Pretoria Castle 1943
| Name | No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Pretoria Castle | F61 | Harland & Wolff, Belfast // Swan Hunter, Wallsend | ? | 12/10/1938 | 1939 // 9/4/1943 | sold mercantile 4/1946 (Warwick Castle) |
|
Displacement standard, t |
19650 |
|
Displacement full, t |
23450 |
|
Length, m |
180.4 |
|
Breadth, m |
23.3 wl |
|
Draught, m |
8.89 deep load |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
Burmeister & Wain diesels |
|
Power, h. p. |
16000 |
|
Max speed, kn |
18 |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil 2430 |
|
Armament |
2 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI HA, 14 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, up to 21 aircraft (Fulmar, Sea Hurricane, Seafire, Martlet, Corsair fighters, Swordfish, Albacore, Barracuda torpedo bombers) |
| Sensors | type 279, 281 radars |
| Complement | 666 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 3,977m², ha - ~ 2,100m² / 11,130m³): Flight deck: 170.7 x 23.3m, hangar was 5.3m in height. There was a lift (13.7 x 11.9m, 6.8t) and 1 catapult C-II (6.4t plane was launched at 122km/h). Aircraft fuel stowage was 345,500l.
| Year | Fighters | Torpedo bombers |
| 1943 | 6 | 15 |
Ship project history: The former passenger liner (17,392BRT) was mobilized in October, 1939 and converted into an auxiliary cruiser. In the middle of 1942 the decision to convert her into escort aircraft carrier was accepted. Converted to carrier 7/1942 - 8/1943. Pretoria Castle became the largest escort aircraft carrier in the world. Unlike remaining representatives of the class, she had a light protection of magazines and steering gear, and also underwater protection consisted of void spaces along a side was fitted. Two planned octuple pompoms were never installed.
Protection: there were splinter protection of magazines and steering gear and underwater protection.
Modernizations: None.
Naval service: No significant events.
Pretoria Castle 1944
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-09