CAMPANIA
Displacement: 15,970 tons full load
Complement: 700
Length: 540 ft (164.5 m)
Beam: 70 ft (21.3 m)
Draught: 23 ft (7 m)
Aircraft: 18
Guns:
2 - 4/45
4 quad 2 pound AA
16 - 20mm AA
Armour: none
Machinery: Diesels, 2 shafts, 10,700 bhp, 16 knots |
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Campania escort aircraft carrier History ex merchant D48 Built
by Harland & Wolff. Laid down 12 Aug 1941, converted prior
to completion, launched 17 June 1943, commissioned 9 February
1944. Served as an escort on Russia convoys and as an ASW carrier
in the Arctic. Deployed to the Baltic after the German surrender;
operated as a transport postwar. Decommissioned to reserve 30
December 1945. Possible reactivation as a civilian-manned ferry
carrier cancelled 1947. Served as an exhibition ship in 1951,
with the hangar converted to an exhibition area. Briefly in reserve
following the exhibition, then reactivated as transport and headquarters
ship for atom bomb tests. Decommissioned to reserve 12/1952.
Sold 10/1955 and scrapped at Blyth starting 11 November 1955.
Concept/Program: A converted fast freighter, very similar to
Nairana class. See notes for that class. Modifications: Carried
2 dual, 2 single 40 mm as an aircraft transport, and carried
90 aircraft. Operational: Most service in northern areas, as
an escort on Russia convoy runs and as an ASW carrier in the
arctic. Departure from Service/Disposal: Post-war she was unique
among RN escort carrier in that she was placed in reserve instead
of being discarded. She was reactivated as an aircraft &
military transport, then served as an exhibition ship, and again
as a transport before being scrapped. |
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