Small Seaplane Carriers
Channel Packet Steamers
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Auxiliary Seaplane Carriers & Tenders
German Type
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Large Seaplane ShipsHermes (experimental seaplane cruiser)
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Concept/Program: Three English Channel packet ships taken over for rapid conversion to small, relatively fast seaplane carriers for battlefield scouting duties. The first of three groups of small merchant ships taken over and rapidly converted to increase RN's aircraft capabilities during WWI.
Design/Conversion: Taken over from merchant service and initially given a very basic conversion, with hoisting booms and canvas shelters fore and aft for the aircraft. A second conversion included a larger, permanent hangar aft, cranes, and guns. The specifications listed for each ship refer to the second conversion. Seaplanes were hoisted out for flying operations, then hoised aboard after landing.
Built by Denny. Laid down 1910, launched 23 Sept 1911, completed 1912. Requisitioned 11 Aug 1914, converted at Chatham Dockyard, commissioned 1 September 1914.
Participated in the Cuxhaven raid 25 December 1914. Second conversion 10 Feb 1915 to 23 March 1915. Participated in Jutland. Served in the Mediterranean late in the war.
Sold to original owners 12/1919. Renamed Corregidor 1933. Mined and sunk in Manila Bay 12/1941 during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
Built by Denny. Laid down 1910, launched 1 April 1911, completed 6/1911. Requisitioned 11 Aug 1914, converted at Chatham Dockyard, commissioned 13 Aug 1914.
Participated in the Cuxhaven raid 25 December 1914. Second conversion 14 February 1915 to 7 April 1915. Served in the Mediterranean late in the war.
Paid off 21 May 1919 and sold to original owners. Renamed Laird's Isle 1933. Requisitioned by RN 9/1939 and used for various duties, including torpedo training ship, armed boarding vessel, landing ship. Returned to owners 1945. Sold 1957 and subsequently scrapped.
Built by Denny. Laid down 1906, launched 13 April 1907, completed 6/1907. Requisitioned 11 Aug 1914 as a transport, converted at Chatham Dockyard 30 August 1914 to 30 September 1914. Date of commissioning uncertain.
Participated in Cuxhaven raid 25 December 1914. Second conversion 9 May 1915 to 18 July 1915. Served in the Mediterranean late in the war.
Sold to original owners 11/1919. Scrapped in France in 1933.
Concept/Program: Based on the success of the three Channel packet conversions, three larger, faster Isle of Man packets were converted.
Design/Conversion: Hangar and cranes aft, as in the earlier ships. Also a short flying deck sloping from the bridge front down to the bow, enabling them to fly off landplanes or seaplanes.
Built by Vickers. Laid down 1907, launched 23 March 1908, completed 1908. Requisitioned 1 Jan 1915, converted at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, commissioned 23 March 1915.
Served in the Mediterranean; her aircraft made the world's first successful aerial torpedo attack 8/1915, against the Turks. Set afire, blown up and sunk by Turkish shore artillery 11 Jan 1917. Hulk salvaged and scrapped 1920-21.
Built by Armstrong. Laid down 1904, launched 7 March 1905, completed 5/1907. Requisitioned 26 March 1915, converted by Cunard at Liverpool, commissioned 9/1915.
Purchased by RN 11 November 1915. Served in Mediterranean after 1918.
Paid off late 1919, sold back to original owners 12 February 1920. Requisitioned by RN 1939 as a troopship; returned to owners 1945. Sold 1954 and subsequently scrapped.
Built by Vickers. Laid down 1903, launched 15 June 1904, completed 1904. Purchased 17 April , converted at Chatham Dockyard, commissioned 12/1916.
Served in the Mediterranean late in the war, mainly as a depot ship.
Paid off 12/1919, sold into merchant service 12 February 1920. Requisitioned by RN 10/1941 as radar training ship Caduceus. Paid off for disposal 1945, sold and scrapped in 1949.
Concept/Program: Based on the success of previous conversions and the continued need for fleet aircraft, two larger ships - mail steamers - were converted in 1917.
Design/Conversion: Generally similar to the Isle of Man packets, but larger. There was a small hangar under the forward flying deck. There were general improvements based on experience in the earlier ships. These ships were taken over prior to completion in their original configurations.
Built by Denny. Laid down 1914, suspended at the start of WWI, launched to clear slip 21 June 1915, acquired by RN 27 Feb 1917 and converted, commissioned 25 Aug 1917. Served with expeditionary forces in Russia postwar.
Sold into merchant service 1920. Grounded and damaged beyond repair at Port Melbourne 18 February 1951; subsequently scrapped.
Built by John Brown. Laid down 1914, acquired by RN 27 Feb 1917, launched 9 June 1917, renamed 28 August 1917, commissioned 28 August 1917.
Served with expeditionary forced in Russia postwar. Ran aground 9 March 1920, refloated without damage. Forward flying-off deck removed 1923; reclassified as an aircraft tender in 1924. Used as an aircraft transport through 1925.
Decommissioned to reserve 5 July 1925. Recommissioned as an aircraft transport 1929. Sold 22 August 1931 and subsequently scrapped at Morecambe.
Concept/Program: Two small German merchant ships seized at the start of the war and converted to minimal seaplane carriers. Design/Conversion: Minimal conversions. Aircraft accomodated in existing well decks and hoisted by cargo booms. Some weapons fitted.
Operational: Operated in the Mediterranean.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Both reduced to auxiliary roles late in the war and disposed of in the early 1920's.
Built by Swan Hunter. Laid down ?, launched 1903, completed 12/1903. Interned at Port Said 8/1914. Operated as a civilian-manned seaplane carrier with French aircraft and pilots and British observers starting 12/1914. commissioned in RN 12 June 1915, but not renamed until 8/1915.
Decommissioned 10 July 1917 and returned to owners. Renamed Ravenrock 1/1918, Heiei Maru No. 7 in 1923. Apparently lost during WWII in the Pacific.
Built by Rickmers, Bremerhaven. Laid down ???, launched 1911, completed 1911. Interned at Port Said 8/1914, seized (date?), operated as a civilian-manned seaplane carrier, with French aircraft and pilots and British observers starting 1/1915.
Torpedoed 11 March 1915, beached, repaired by HMS Reliance, permanent repairs at Alexandia 3/1915-6/1915. Taken over by RN and commissioned in RN service 5 August 1915, renamed the day after commissioning.
Decommissioed 8 August 1917. Sold into merchant service 1/1918, renamed Moldova in 1939, Jagrahat in 1954, Moldova in 1955. Scrapped at Hong Kong starting 9/1958.
Concept/Program: Two small steamers taken over and used as seaplane carriers without modification.
Concept/Program: A small merchant ship taken over, initially for service as a balloon tender/carrier. Later converted to a seaplane carrier.
Design/Conversion: Very minimal. Canvas seaplane hangars forward of the bridge; seaplanes hoisted by cargo booms.
Concept/Program: Two small Russian merchant ships taken over by RN and converted to support the White Russians during the Russian Civil War. Operated in the Caspian sea.
Class: Ships believed to have been similar but not identical.
Design/Conversion: Very minimal. Orilonoch carried a few seaplanes, which were stored and maintained in an existing well deck forward of the bridge, and hoisted by the cargo booms.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Both transferred to the White Russians in 1919. Fates unknown.
Concept/Program: Two merchant ships requisitioned by the RN at the start of WWII, but operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). Not sisterships. Conversions were apparently minimal. See individual entries for further details.
Built by Barclay, Curle & Co. for British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. Launched 8 October 1920, completed 5/1921. Requisitioned by RN in 1939 and fitted out as a seaplane depot ship.
Served as a seaplane tender in the Shetlands, then shifted to Iceland. Was tender to the seaplane that relocated Bismarck during the hunt for that ship. Transferred to RAF control 10/1941 and operated in and around Africa.
Transported troops and ex-POWs late in the war. Sold for scrapping in the Netherlands; towed away for scrapping 24 July 1946.
Built by Barclay, Curle & Co. Completed 1923. Requisitioned by RN in 1940.
Few details of service known. Sunk by U-515 off Ghana (Africa) 24 December 1943.
Concept/Program: An obsolete protected cruiser converted as an experimental seaplane ship. She was initially converted as a trials ship for seaplanes, to test launching and recovery methods, and to develop tactics for use of aircraft in fleet operations. Following these trials she reverted to her cruiser configuration, but again embarked seaplanes at the start of WWI.
Class: A member of the Highflyer class.
Design/Conversion: Fitted with canvas aircraft shelters fore and aft, flying-off platforms, and hoisting booms. Otherwise unmodified. This equipment was removed in 1913 but refitted in 1914.
Operational: Operated in experimental and trials service 1913; her very limited WWI service included a period as an aircraft transport.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Sunk early in WWI.
Decommissioned to reserve 30 December 1913; aircraft equipment removed. Refitted as seaplane carrier 8/1914 and recommissioned 31 Aug 1914. Torpedoed and sunk 31 October 1914 while serving as aircraft transport.
Concept/Program: Based on the success of Hermes, conversion of a large vessel, capable of operating, storing and maintaining seaplanes, was ordered. A merchant vessel was taken over while incomplete and completely redesigned for RN service. She was the first large, purpose-built seaplane vessel, but was too slow for operations with the fleet.
Design: A complete redesign from her original plans. Superstructure and machinery far aft, with large working deck forward. An aircraft hold was located below the forward deck; several cranes were fitted. There were extensive maintenance facilities, storage for parts and aircraft weapons, etc. Seaplanes and landplanes could take off from the main deck, but usually seaplanes were hoisted out for launching.
Modifications: Few during her service as a first-line seaplane ship, but she underwent many modifications after becoming an experimental ship.
Operational: Too slow for fleet operations; operated mainly as a base/depot ship in the Mediterranean.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Reduced to service as a depot ship in 1923, but during the 1930's she served as an experimental ship for various catapults and other aviation equipment. During WWII she briefly served as a fighter catapult ship before returning to auxiliary duties.
Served as a base/depot ship for aircraft in the Mediterranean 11/1915 to 1919. Covered the withdrawl of the White Russians in 1920 and acted as an aircraft transport to the Middle East. Refit 11/1920-4/1921, then decommissioned to reserve.
Recommissioned as an aircraft transport 9/1922; became depot ship in 1923. Renamed Pegasus 21 December 1934. Operated as an experimental aviation ship throughout the 1930's. Refitted as a fighter catapult ship 1940-41 and briefly operated in convoy duties.
Served as an auxiliary after 7/1941, mostly as a transport and training ship. Decommissioned 2/1944 and hulked as an accommodations ship. Sold 18 October 1946 for conversion to merchant ship Anita I, but conversion stopped while incomplete and sold for scrapping 6/1949.
Concept/Program: A large, obsolete fast passenger liner purchased for conversion to a large seaplane carrier, fast enough for fleet work. The first conversion was unsuccessful, but a second conversion improved the design considerably. She was the largest and fastest of the wartime conversions, but was never considered to be completely successful.
Design/Conversion: She was purchased from shipbreakers, but breaking work had progressed only to the stripping of deck fittings. The first conversion was very simple, with only a short flying-off platform forward. The resulting aircraft capacity was too small to be worthwhile. The second conversion included a much longer flying-off platform forward. Additionally, the aft superstructure was removed to make space for a seaplane working deck, additional derricks were fitted, and other improvements were made. She was much more useful in this configuration. She could operate balloons, but there is no record of her doing so.
Operational: Operated with the Grand Fleet throughout the war. Missed Jutland due to a communications failure. Her ancient machinery, already worn out when she was purchased, presented continual maintenance prolbems.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Sunk in a storm late in the war.
Underwent second conversion 11/1915 to 3/1916 at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead.
Reduced to training duties 1918 due to machinery problems. Dragged anchors in the Firth of Forth during a gale 5 November 1918, collided with several ships, and sank. Hulk probably salvaged and scrapped.
Concept/Program: Originally designed as an oddball "large light cruiser" with two 18" guns. She ship was seen to be nearly useless in her original role, but there she had considerable potential as a very large, fast, well armed seaplane ship. As a result she was completed as a hybrid cruiser-carrier, with a seaplane deck forward and a single 18 inch gun aft.
Class: Near sister to Glorious and Courageous.
Design/Conversion: The conversion was fairly simple, with a flying-off deck forward, a hangar beneath, hoisting booms, storage and maintenance facilties added in place of original 18" gun. The deck was not suitable for landing-on, and a test pilot was killed during landing trials.
Departure from Service/Disposal: The conversion was unsuccessful due to the inability to land aircraft aboard, so she was re-converted with an aft landing deck. During this conversion she became an aircraft carrier and is listed separately in the new configuration.
Aft flying deck added 11/1917 to 2/1918; reclassified as aircraft carrier during conversion, recommissioned 15 March 1918. To reserve 21 Nov 1919 pending reconstruction. Reconstructed as a flush-deck carrier 6/1922-1 Aug 1925 at Devonport Dockyard.
Refitted with a small, low-level island and rearmed 1939. Operated as ASW, convoy escort, invasion support and strike carrier during WWII. Participated in strike on Tirpitz.
Decommissioned to reserve 15 Sept 1944 due to deteriorated condition. Used as target/trials hulk after decommissioning. Sold 1/1948 and scrapped at Troon; scrapping completed 1954.
Concept/Program: An Australian seaplane carrier, transferred to RN in 1938. Similar to the old Ark Royal in general configuration, with flying deck forward, holds beneath.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Converted to a repair ship in 1943, and damaged beyond ecomonical repair in 1944.
Decommissioned to reserve 15 December 1938 and used as an accommodations ship until recommissioned 25 August 1939. Operated as a trade protection ship off West Africa and in the Indian Ocean. Decommissioned to reserve 5 November 1943, then converted to a repair ship for escorts and minesweepers and recommissioned 17 April 1944; rearmed with 8 2 pound AA and 6 20 mm.
Torpedoed 11 Aug 1944; judged not worth repairing. Placed in reserve 30 August 1944 but recommissioned as a minesweeper depot hulk 11/1944. To reserve for disposal 7/1945. Sold for conversion to a luxury cruise ship in 1946 but conversion plans cancelled and resold as Hellenic Prince in 1948, becoming an refuge transport ship. Scrapped at Hong Kong starting 12 August 1954.
Concept/Program: A pair of freighters taken over prior to completion for conversion to seaplane carriers. It was intended that these vessels would operate on trade route protection duties. However, they were urgently needed as aircraft transports and entered service without catapults or other gear needed to operate seaplanes.
Class: A class of four freighters; two became seaplane carriers, one became an "X-craft" depot ship, and one was sunk.
Design: Military-style bridge structure replaced original bridge; hangar was constructed aft. Cranes were installed fore and aft, and two cargo holds were modified to carry aircraft.
Operational: Employed solely as aircraft transports.
Departure from Service/Disposal: Both sold into merchant service postwar.
Operated in the Pacific for most of 1942; loaned to US Navy 24 November 1942 to 6/1943. Decommissioned to reserve 1/1945. Sold to original owners as Clan Brodie in 1946. Scrapped at Hong Kong starting 6/1963.
Loaned to US Navy from 11/1942 to 7/1943. Decommissioned to reserve 9 January 1945, stricken for disposal 8/1945. Sold to original owners as Clan Buchanan in 1946. Scrapped at Cartagena starting 11/1962.
