MV Empire MacKay

Career (UK)
Name: Empire MacKay
Owner: Ministry of War Transport
Operator: British Tanker Co. Ltd.
Builder: Harland and Wolff, Govan
Yard number: 1167[1]
Launched: 17 June 1943
Completed: 5 October 1943[1]
Renamed: British Swordfish in 1946
Fate: Scrapped Rotterdam 1959
General characteristics
Displacement:8,908 tons (gross)
Length:460 ft (140 m) (pp) 482 ft 9 in (147.14 m) (oa)
Beam:59 ft (18 m)
Depth:27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Propulsion:Diesel
one shaft
3,300 bhp
Speed:11 knots (20 km/h)
Complement:110
Armament:1 x 4 inch
8 x 20 mm
Aircraft carried:Four Fairey Swordfish

MV Empire MacKay was an oil tanker constructed with rudimentary aircraft handling facilities as a merchant aircraft carrier (MAC ship).

MV Empire MacKay was built by Harland and Wolff, Govan under order from the Ministry of War Transport. She entered service as a MAC ship in October 1943, however only her air crew and the necessary maintenance staff were naval personnel.[2] She was operated by the British Tanker Company.[3]

She returned to merchant service as an oil tanker in 1946 as British Swordfish and she was eventually scrapped in Rotterdam in 1959.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 McCluskie, Tom (2013). The Rise and Fall of Harland and Wolff. Stroud: The History Press. p. 152. ISBN 9780752488615.
  2. H.T. Lenton & J. J. Colledge. Warships of World War II. Ian Allan. p. 296. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "List and history of the Empire ships - M". Mariners. Retrieved 2007-03-18.

External links