Gadila-class Merchant Aircraft Carrier
These ships originated in a plan from the Naval Staff in London to equip several ships to a type of carrier that was part of the emergency measures during the war. The Merchant Aircraft Carrier is in fact nothing more than a merchant vessel with a flight deck built over it. During the war, they have proven to be very useful as convoy escorts, providing them with air cover when needed. Originally, it was the plan to convert several passenger ships of the Ruys-class of the KPM. These ships were serving as troop ships, and were to valuable in that role. But these tankers proved to be suited for this task too, and were converted from 1943 to 1944. Both were ready in 1944 and made several voyages over the Atlantic, without ever facing the enemy. Both ships returned to Merchant Service post-war. This class was identical to the British Rapana-class.
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| Macoma at sea |
| Construction details | ||
| Name | Gadila | Macoma |
| Dockyard | Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel | Nederlandse Scheepsbouw Mij, Amsterdam |
| Laid down | ||
| Launched | December 1 1934 | December 31 1935 |
| Commissioned | April 11 1935 (tanker) | May 13 1936 (tanker) |
| February 1 1944 (MAC) | April 1 1944 (MAC) | |
| Pennant No * | MR | MX |
| Status | Commissioned February 1 1944. Made seven transatlantic voyages, without ever facing enemy submarines. Taken out of service May 30 1945 and converted back to tanker at the Mij Feijenoord, Schiedam. Scrapped in Hong Kong, 1958 | Commisisoned April 1 1944. Made seven transatlantic voyages, without ever facing enemy submarines. Taken out of service May 30 1945, converted back to tanker at RDM in Rotterdam. scrapped Hong Kong early 1958. |
| * These were in fact not pennants, but flight deck numbers | ||
| Specifications | ||
| Displacement | 8000 gross tons | |
| Crew | 54 (normal crew)118 (including air wing) | |
| Dimensions | 141,12 x 18,08 x 10,32 m | |
| Armament | 1 x 102 mm 2 x 40 mm Bofors 6 x 20 mm Oerlikon |
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| Aircraft | 3 - 4 Fairey Swordfishes of 860 Squadron Fleet Air Arm. | |
| Radar and electronics | Type 271 surface radar * Type 79 or 279 air warning radar* High Frequence Direction Finder (HF/DF)* |
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| Flight gear | Flight deck 160,83 x 18,9 metres** Lighting for "emergency only" night operations* 4 arrester wires* 5000 (Imperial) gallons of aviation fuel* |
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| * Standard equipment for MAC-ships. Configuration for Macoma and Gadila may have differed ** Average take-off run for a 3,5 tons Swordfish was 108 metres (360 feet) with a minimum wind speed of 25 knots at deck level. Last 30 metres (100 feet) of flight deck was deck park. First 30 metres (100 fee) protected by barrier. |
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| Propulsion details | ||
| Machinery | 1 x 4-stroke 8-cylinder MAN diesel | |
| Performance | 4400 BHP | |
| Shafts | 1 | |
| Max Speed | 12,75 knots | |
| Related Links | ||
| Hazegray and underway (photos + info) | ||
| MAC-carriers (info and pictures of the Rapana-class and other types) | ||
| April 6, 2008 | Updated data (radar and flight gear) |
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