MV Rapana

MV Rapana.
History
United Kingdom
Name	Rapana (1935–50) Rotula (1950–58)
Owner	Anglo Saxon Royal Dutch/Shell
Operator	Anglo Saxon Royal Dutch/Shell
Builder	Wilton-Fijenoord, Schiedam, Netherlands
Launched	March 1935
Honours and awards	Atlantic 1944–1945
Fate	Scrapped at Osaka in 1958
General characteristics
Tonnage	8,000 GRT
Length	463 ft (141 m) (between perpendiculars) 482 ft (147 m) (overall)
Beam	59 ft (18 m)
Draught	27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Propulsion	Sulzer Diesel One shaft 4,000 bhp
Speed	12.5 knots (23.2 km/h)
Complement	118
Armament	1 × 4 in (100 mm) 6 × Single Oerlikon 20 mm 2 x Single Bofors 40 mm
Aircraft carried	Three Fairey Swordfish

MV Rapana was a Dutch-built oil tanker converted to a Merchant Aircraft Carrier (MAC ship) during World War II. She was the first tanker to be converted to a MAC ship, and was the lead ship of her class of conversions. Rapana was launched as a tanker in April 1935, and served as a merchant vessel until July 1943, when she was converted into a MAC ship. After World War II, the ship was converted back into a tanker and returned to civilian service. In 1950 she was sold and renamed Rotula. She was scrapped in Osaka in January 1958.