The battleship Callisto was postponed in 1915, the incomplete hull being launched to clear the slip for other priority building projects. 1918 and the news of the British project for carrying aircraft to sea, brings the Callisto back into focus. The hull is brought back into dock and work was resumed on the ship to a new design. The end of the war brought a slowing down of the work on the ship which allowed the completion of the Admiral Carter and trials with that ship were to influence the ongoing design of the ship. On completion in 1928 and release from dock the ship was renamed Admiral Sir Ritchie McCaw, as it had been decided the new type of ships would commemorate famous Admirals of Algarve.
The design took what Algarvian designers thought were the best features of the carriers being built by all the different navies and installed them on the McCaw. From the Japanese and US the installation of 8” guns. 4” AA guns were fitted but it was not till the early 1930’s that a few 2pd single QF AA guns were fitted. The first single then replaced with twin 40mm Bofors guns, were fitted in 1936, and by 1939 fourteen twin 40mm mountings had been fitted with more added during WWII.
As completed 1928.
Displacement: 33,000 tons standard, 39,500 tons full load
Dimensions: 802 x 106 x 29 feet
Machinery: 4 shaft, geared turbines, 115,000shp
Speed: 28 knots
Endurance: 10,000 miles at 14 knots
Armour: 4.5” belt, 3” deck.
Armament:
8 x 8” (8x1)
8 x 4” (8x1)
Aircraft: 56
Crew: 1600
As refitted to 1939
Displacement: 34,200 tons standard, 42,700 tons full load.
Dimensions: 802 x 106 x 30 feet
Machinery: 4 shaft, geared turbines, 115,000shp
Speed: 28 knots
Endurance: 10,000 miles at 15 knots
Armour: 4.5” belt, 3” deck.
Armament:
10 x 4” (10x1)
28 x 40mm (14x2)
Aircraft: 56
Crew: 1850