MV Alexia

MV Alexia.
History
United Kingdom
Name:	MV Alexia
Operator:	Royal Dutch/Shell
Builder:	Bremer Vulkan
Launched:	20 December 1934
Renamed:	Ianthina
Honours and awards:	Atlantic
Fate:	Scrapped Blyth 1954
General characteristics
Displacement:	8,016 tons (gross)
Length:	463 ft (141 m) (pp) 481 ft (147 m) (oa)
Beam:	59 ft (18 m)
Draught:	27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Propulsion:	Diesel one shaft 4,000bhp
Speed:	13 knots (24 km/h)
Complement:	100
Armament:	1 × 4 inch 8 × 20 mm
Aircraft carried:	Four Fairey Swordfish

MV Alexia was one of nine Royal Dutch/Shell oil tankers converted to become a Merchant Aircraft Carrier (MAC ship). The group is collectively known as the Rapana class.

MV Alexia was built at Bremer Vulkan and completed in April, 1935 as an oil tanker for the Anglo Saxon Royal Dutch/Shell line. She was converted to a MAC ship, entering service in December 1943.^[1]

As a MAC ship, she had no aircraft hangar, and continued to carry normal cargoes, although operating under Royal Navy control. Only her air crew and the necessary maintenance staff were naval personnel.^[2]

At the end of the war, Alexia was reconverted to an oil tanker, and renamed Ianthina in 1951. She served in this capacity until broken up for scrap at Blyth in 1954.

References

Rapana class merchant aircraft carrier MV Acavus MV Adula MV Alexia MV Amastra MV Ancylus MV Miralda MV Rapana MV Gadila MV Macoma List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy