 HMS Puncher
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ruler class |
| Builders | Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation |
| Operators |  Royal Navy |
| Preceded by | Attacker class |
| Succeeded by | None |
| Built | 1942–1943 |
| Planned | 23 |
| Completed | 23 |
| Lost | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Escort carrier |
| Displacement | 11,420 long tons (11,600 t) |
| Length | 492 ft 3 in (150.0 m) |
| Beam | 69 ft 6 in (21.2 m) |
| Draught | 25 ft 6 in (7.77 m) |
| Installed power | 9,350 shp (6,970 kW) |
| Propulsion | 1 shaft geared steam turbines |
| Speed | 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) |
| Complement | 646 |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 24 |
| Aviation facilities |
|
| Notes | Built in two groups of 8 and 15 |
The Ruler class of escort aircraft carriers served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War. All twenty-three ships were built by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation in the United States as Bogue-class escort carriers, supplied under Lend-Lease to the United Kingdom.[1] They were the most numerous single class of aircraft carriers in service with the Royal Navy.[2]
As built they were intended for three types of operations, "Assault" or strike, convoy escort, or aircraft ferry.[3]
After the Second World War some of the escort carriers were scrapped, while others had their flight decks removed and were converted to merchant ships (and all eventually scrapped by the 1970s).
- ^ Cocker (2008), p. 81.
- ^ Cocker (2008), pp. 74–84.
- ^ Gordon Smith (ed.), "US-built escort aircraft carriers", Lt Cmdr G Mason - His Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2 and Other Researches, naval-history.net