Sunday, May 21, 2017

Royal Spanish Navy: Canarias light aircraft carrier "project 66", Spain 1950

Canarias light aircraft carrier "project 66", Spain 1950


In 1950 to rebuild the Canarias heavy cruiser into a light aircraft carrier under Project 66.
Based on the proposed outline assistance would be provided by Great Britain instead of the United States whose Spain had maintained a closer relation. This project was cancelled, but restarted in the sixties by buying in the States one Cabot light aircraft carrier called "Dédalo". In the twenties of the twentieth century Spain hat its first light aircraft carrier called Dédalo.


The data for the design as follows:
Date of design: 1950
Dimensions: 204,5m x 22,2m x 9m
Displacement: 14.000tons standard
Engine Power: 90.000shp, 4 shafts
Maximum Speed: 61km/h (33knots)
Armour: Belt: 51mm, Deck: 0mm
Armaments:
2x2 120mm DP-AA Guns
7x2 37mm AA Guns
20x4 20mm AA Guns
48 aircraft

Probably 12 Chance Vought F4U Corsair I, 14 F6F Hellcat12, Fairey Firefly fighter planes and 36 Grumman TBM Avenger dive bombers. The Corsair was used in the fiftties by a lot of countries, loke France, Argentina, and more.......