Guest gav Posted 12 December , 2003 Share Posted 12 December , 2003 I'm looking for details on HMS Africa, which was on eof the first ships to act as an aircraft carrier I believe. My great grandfather served on her Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 12 December , 2003 Share Posted 12 December , 2003 HMS Africa was a King Edward VII Class Pre- Dreadnought Battleship of 18,350 tons, launched 20th June 1906. Armed with 4 x 12 inch guns, 4 x 9.2 inch, 10 x 6 inch, 12 x 12 pounders, 5 x 18 inch Torpedo Tubes. In the Med with HMS Britannia in 1916 - 17 Neither Dittmar & Colledge nor Jane's Fighting Ships make any mention of aircraft carrier conversion or use. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 12 December , 2003 Share Posted 12 December , 2003 From the web: HMS Africa was a pre-Dreadnought battleship; the last battleship constructed at Chatham Dockyard, England - subsequent classes being too large for the yard. She was the penultimate King Edward VII Class Battleship, being commissioned in 1905. Africa initially joined the Atlantic Fleet, subsequently becoming the flagship of Vice Admiral Sir William Henry May, commander of the 3rd and 4th divisions of the Home Fleet in August 1911. Ships in these divisions had a small permanent core crew, being brought up to full complement with reservists in time of war. However, in May 1912 she was brought back to full crew with the 3rd Battle Squadron, which was made up of the eight King Edward VII class battleships. Although very manoeuverable, these were known as the "Wobbly Eight" on account of their difficulty in steering a straight course. Lieutenant Charles Samson made the first British shipboard aircraft takeoff from Africa on January 10, 1912 in a Shorts Aircraft pusher seaplane from a platform constructed on the foredeck whilst the ship was at anchor in the River Medway, England. The 3rd battle squadron became part of the Grand Fleet on the outbreak of the First World War, and Africa was was present at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, but she played little part as by then the faster and better-armed post-Dreadnought battleships made ships such as Africa a liability to the fleet. In 1917, she went into refit and had the 6 inch guns on the main deck replaced with four 6 inch guns a deck higher because the original guns were awash in even slightly rough weather. After the First World War, she was briefly the depot ship of the 9th Cruiser Squadron. She was sold for scrap on June 30, 1920, having served through the First World War without ever firing her guns at an enemy ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 12 December , 2003 Share Posted 12 December , 2003 HMS Africa was the name of an aircraft carrier of 36,800 tons ordered in 1943 but cancelled in 1945. Presumably named after the pioneering efforts of its predecessor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 12 December , 2003 Share Posted 12 December , 2003 I should have pointed out that HMS Africa was anchored (and stationary) when Samson made the pioneering flight in January 1912. Samson's first take off, from a moving ship was from HMS Hibernia in May 1912 - when the fleet was being reviewed (so no pressure there, then).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 12 December , 2003 Share Posted 12 December , 2003 Excellent answers for you! One point I did not mention was 4 of her Torpedo Tubes were below the waterline, two each side. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hussar Posted 12 December , 2003 Share Posted 12 December , 2003 And here she is ......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Seymour Posted 12 December , 2003 Share Posted 12 December , 2003 There is a photo of Samson about to take off from HMS Africa on Jan 10 1912 in Norman Polmar, Aircraft Carriers, London, 1969. The photo credit is Imperial War Museum. Regards, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 17 December , 2003 Share Posted 17 December , 2003 I am confused. The writing on the photo says that this is Samson about to take off from HMS Africa, but the caption says it is HMS Hibernia. Looking at the photo above, this ship does look very smiliar. So which ship is this - Africa or Hibernia....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 17 December , 2003 Share Posted 17 December , 2003 Here is the actual take off from Africa (or is it Hibernia?? Please see above).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Bachelor Posted 17 December , 2003 Share Posted 17 December , 2003 Racing Teapots, According to my Janes, the two bands on the rear funnel would indicate that your photo is of Hibernia. Cheers Rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Seymour Posted 17 December , 2003 Share Posted 17 December , 2003 Samson flew off HMS Hibernia in May 1912 during a naval review at Weymouth. Hibernia was steaming at 10 knots, hence the bow wave visible in the photo. In July he did it again from HMS London. Further IWM credit photos on p 12 of Norman Polmar's Aircraft Carriers, showing Hibernia. Regards, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gav Posted 20 April , 2004 Share Posted 20 April , 2004 Thanks very much for all the info. Would anyone know where I might find crew manifests and logs etc? Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel999 Posted 4 May , 2004 Share Posted 4 May , 2004 Just a minor correction but AFRICA was not at Jutland...No RN Predreadnoght battleship served in the battle...The only such ships present were the POMMERN's in the German High Seas fleet. AFRICA's logs, are , or should be in the ADM53/ series at the PRO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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