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

History
United Kingdom
NameMV Miralda
OwnerAnglo Saxon Royal Dutch/Shell
OperatorAnglo Saxon Royal Dutch/Shell
BuilderNederlandse Scheepsbouw Mij, Amsterdam
Launched24 April 1936
RenamedMarisa 1950
FateScrapped Hong Kong 1960
General characteristics
Tonnage8,003 GRT
Length463 ft (141 m) (pp) 481 ft (147 m) (oa)
Beam59 ft (18 m)
Draught27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Propulsion
  • Diesel
  • one shaft
  • 4,000 bhp
Speed13 knots (24 km/h)
Complement100
Armament
Aircraft carriedFour Fairey Swordfish

Macoma was launched in July 1936 at Nederlandse Scheepsbouw Mij, Amsterdam as an oil tanker. Her conversion to a MAC ship was completed in January 1944.[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] The British Ship Adoption Society, a Maritime Charity, was formed in the early part of the Second World War, with a large number of schools taking part in the scheme, amassing comforts for a particular ship and in return the children would receive letters of thanks and news from various ports around the world to which it would sail. the M.V Miralda was adopted by Styal Cottage Homes, a home colony and school for orphaned and destitute children of Manchester.[3]

After the war, Miralda was reconverted and returned to merchant service as an oil tanker and served in that role until scrapped in Hong Kong in 1960. She was renamed Marisa in 1950.

References

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  1. ^ "MV Miralda Aircraft Carrier Profile". Fleet Air Arm Archive. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ H.T. Lenton & J. J. Colledge (1973). Warships of World War II. Ian Allan. p. 296. ISBN 0-7110-0403-X.
  3. ^ James Stanhope-Brown, Styal of Its Own, 1894-1964, BOOKS FOR DILLONS ONLY, 1990