HMS Fencer - Tracker Class Escort Aircraft Carrier HMS Fencer, British escort carrier, WW2 [FONT="]H.[FONT="] M. S. F E N C E R (D 6 4 )[/FONT][FONT="][/FONT][/FONT] [FONT="] [/FONT] [FONT="]TRACKER Class Escort Aircraft Carrier obtained under US/UK Lend Lease Agreement. The ship was under [FONT="]construction[/FONT][FONT="] at [/FONT][FONT="]San Francisco[/FONT][FONT="] by Western Pipe and Steel Corporation as C3 Class mercantile hull.. She had [/FONT][FONT="]been[/FONT][FONT="] laid down on [/FONT][FONT="]5th September 1941[/FONT][FONT="] after being acquired by the US Navy was launched on [/FONT][FONT="]4th April 1942[/FONT] [FONT="]as[/FONT][FONT="] USS CROATAN. On [/FONT][FONT="]27th February 1943[/FONT][FONT="] she was one of ten TRACKER Class transferred to the Royal Navy. [/FONT][FONT="]Ten other hulls were retained for US Navy service. Design changes were made to the snip based on experience [/FONT][FONT="]gained[/FONT][FONT="] with the ARCHER Class and included a longer hangar as well as use of steam turbine propulsion machinery. Improvements were[/FONT][FONT="] made to command and control facilities in the Operations Roan to suit use as an Escort Carrier. [/FONT][FONT="]Her build was completed on [/FONT][FONT="]20th February 1943[/FONT][FONT="] and she was formally transferred to the RN a week later as HMS [/FONT][FONT="]FENCER a name not previously used for a British warship. British radar outfit were fitted in [/FONT][FONT="]USA[/FONT][FONT="].[/FONT][/FONT]
HMS Fencer was USA built at the Western Pipe & Steel, San Francisco, being laid down on 5 September 1941, and launched April 1942. She was bought by the USN on 20 February 1943 as USS AVG-14 and commissioned in the Royal Navy on 20 February 1943. HMS Fencer was essentially a "Fighter Carrier" from 1943. She also provided convoy escort in 1944, during which time her aircraft (842 squadron) sank the German submarines U666 on 10 February 1944, U277 on 1 May 1944, U674 and U.959 on 2 May 1944. She also provided cover for Barracuda strike aircraft during the Operation "Tungsten", attack on the German Battleship Tirpitz in Norway on 3 April 1944. Later she saw service with the British Pacific Fleet in 1945 as escort for the Fleet Train. HMS Fencer was returned to the USN on 11 December 1946. Scrapped 1975. 1832 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy, The squadron formed at Eglington in August 1943 as a fighter squadron with 10 Wildcat Vs, transferring to Stretton to form fighter flights to join TBR squadrons on escort carriers. In November 1943 the first fighter flights were formed for 842 squadron on HMS Fencer.
