History

Empire MacCallum was built by Lithgow, launched 21 June 1943, and completed September 1943. She operated as an escort in the Atlantic. Scrapped at Kaohsiung starting April 1971.

Empire MacCallum was a MAC conversion from a grain ship, similar to the Empire MacAlpine class. Officially she was a member of two classes, but nearly identical. Merchant ships (bulk grain carriers) built with flight decks to serve as bare minumum aircraft carriers as an emergency measure pending the availabililty of the US-built escort carriers. These ships operated with civilian crews, under merchant colours, and carried their regular cargo while serving as aircraft carriers. Their aircraft were primarily meant to attack long-range reconniassance aircraft to prevent tracking of convoys.

She was returned to merchant service postwar; named Alpha Zambesi in 1947, then Tobon in 1954, Despina P. in 1967. Scrapped at Kaohsiung starting April 1971.

Battle Honours
No information

Captains
No information on Captains.

Squadrons and Aircraft
No information

Associations and Reunions
No information

Ship name	Empire MacCallum
Class	Empire MacAndrew & Empire MacRae Class (bulk grain carriers)
Type	Merchant aircraft carrier (MAC-ship)
Ships in Class	Empire MacAndrew, Empire MacDermott, Empire MacRae, Empire MacCallum
Launched
Tonnage	Displacement: 12,000 tons full load
Engines	Propulsion: Diesel, 1 shaft, 3,300 bhp
Speed in Knots	12.5
Armament	Armament: 1 4 inch, 2 40 mm, 4 20 mm
Crew Complement	107
Range
Length (ft/inches)	448
Beam (ft/inches)	60
Draught (ft/inches)	24.5
Flight Deck length (ft/inches)
Flight Deck width (ft/inches)
Armour	None
Number of aircraft carried	4
Fate of carrier
Notes

 

FURTHER INFORMATION   World Aircraft Carrier Lists and Photo Gallery - from 1913 to 2000. Naval History Information Center, Haze Gray & Underway Sturtivant, R & Ballance, T  (1994). 'The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' Published by Air Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1994 ISBN: 0 85130 223 8 The World’s Warships 1941 by Francis E. McMurtrie (1944). Jane's London 1941 1st ed.  Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II by Francis E. McMurtrie (Editor)(1984). 320 pages. Crescent Books; ISBN: 0517679639

        Last Modified: 23-2-2001

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