Ruler class escort carrier
Encyclopedia
The Ruler class of escort aircraft carriers served with the Royal Navy
during the Second World War
. All twenty-eight ships were built by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
in the United States and supplied under Lend-Lease; They were the most numerous single class of aircraft carriers in service with the Royal Navy.
As built they were intended for three types of operations, "Assault" or strike, convoy escort, or aircraft ferry.
of 69 inch and a draught of 25 in 6 in (7.77 m). Propulsion was provided by one shaft, two boilers and a steam turbine giving 9,350 Shaft horsepower (SHP), which could propel the ship at 16.5 knots (9 m/s).
Aircraft facilities were a small combined bridge–flight control on the starboard side, two aircraft lifts 43 feet (13.1 m) by 34 feet (10.4 m), one aircraft catapult
and nine arrestor wires
. Aircraft could be housed in the 260 feet (79.2 m) by 62 feet (18.9 m) hangar below the flight deck. Armament comprised: two 4 inch Dual Purpose
guns in single mounts, sixteen 40 mm Bofors
anti-aircraft guns in twin mounts and twenty 20 mm Oerlikon
anti-aircraft cannons in single mounts. They had a maximum aircraft capacity of twenty-four aircraft which could be a mixture of Grumman Martlet, Vought F4U Corsair or Hawker Sea Hurricane fighter
aircraft and Fairey Swordfish
or Grumman Avenger anti-submarine aircraft.
) X X XX X (torpedoed 15 January 1945, by U-1172 (O/L Juergen Kuhlmann) in the Clyde
estuary.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. All twenty-eight ships were built by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
The Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation was a United States corporation which built ships for the US Navy and merchant marine during World War II ....
in the United States and supplied under Lend-Lease; They were the most numerous single class of aircraft carriers in service with the Royal Navy.
As built they were intended for three types of operations, "Assault" or strike, convoy escort, or aircraft ferry.
Design and description
These ships were all larger and had greater aircraft capacity than all preceding American built escort carriers. They were laid down as escort carriers and were not converted merchant ships. All the ships had a complement of 646 men and an overall length of 492 inch, a beamBeam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 69 inch and a draught of 25 in 6 in (7.77 m). Propulsion was provided by one shaft, two boilers and a steam turbine giving 9,350 Shaft horsepower (SHP), which could propel the ship at 16.5 knots (9 m/s).
Aircraft facilities were a small combined bridge–flight control on the starboard side, two aircraft lifts 43 feet (13.1 m) by 34 feet (10.4 m), one aircraft catapult
Aircraft catapult
An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch aircraft from ships—in particular aircraft carriers—as a form of assisted take off. It consists of a track built into the flight deck, below which is a large piston or shuttle that is attached through the track to the nose gear of the aircraft, or in...
and nine arrestor wires
Arresting gear
Arresting gear, or arrestor gear, is the name used for mechanical systems designed to rapidly decelerate an aircraft as it lands. Arresting gear on aircraft carriers is an essential component of naval aviation, and it is most commonly used on CATOBAR and STOBAR aircraft carriers. Similar systems...
. Aircraft could be housed in the 260 feet (79.2 m) by 62 feet (18.9 m) hangar below the flight deck. Armament comprised: two 4 inch Dual Purpose
Dual purpose gun
A dual purpose gun is a naval artillery mounting designed to engage both surface and air targets.-Description:Second World War-era capital ships had four classes of artillery: the heavy main battery, intended to engage opposing battleships and cruisers ; a secondary battery for use against enemy...
guns in single mounts, sixteen 40 mm Bofors
Bofors 40 mm gun
The Bofors 40 mm gun is an anti-aircraft autocannon designed by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...
anti-aircraft guns in twin mounts and twenty 20 mm Oerlikon
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
anti-aircraft cannons in single mounts. They had a maximum aircraft capacity of twenty-four aircraft which could be a mixture of Grumman Martlet, Vought F4U Corsair or Hawker Sea Hurricane fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
aircraft and Fairey Swordfish
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
or Grumman Avenger anti-submarine aircraft.
Second group
XX X X XX X X (torpedoed 22 August 1944, by U-354 (O/L Hans-Juergen Sthamer) west of the North CapeNorth Cape
North Cape may refer to:*North Cape, Prince Edward Island*North Cape, New Zealand*North Cape, Norway, also known as Nordkapp*North Cape, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community...
) X X XX X (torpedoed 15 January 1945, by U-1172 (O/L Juergen Kuhlmann) in the Clyde
Clyde
-Places named Clyde:In Scotland:* River Clyde* Firth of ClydeIn Australia:* Clyde, New South Wales* Clyde, Victoria* Clyde River, New South WalesIn Canada:* Clyde, Prince Edward Island* Clyde, Quebec* Clyde, Ontario* Clyde, Alberta...
estuary.
- X = Fitted for anti-submarine warfare.
- XX = Fitted for strike-operations.
- All the others were mainly used for aircraft transport with an added stike capability.