Attacker
ATTACKER-Class Escort Aircraft Carrier obtained under US/UK Land Lease Agreement. The ship was under construction at San Francisco by Western Pipe and Steel Corporation for the Ithanian Steamship Company and had been laid down on 7th April 1941 as Yard No.62. She was launched on 27th September 1941 as STEEL ARTISAN and requisitioned by the US Navy on 26th December 1941 for conversion as an auxiliary aircraft carrier to be named USS BARNES (AVG7). She was later selected, with nine others of this Class for transfer to the RN. Design changes made were based on the experience gained with the earlier ARCHER Class and included a larger hangar. Propulsion machinery consisted of two steam turbines driving a single shaft instead of Diesel engines used for previous ships. Her build was completed on 30th September 1942 when the ship was formally transferred to the RN as HMS ATTACKER.
HMS ATTACKER was released from East Indies Fleet service and took passage to UK on 11th Oct with calls at Bombay and Malta arriving in Clyde on 11th December 1945. After Squadron aircraft were disembarked ship Paid-off and majority of ships company left ship which was taken in hand for minor repair in Clyde shipyard.. and embarked aircraft for return to USA. She then collected US troops at Southampton for passage to Norfolk, Va on 9th December arriving on 24th December. On 5th January 1946 the ship was formally returned to the US Navy. and later sold for use as a mercantile and renamed ss CASTEL FORTE and subsequently renamed ss FAIRSKY for passenger freight use.
In June 1977 she was damaged when hitting a wreck off Djakarta and had to be beached.
1978 towed to Mariveles for conversion into a floating hotel and renamed ss PHILIPPINE TOURIST). In 1979 this ship was seriously damaged by a fire in 1979 and sold in 1980 for breaking-up at Hong Kong.
Attacker
ATTACKER-Class Escort Aircraft Carrier obtained under US/UK Land Lease Agreement. The ship was under construction at San Francisco by Western Pipe and Steel Corporation for the Ithanian Steamship Company and had been laid down on 7th April 1941 as Yard No.62. She was launched on 27th September 1941 as STEEL ARTISAN and requisitioned by the US Navy on 26th December 1941 for conversion as an auxiliary aircraft carrier to be named USS BARNES (AVG7). She was later selected, with nine others of this Class for transfer to the RN. Design changes made were based on the experience gained with the earlier ARCHER Class and included a larger hangar. Propulsion machinery consisted of two steam turbines driving a single shaft instead of Diesel engines used for previous ships. Her build was completed on 30th September 1942 when the ship was formally transferred to the RN as HMS ATTACKER.
HMS ATTACKER was released from East Indies Fleet service and took passage to UK on 11th Oct with calls at Bombay and Malta arriving in Clyde on 11th December 1945. After Squadron aircraft were disembarked ship Paid-off and majority of ships company left ship which was taken in hand for minor repair in Clyde shipyard.. and embarked aircraft for return to USA. She then collected US troops at Southampton for passage to Norfolk, Va on 9th December arriving on 24th December. On 5th January 1946 the ship was formally returned to the US Navy. and later sold for use as a mercantile and renamed ss CASTEL FORTE and subsequently renamed ss FAIRSKY for passenger freight use.
In June 1977 she was damaged when hitting a wreck off Djakarta and had to be beached.
1978 towed to Mariveles for conversion into a floating hotel and renamed ss PHILIPPINE TOURIST). In 1979 this ship was seriously damaged by a fire in 1979 and sold in 1980 for breaking-up at Hong Kong.