The Senate Mail Ships operated around the coast of Antarctica.
Running a service from port to port, carrying anything and
everything. But, the Antarctican Navy had had a hand in the
design of the McLintock class. The first ships of the class were
laid down in 1936 for completion in late 1938. The Admiralty
made certain these ships would be able to be quickly converted
to small merchant aircraft carriers (eventually the term Escort
Carriers came into use). With the outbreak of war, in 1939, two
of the eight ships, built so far, were requisitioned for
conversion. The conversion completed in late 1940, and entered
convoy service in 1941. The ships proved themselves so useful
that all of the completed ships were requisitioned and
converted. At this point the Admiralty ordered a further twelve
hulls to be built, and further orders added another ten for a
total of thirty ships being built , the last of which completed
in January 1945. Below is the original merchant ship prior to
conversion.
While the original plans for conversion had been drawn up in
1935-36, changes of mind had taken place. While these changes
might have added a bit of time to the conversion, they paid that
time back in having a much better ship for its purpose. The main
one of those was to plate in the bow to give a much drier ship
forward. This also made conditions much better for working in
the aircraft hangar. Small things in themselves but anything that
got the aircraft turned around and back in the air in the middle
of an attack could only benefit the whole convoy.
Sitting in the middle of the convoy, with an escort either side.
The escorts have one job, intercept any torpedoes aimed at the
escort carrier, they are that valuable. The convoy Commodore
made his home on the carrier with its better communication
systems and control functions. Also having the best radar in the
convoy might have had something to do with the Commodores choice
as well.
| Displacement | 17,500 tons standard, 22,500 tons full load |
| Length | 570 ft |
| Breadth | 78 ft (94 feet over sponsons) |
| Draught | 30 ft |
| Machinery | 2 shaft, steam turbines, 24,000shp |
| Speed | 22 knots |
| Range | 19,000 miles at 12 knots |
| Armour | nil |
| Armament | As converted 8 x 4" (4x2) 12 x 40mm (1x4, 4x2) |
| Aircraft | 30 |
| Complement | 710 |
| Notes | Captain George McLintock Captain Rooster Cogburn Lieutenant Brannigan Marshal Cahill Colonel Cord McNally Captain John Chisum Colonel John Thomas Colonel Mike Kirby Captain Cole Thornton General Mike Randolph Captain John Elder General William Sherman Colonel Ben Vandervoort Captain Jack Cutter Colonel Davy Crockett Colonel John Marlowe Sheriff John Chance Colonel Jim Shannon Captain Tom Wilder Captain Karl Ehrlich Captain Dooley Captain Sean Thornton Major Daniel Kirby Lieutenant Commander Duke Gifford Lieutenant Colonel Kirby Yorke Sergeant John Stryker Captain Nathan Brittles Colonel Joseph Madden Lieutenant Commander Wedge Donovan Captain Jim Gordon |
The above names are all parts played by "The Duke" John
Wayne. He certainly liked being a Colonel.