Dixmude (Avenger) class CVE
(USA/France)
|
Name |
No |
Comm. |
Xfer |
Decom. |
Fate |
|
Dixmude (ex-HMS Biter, ex-S.S. Rio Parana) |
- (ex-D-97) |
6 Apr 1942 |
9 Apr 1945 |
24 June 1956 |
SINKEX target 1967 |
Notes: Dixmude was originally a merchantman launched on 18 December 1940 and purchased by the USN on 20 May 1941. The conversion was carried out by Atlantic Basin Ironworks in NYC. The flight deck was serviced by a single elevator and a single hydraulic catapult. In RN service, Biter participated in convoy protection and the North African landings. She suffered a non-combat fire on 24 August 1944 and was not repaired until the war in Europe was over.
Biter was transferred to France as that country’s first postwar carrier. Despite France’s urgent need for a carrier (Bearn having already been reduced to a plane ferry) Dixmude was used as a cargo transport from 1945-1947. After that, she qualified pilots on surplus USN Dauntless dive bombers and participated in combat in French Indo-China. After decommissioning, Dixmude was used as a barracks ship for the Corps Amphibie (marines) at Toulon until being discarded in June 1966.
The ship was paid for with US taxpayer dollars and technically occupies “BAVG-3” in USN recordkeeping, as a “Aviation-related ship, General purpose, Built for export”. She was one of the last French warships to have no pennant number.
Displacement: 8200t standard, 15,120t full Dimensions: 465’x69’5”x25’ Machinery: 2 Doxford 6C diesels, 1 shaft Max speed: 16.5kts Range: 14,550NM @ 10kts Complement: 555
AIR WING
x15 SBD Dauntless
WEAPONS-Guns
x18 (9 twin) Mk2 40mm 2NM AA
(three Vickers 4” guns deleted in late 1940s)
SENSORS-Radar
Type SA (X) 25NM air / 5NM surface search (range, bearing)
AN/SPS-6 (G) 127NM large/high; 60NM small/low air search / 8NM surface search (range, bearing)
(below: Dixmude making a friendship visit to New Orleans, LA in 1953. The aircraft on deck are Dauntless dive bombers.)
