Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC)

Threads relating to the Merchant Navy and Maritime Safety
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jbryce1437
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Location: Roker, Sunderland

Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC)

Unread post by jbryce1437 »

Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC) operated throughout the Second World War under British and Dutch civilian registration. Ships were adapted by adding a flight deck to a bulk grain ship or oil tanker enabling them to operate anti-submarine aircraft in support of Allied convoys during the Battle of the Atlantic.
Some photos of MAC's:-

Empire MacAlpine
empire-macalpine99.jpg

Empire MacKendrick
empire-mackendrick.jpg

Empire MacDermott
empire-macdermott.jpg

Empire MacAndrew
e mcandrew[1].jpg

Empire MacCallum
Empire MacCallum,built by Lithgow, launched 21 June 1943 jimbocard.jpg

Empire MacCabe
empire-maccabe.jpg

Empire MacKay
empire-mackay44-1943.jpg

Empire MacMahon
Empire MacMahon was built by Swan Hunter, Wallsend jimbocard.jpg
hms empire macmahon dec 1943.jpg

Empire MacColl
empire-mccoll-(1943)-pt.qtr.jpg

Empire MacRae
empire macrae.jpg

Empire MacCabe
empire%20macabe%20at%20swan%20hunter%201943[1].jpg
Rapana Class

Acavus
acavus[1].jpg

Adula
1286917_mac-adula[1].jpg

Alexia
alexia-merchant-carrier.jpg

Amastra
amastra44-carrier.jpg
amastra1-carrier.jpg

Ancylus
ancylus[11].jpg

Miralda
miralda[1].jpg

Rapana
rapana1[1].jpg
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HMS Raleigh 1963 , HMS Collingwood 1963 & 67 , HMS Ark Royal 1964-7, HMS Undaunted 1968-71, HMS Victory (Fleet Maintenance Group) 1971-72, HMS Exmouth 1972-74
JEM, EM, OEM, LOEM, POOEL
Then 28 years in the Fire Brigade
Retired since 2002
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ivorthediver
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Location: Cambridge Shore Battery

Re: Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC)

Unread post by ivorthediver »

Excellent Jim , well done mate , whilst I knew of their existence I have never seen one before thank you very much for allowing us to share them with you :) :)
"What Ever Floats your Boat"
Vegaskip
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Location: Auchtermuchty Fife

Re: Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC)

Unread post by Vegaskip »

You must have missed thes ones, first time around Ivor.
Jim
36F98394-61E0-48A6-9F32-5E2E133E49E0.jpeg
C27707F2-2A90-44CD-BA23-9CBE2F65CFEF.jpeg
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ivorthediver
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Location: Cambridge Shore Battery

Re: Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC)

Unread post by ivorthediver »

Indeed I had Jim , thanks for reposting these ...as like everyone else these have all disappeared along with your other brilliant works when the old Forum had served its purpose and they pulled the plug on it :x
"What Ever Floats your Boat"
greendragon
Posts: 179
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:16 am

Re: Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC)

Unread post by greendragon »

MAC ships, their action in WW2 and crews are sort of "forgotten war".
What is little known usually sparks my interest so many years ago I have purchased John Godley's later Lord Kilbracken Bring Back My Stringbag.
The author flew many patrols behind the controls of a Swordfish from one of those "merchant aircraft carriers" (Adula if my memory serves me well).
Very interesting book. He and his crew survived ditching in N.Atlantic when usally very realiable "Peggy"(Pegasus engine) packed up.
Recommend if someone needs to know more.

Regards,

GD
Brian James
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Re: Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC)

Unread post by Brian James »

The view of MAC Ship MV Empire Macdermott from a launching Fairey Swordfish in 1945.
She was a bulk grain ship built as a Merchant Aircraft Carrier (MAC ship). She served with the British Merchant Navy during the Second World War, with rudimentary aircraft handling facilities.She was built by William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton. She spent most of her time on the Atlantic convoy routes, providing air cover and transporting desperately needed grain to the UK. After the end of thewar , she was handed over to Buries Markes Ltd, London in 1947 and returned to merchant service the following year under the name MV La Cumbre. She was sold on again in 1959, this time to Canero Cia Nav. S. A., Panama. They sailed her as MV Parnon under the Greek flag until 1969, when they sold her to Southern Shipping & Enterprises, Hong Kong. They renamed her Starlight, and sailed her under the Somalian flag. She was then transferred to the China Ocean Shipping Co, Peking in 1975, and by 1991 she had been deleted from Lloyd's Register.
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Skybert
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Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:32 am

Re: Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC)

Unread post by Skybert »

Dear all, for a modelling project I am looking for information on the Rapana class MAC ships, especially underdeck details and the smokestack rearrangement. The flightdek seems to have dictated a bifurcated smokestack design that sits aft and under the flightdeck towards the sides, just before the poopdeck and gunarrangement. Some photo's show a whiff of smoke and lots of soot under the aft flight deck but ususally lack details on the smokestack itself.
any help would be appreciated!

Bert
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jbryce1437
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Location: Roker, Sunderland

Re: Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC)

Unread post by jbryce1437 »

Skybert wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:39 am Dear all, for a modelling project I am looking for information on the Rapana class MAC ships, especially underdeck details and the smokestack rearrangement. The flightdek seems to have dictated a bifurcated smokestack design that sits aft and under the flightdeck towards the sides, just before the poopdeck and gunarrangement. Some photo's show a whiff of smoke and lots of soot under the aft flight deck but ususally lack details on the smokestack itself.
any help would be appreciated!

Bert
Hello Bert and a very warm welcome to the Forum. I hope that someone is able to advise you on their construction.
I will move these posts to the model makers section in due course.

Jim
HMS Raleigh 1963 , HMS Collingwood 1963 & 67 , HMS Ark Royal 1964-7, HMS Undaunted 1968-71, HMS Victory (Fleet Maintenance Group) 1971-72, HMS Exmouth 1972-74
JEM, EM, OEM, LOEM, POOEL
Then 28 years in the Fire Brigade
Retired since 2002
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