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Charger 1945

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
AVG30, 8.1942- ACV30, 7.1943- CVE30	Charger (ex-BAVG4, ex-Rio de la Plata)	188	Sun SB, Chester // Newport News	19.1.1940	1.3.1941	3.3.1942	stricken 3.1946

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	11800
Displacement full, t	16000
Length, m	141.7 wl 150.0 oa
Breadth, m	21.2 wl 33.9 oaс
Draught, m	7.66 full load
No of shafts	1
Machinery	2 Sun-Doxford diesels
Power, h. p.	8500
Max speed, kts	16.5
Fuel, t	diesel oil 3061
Endurance, nm(kts)	26340(15)
Armament	1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 2 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 20, 10 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, 36 aircraft (F2A Buffalo fighters, SOC Seagull reconnaissance planes)
Electronic equipment	SC radar
Complement	856

Air group

Year	Fighters	reconnaissance planes

Graphics

ChargerAircraft facilities

Aircraft facilities (fd - 3,189 m², ha - 493 m² / 2,615 m³): Flight deck: 134.0 x 23.8 m. Hangar: 29.9 x 16.5 x 5.3 m. There was 1 elevator in the center line (3.4 t, 11.6 x 10.4 m). There was 1 H 2 catapult. Aircraft fuel stowage: 341 000 l.   

Project history

One of five Archer class ships, built in the USA by UK order. 4.10.1940, already after launching, decision was accepted to leave one ship in the USA and to use her for British naval pilots training. Ship was commissioned by RN 2.10.1941 and 4.10.1941 returned under USN flag with British name. Charger was converted from cargo m/s Rio de la Plata (С-3 type). Structurally she was very much close to Long Island, but had increased flight deck, small island superstructure and a smaller aviation petrol stowage. Simultaneously the fuel stowage was increased more than twice, at the expense of the disappeared necessity to load the lead ballast as it should be made on Long Island.

Modernizations

None.

1.1946: 1 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 2 x 1 - 76/50 Mk 11, 10 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 1 catapult, 36 aircraft, SC radar

Naval service

No significant events.