MV Acavus

MV Acavus was one of nine Anglo Saxon Royal Dutch/Shell tankers converted to become a Merchant Aircraft Carrier (MAC ship). The group is collectively called the Rapana Class.

History
United Kingdom
Name: MV Acavus
Operator: Anglo Saxon Royal Dutch/Shell
Builder: Workman, Clark and Company
Launched: 24 November 1934
Fate: Scrapped Italy 1963
General characteristics
Displacement: 8,010 tons (gross)
Length: 465 ft (142 m) (pp) 482.75 ft (147.14 m) (oa)
Beam: 59 ft (18 m)
Draught: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Propulsion:
  • Diesel
  • one shaft
  • 3,500bhp
Speed: 13 knots (24 km/h)
Complement: 100
Armament:
Aircraft carried: Four Fairey Swordfish

Acavus was built by Workman, Clark and Company of Belfast for the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company, launching on 24 November 1934,[1] and completing in 1935. As built, Acavus was 465.0 ft (141.7 m), with a beam of 59.4 ft (18.1 m) and a draught of 27 ft 6 3⁄4 in (8.40 m). She measured 8010 gross register tons and 4752 net register tons.[2] A single 3,500 brake horsepower (2,600 kW) Sulzer diesel engine was fitted.[1]

In 1942–1943, Acavus was converted by Silley Cox & Co. at Falmouth to a MAC ship, entering service in October 1943.[1][3] As converted, she had an overall length of 481 ft (146.6 m), with a beam of 62 ft (18.9 m) and a draught of 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m). Displacement was 16,000 long tons (16,000 t) full load and 8,000 long tons (8,100 t) standard. She had a speed of 11.5 kn (13.2 mph; 21.3 km/h).[1] The ship had an armament of a single 4 inch (102 mm) QF Mk. IV gun, with an anti-aircraft armament of two 40 mm Bofors guns and six Oerlikon 20 mm cannon.[1]

As a MAC conversion of an oil tanker, she had no aircraft hangar, but could operated three Fairey Swordfish aircraft from her steel flight deck, which was 461 ft (140.5 m) long and 62 ft (18.9 m) wide. . She continued to carry normal cargoes, with capacity about 90% of that pre-conversion, although this was restricted to crude oil to minimise the potential fire hazard.[1][3] Only her aircrew and the necessary maintenance staff were naval personnel.[4]

At the end of the war Acavus was reconverted to an oil tanker, and renamed Iacra in 1963. She was in service until 1963 when she was scrapped in Italy.

References
  1. Hobbs 1996, p. 231
  2. Lloyd's Register of Shipping (PDF). 1935. p. ACA–ACH. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  3. Hobbs 2013, pp. 123, 125
  4. Lenton & Colledge 1973, p. 296
  • Hobbs, David (1996). Aircraft Carriers of the Royal and Commonwealth Navies. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 1-85367-252-1.
  • Hobbs, David (2013). British Aircraft Carriers: Design, Development and Service Histories. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-138-0.
  • Lenton, H. T.; Colledge, J. J. (1973). Warships of World War II. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X.
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