Spanish aircraft carrier Dédalo

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Career (Spain)
Dédalo at sea on 1 June 1988
Laid down:	16 March 1942
Launched:	4 April 1943
Christened:	USS Cabot
Commissioned:	24 July 1943
Out of service:	12 February 1947
Renamed:	Dédalo 1967
Refit:	1976
Struck:	1989
Fate:	Scrapped, 2002
General characteristics
Displacement:	11,000
Length:	622.5 ft (189.7 m)
Beam:	71.5 ft (21.8 m) (waterline) 109 ft 2 in (33.3 m) (overall)
Draft:	26 ft (7.9 m)
Propulsion:	4 "B&W" boilers and 4 GE turbines, 4 propellers, 100,000 hp,
Speed:	32 knots (59 km/h)
Complement:	1112
Sensors and processing systems:	Radar "SPS-6" aerial, Panels 2 "WRL-1"
Armament:	26 × Bofors 40 mm guns and Subaquatic weaponry: 2 "Mk 63" and 2 "Mk 57" naval mines
Aircraft carried:	Carried 8 AV-8S and 8 SH-3D up to 33 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters

Dédalo (Spanish for Daedalus) was a Spanish aircraft carrier, the second such ship in the Spanish Navy (after the original seaplane and balloon carrier Dédalo that took part in the Battle of Alhucemas in 1925). It remained the fleet's flagship until the Principe de Asturias replaced it. Dédalo was formerly the Second World War era USS Cabot bought from the USA in the 1960s.

1 History
2 Disposal
3 Aircraft Facilities
4 Image Gallery
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History

In 1967, after over twelve years in "mothballs" in the United States, Cabot was loaned to Spain. The loan was converted to a sale in 1972. Dédalo initially deployed with the Spanish Armada as an helicopter-only ASW carrier operating the SH-3D Sea King and other helicopters from 1967 to 1976.

After testing in 1972^[1] it was decided to order and deploy STOVL AV-8S Matadors (AV-8A Harrier) when Dédalo was overhauled. The first batch of six AV-8S single seat and two TAV-8S two seat aircraft were delivered to the Armada Española throughout 1976. A second batch of four AV-8S aircraft was delivered in 1980. Unlike some carriers used for Harrier operations, a ski-jump to assist STOVL takeoff was never installed on the Dédalo, limiting the maximum takeoff weight of the Harriers.

She then typically carried an air group of eight AV-8S fighters, four Sea King ASW helicopters and four AB 212ASW Twin Hueys although Sikorsky S-55/CH-19's, AH-1 Cobras and other specialized helicopters from the army, air force, and armada flew from her flight deck.^[2].

During her Spanish service, Dédalo logged 1,650 day's sailing 300,000 miles, registering 30,000 landings and takeoffs, losing an AV-8A and three AB 212ASW helicopters to accidents.^[3]

[edit] Disposal

Dédalo was stricken by the Spanish Navy in August 1989, and given to a private organization in the U.S. for use as a museum ship. However, that private organization was unable to pay its creditors, so, on 10 September 1999, the ship was auctioned off by the U.S. Marshal's Service to Sabe Marine Salvage. Scrapping of the hulk was completed in 2002.