HMS Smiter (D55)
HMS Smiter | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Name | USS Vermillion |
| Namesake | Vermillion Bay in Louisiana |
| Builder | Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation |
| Laid down | 10 May 1943 |
| Launched | 27 September 1943 |
| Fate | Transferred to Royal Navy |
| United Kingdom | |
| Name | HMS Smiter |
| Commissioned | 20 January 1944 |
| Decommissioned | 6 May 1946 |
| Identification | Pennant number:D55 |
| Fate | Sold as merchant ship SS Artillero; wrecked 1967 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type |
|
| Displacement | 7,800 tons |
| Length | 495 ft 8 in (151.08 m) |
| Beam | 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m) |
| Draught | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Propulsion | Steam turbines, 1 shaft, 8,500 shp (6.3 MW) |
| Speed | 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h) |
| Complement | 890 officers and men |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 28 |
USS Vermillion (CVE-52) (previously AVG-52 then later ACV-52) was laid down on 10 May 1943 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation as a Bogue-class auxiliary aircraft carrier; redesignated an escort aircraft carrier, on 10 June 1943; assigned to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease on 23 June 1943; launched on 27 September 1943; and accepted by Britain on 20 January 1944.