t of cargo, 174 marines
Complement	267

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

USN military transport vessels were sectioned into two groups: АР for transportation of troops and АК for carriage of goods and technics. The majority of them were built on the basis of standard types С2, С3 and С4 and differed from usual cargo ships a little.

For delivery of troops and cargoes directly to a beaching place assault landing transport ships (АРА and АКА) served, which main difference from АК and АР consisted that they were extra equipped with disembarkation craft of LCVP, LCM and LCP (L) types; with their help delivery of people and cargoes to beach also was effected.

Originally similar ships were not outlined in own subclass and were registered as АР and АК. In February, 1943 reorganisation was done and assault transports have received indexation АРА and АКА.

Two ships of Doyen class, projected even on the eve of war for landing operations in Caribbean basin, became the first American assault military transports. The overwhelming majority of remaining АРА and АКА has been converted from merchant cargo and cargo-passenger vessels or constructed in hulls of standard cargo vessels built by the big series in days of war. An exception were specially projected as assault transports Gilliam (АРА) and Artemis (АКА) classes.

Besides the large landing transport ships of АРА and АКА classes, small landing parties and subversive groups were landed by fast landing transports (APD) converted from become outdated Wickes and Clemson classes destroyers and destroyer escorts of Buckley and Rudderow classes.

Fomalhaut was built in standard C1 type hull.

Modernizations

by 1945 ship was presumably armed with 1 x 1 - 127/51 Mk 15, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20, 2 x 1 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

1/1946: 1 x 1 - 127/51 Mk 15, 4 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20/21, 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, SC or SF or SL or SN or SO or SU radar

Naval service

No significant events.