World Aircraft Carriers List: Spain

Revised 23 April 2002
Version 2.02
Compiled and Maintained by: Andrew Toppan
World Aircraft Carrier Lists Main Page: http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/

Dedalo seaplane/airship carrier
Dedalo ASW aircraft carrier
Principe De Asturias VSTOL aircraft carrier


Dedalo seaplane/airship carrier

Displacement: 10,800 tons
Dimensions: 420 x 55 x 20.5 feet/128 x 16.8 x 6.3 meters
Propulsion: TE engines, 3 boilers, 2,000 ihp, 11 knots
Crew: 324
Armor: none
Armament: 2 4.1 inch SP, 2 1 pound AA
Aircraft: 1 airship, 2 balloons, approx. 6 seaplanes

Concept/Program: A merchant ship converted to support several types of aircraft - seaplanes, airships and balloons.

Design/Conversion: Airship mooring mast fitted at extreme bow, with servicing facilties forward of the bridge. Seaplane deck and hoisting booms fitted aft of the bridge.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Lost during the Spanish Civil War.

Dedalo
ex merchant Neuenfels
Photos: [Dedalo as converted], [Another view of Dedalo].

Built by Wigham, Richardson & Co., Newcastle. Laid down ???, launched 1901, completed 18 May 1901. Sold to the Spanish government 22 October 1918 as war reparations; renamed Espana No. 6. Converted at Ferrol starting 5/1919; conversion completed 1922.

Decommissioned to reserve 1935. Sunk by German aircraft operating in support of the Nationalists 18 July 1937 at Sagunto. Salvaged 1940 and scrapped at Valencia.

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Dedalo (USS Independence class) ASW aircraft carrier

Displacement: 16,416 tons full load
Dimensions: 600 x 71.5 x 26 feet/182.9 x 21.8 x 7.9 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 622.5 x 109.25 x 26 feet/189.7 x 33.3 x 7.9 meters
Propulsion: Steam turbines, 4 565 psi boilers, 4 shafts, 100,000 shp, 30 knots
Crew: 1,112
Armament: 26 40 mm AA
Aircraft: 20 helicopters

Concept/Program: An ex-USN light carrier acquired in 1967 following a major overhaul and conversion to an ASW carrier. She operated only ASW helicopters until several Harriers were embarked in 1976. Was Spain's major naval unit for 30 years.

Modifications: During her reactivation overhaul the boiler uptakes were trunked together in 2 funnels instead of the original 4; the island was modified and electronics were improved. She saw very few modifications after recommissioning, and retained original 40 mm AA guns until decommissioning.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Replaced by new Principe De Asturias in 1988 and decommissioned. The Spanish Navy attempted to see that this ship would be preserved, but the preservation efforts have not been successful to date.

Dedalo
ex-USS Cabot, ex-Wilmington
PH-01 - PA-01 - R01
Photos: [USS Cabot during WWII], [Dedalo as commissioned], [Dedalo in Spanish service], [Cabot/Dedalo at New Orleans, 1995]. [Cabot/Dedalo at Brownsville, 1997], [Cabot/Dedalo photo gallery].

DANFS History


Built by New York Shipbuilding. Laid down as light cruiser 16 March 1942, reordered as carrier, renamed and redesignated CV 28 2 June 1942, launched 4 April 1943, commissioned as carrier 24 July 1943. Redesignated CVL 28 15 July 1943. Hit by kamikaze 25 Nov 1944. Decommissioned to reserve 11 Feb 1947. Recommissioned 27 Oct 1948, modernized for service as ASW carrier. Decommissioned to reserve 21 Jan 1955. Redesignated as aviation transport (AVT 3) 5/1959 while in reserve.

Reactivation and modernization overhaul at Philadelphia Navy 1965-1967 in preparation for transfer to Spain. Transferred to Spain, renamed Dedalo and commissioned 30 Aug 1967. Stricken from US NVR 1 Aug 1972, sold to Spain 5 Dec 1972. Redesignated PA-01 28 Sept 1976, then R01 in 1980.

Decommissioned 5 Aug 1989 at New Orleans for preservation by Cabot/Dedalo Foundation, but preservation efforts failed and the ship was towed to Port Isabel, TX 18 October 1997 in preparation for scrapping at Brownsville, TX; moved to Brownsville for scrapping 9 August 1998. Preservation efforts are ongoing; see http://www.geocities.com/usscabot/ for more information.

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Principe De Asturias VSTOL aircraft carrier

Displacement: 16,700 tons full load
Dimensions: 642 x 79.5 x 31 feet/195.7 x 24.3 x 9.5 meters
Propulsion: 2 LM2500 gas turbines, 1 shaft, 46,400 shp, 26 knots
Crew: 763
Armor: none
Armament: 4 20 mm CIWS
Aircraft: 17 VSTOL

Concept/Program: A small ASW/VSTOL carrier built to replace the old Dedalo. The design is based on the US Sea Control Ship project.

Design: Small VSTOL ship; integral skijump at the bow, island on the starboard side well aft. Takeoff path on flight deck is angled slightly to starboard.

Modifications: Refitted 1990; general upgrades.

Principe De Asturias
R11
Photos: [Principe De Asturias as completed].

Built by Ferrol. Laid down 8 Oct 1979, launched 22 May 1982, completed 30 May 1988.

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The World Aircraft Carrier Lists
Compiled and Maintained by Andrew Toppan (actoppan@hazegray.org)
Copyright © 1995-2002 by Andrew Toppan
Reproduction, reuse or distribution without permission is prohibited