USS Matanzas (AVP-46)

USS Matanzas (AVP-46) was a proposed United States Navy seaplane tender that was never laid down.

History
United States
Name: USS Matanzas (AVP-46)
Namesake: Matanzas Inlet in Florida
Awarded: 14 April 1942
Builder: Lake Washington Shipyard, Houghton, Washington (proposed)
Laid down: Never
Fate: Construction contract cancelled 29 April 1943
General characteristics
Class and type: Barnegat-class small seaplane tender
Displacement:
  • 1,766 tons (light)
  • 2,750 tons (full load)
Length: 311 ft 8 in (95.00 m)
Beam: 41 ft 1 in (12.52 m)
Draught: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Installed power: 6,000 horsepower (4.48 megawatts)
Propulsion: Diesel engines, two shafts
Speed: 18.6 knots (34.4 km/h)
Complement:
  • 215 (ship's company)
  • 367 (including aviation unit)
Sensors and
processing systems:		 Radar; sonar
Armament: Probably either 2 x 5-inch (127 mm) 38-caliber guns, 4 x 20-mm antiaircraft guns, and 2 x depth charge tracks, or 1 x 5-inch (127 mm) 38-caliber gun, 1 x quadruple 40-mm antiaircraft gun mount, 2 x twin 40-mm gun mounts, 6 x 20-mm antiaircraft guns, and 2 x depth charge tracks
Aviation facilities: Supplies, spare parts, fuel, repairs, and berthing for one seaplane squadron; 80,000 US gallons (300,000 L) aviation fuel

Construction and commissioning

Matanzas was to have been one of 41 Barnegat-class small seaplane tenders the U.S. Navy planned to commission during the early 1940s, and was to have been built at Houghton, Washington, by the Lake Washington Shipyard. However, by the spring of 1943 the Navy deemed that number of seaplane tenders excess to requirements, and decided to complete four of them as motor torpedo boat tenders and one as a catapult training ship. In addition, the Navy also decided to cancel six of the Barnegat-class ships prior to their construction, freeing up the diesel engines that would have powered them for use in escort vessels and amphibious landing craft.

A contract with Lake Washington Shipyard for AVP-46's construction was let on 14 April 1942, and she was assigned the name Magothy on 23 August 1942. However, she became one of the final two ships to be cancelled when the Navy cancelled the contract on 29 April 1943 before construction could begin.

References
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