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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

BARNES (ACV-7) / HMS ATTACKER (D02)
(later CVE-7)

Battle Honours

Atlantic 1943-1944 — Salerno 1943 — South France 1944 — Aegean 1944

Ordered	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Returned to US	Stricken
*Attacker (US Bogue) Class Escort Carrier*
-	17 Apr 1941	27 Sep 1941	30 Sep 1942	5 Jan 1946	22 Feb 1946
Builder: Western Pipe & Steel Corporation, San Francisco, Calif.

Laid down as the US mercantile Steel Artisan, under a Maritime Commission contract (hull number 171).
Acquired by the USN before launch. Designated AVG-7 and named Barnes, after a sound in Florida.
Redesignated ACV-7, 20 Aug 1942.
Transferred to the RN and commissioned as HMS Attacker (D02), 30 Sep 1942.
Redesignated CVE-7, 15 Jul 1943.
Returned to USN in Norfolk Navy Yard, 5 Jan 1946.
Fate:"[O]n 28 October 1948 the vessel was initially sold back into merchant service to National Bulk Carriers of New York (name unknown), intended for conversion to a cargo vessel. Although the flight deck and other military fittings were removed, work then stopped and the vessel laid up prior to being sold to the Vlasov organisation in 1950. Renamed Castelforte and laid up yet again, the name was modified to Castel Forte in 1953. In February 1957, she was sent to Bethleham Steel shipyard in New York to start conversion into a passenger liner. In December 1957, vessel left New York for Italy and further fitting-out. 1958 name changed to Fairsky, Panamanian registry, registered owners Alvion Shipping Corporation, a Vlasov company, but thereafter operated as a unit of another Vlasov subsidiary, SITMAR Line (predecessor company to Sitmar Cruises). Maiden voyage with passengers from Southampton UK, to Australian ports 26 June 1958. Employed on same route with occasional cruises from Australia/New Zealand (NZ). Registration changed to Liberian c. 1968. Following operating company (SITMAR)'s loss of migration contract, Fairsky laid up at Southampton February 1972. Re-activated on Australian service ex-UK 8 November 1973 for just two voyages, then reverted to full-time cruising ex-Australian and NZ July 1974." Very special thanks to Paul Trangmar (formerly Lt, RNR) for his research.
Hit submerged wreck 23 Jun 1977 and beached to prevent sinking, refloated 29 Jun 1977. Started conversion to floating hotel Philippine Tourist in 1978. Destroyed by fire 3 Nov 1979 and scrapped at Hong Kong starting 24 May 1980.

Specifications
(As converted, 1942)
Displacement: 7,800 tons standard; 14,170 tons full load
Dimensions (wl): 465' x 69.5' x 24' 8" / 141.7 x 21.2 x 7.5 meters
Dimensions (max.): 495' 8" x 111.5' / 151.1 x 34 meters
Armor: None
Power plant: 2 boilers (285 psi); 1 steam turbine; 1 shaft; 8,500 shp
Speed: 18+ knots
Endurance: 27,300 nautical miles @ 11 knots
Armament: 2 single 4"/50 gun mounts; 4 twin 40-mm/56-cal gun mounts; 8 twin and 10 single 20-mm/70-cal gun mounts
Aircraft: 15+
Aviation facilities: 2 elevators; 1 hydraulic catapult (H 2); 9 arresting wires and 3 barriers
Crew: 646

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
NS0300701	65k	Showing details of this class. Note longer hangar deck than the Long Island-class and longer flight deck and addition of island.	IWM
NS0300702	24k	*Barnes* (CVE-7) as HMS *Attacker*.	Joe Radigan
NS0300706	45k	*Barnes* (CVE-7) as HMS *Attacker. Photo from Navies of the Second World War*, by H.T. Lenton (Doubleday & Co., 1968).	Derick S. Hartshorn
NS0300707	132k	HMS *Attacker* (D02), ex-*Barnes* (ACV-7), underway on 12 November 1942. Division of Naval Intelligence, Identification and Characteristics Section, June 1943.	Courtesy of Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers
NS0300704	159k	Port forward quarter view of HMS *Attacker, ex-Barnes* (ACV-7), at anchor in San Francisco Bay on 13 November 1942. US Navy photo #7042-42.	Darryl Baker
NS0300705	163k	Port broadside view of HMS *Attacker, ex-Barnes* (ACV-7), at anchor in San Francisco Bay on 13 November 1942. US Navy photo #7043-42. A Swordfish of 838 Naval Air Squadron can be seen on deck. 838 NAS operated four Swordfish Mk.I and was based at US Naval Air Station Alameda in preparation for *Attacker* entering service as soon as possible after her completion. The Squadron officially joined *Attacker* for operational duties on December 12, when the ship sailed for the Panama Canal. (Thanks to Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers, who provided this information.)	Darryl Baker
NS0300703	81k	Shown here are HMS *Attacker* and HMS Khedive (D62), as seen from the bridge of the fighter escort carrier HMS Pursuer (D73), four of whose Wildcat Mk.VI fighter-bombers can be seen parked and hooded, ready-ranged for operations in early September, 1944, heading for attacks on Rhodes Harbour. Note that *Attacker's and Khedive's Seafire* L.Mk.IIIs can be seen on their flight decks.	Robert Hurst
Commercial Service
NS0300708	188k	Passenger liner *Fairsky*, c.1965.	Gerhard Mueller-Debus