DavidP wrote:
CVE-53, D79 - HMS Puncher - Booklet of General Plans, 1944, Bogue Class
http://www.hnsa.org/doc/plans/cve53-d79.pdfThanks for that.
I've just picked up a Ships Illustrated magazine on RN Carriers of WW2. It's not the most extensive publication on the subject but there's plenty of general info and photos.
Regards the US built RN Escort Carriers, I have been reminded of the following. The first group (Attacker class, of which HMS Tracker is part of) were laid down as merchant ships and converted into Bogue class carriers but transferred to the RN on completion. They were armed with 2 single 4 inch and 4 Twin Bofors (plus numerous 20mm guns). It shows a picture of HMS Fencer, Searcher and Battler. I can't make out the radar's on the mast but there is clearly a Radar lantern in place of the SK radar of the USN ships. Both the pics of Battler and Fencer show only 1 tub for the twin Bofors forward but HMS Searcher clearly, has 2 twin Bofors on either side forward.
That leads me to ask the following question - did all the ships in the first group get the extra twin Bofors guns and if so when?
The next group was known as the Ruler class and differed from the first group by being built as carriers (merchant style hulls) from the start and were almost identical. There is no mention of the armament but the pictures of HMS Puncher and Atheling show they had 8 twin Bofors guns but I assume they would have the single 4 inch guns too. The plans in the previous post show HMS Puncher with an SK radar but there is no SK radar in the pictures of Puncher or Atheling, in fact I can't make out exactly what they had there but there is no big squarish radar antenna present!
I'd like to model the kit as any of the first group, so if anyone knows the answer to the question posted a few lines above, please let me know asap!
thanks
Mike