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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

(BAVG-3) / HMS BITER (D97)

Battle Honours

North Africa 1942 — Atlantic 1943-1944

Ordered	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Returned to US	Stricken
*Archer (similar to US Long Island) Class Escort Carrier*
-	28 Dec 1939	18 Dec 1940	6 Apr 1942	9 Apr 1945	24 Jan 1951
Builder: Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pa.

Built as the US mercantile Rio Parana, under a Maritime Commission contract (hull number 60).
Acquired by the USN, 20 May 1941, for conversion into an aircraft escort vessel.
Converted and completed by Atlantic Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, NY.
Transferred to the Merchant Navy for ferry duties, 21 August 1944.
Damaged by fire in Greenock, 24 August 1944. No repair facilities were available and the ship was laid up in reserve.
Returned to USN "as lying" on the Clyde, 9 April 1945. Refitted and lent to the French Navy as Dixmude.
Used as a transport until 1947, saw limited service as a carrier (including combat action off Indo-China, where her Dauntless aircraft supported French land forces), then reverted to a transport role.
Hulked as an accommodation ship, 1956. Used as a base for Corps Amphibie (1960-30 January 1965).
Fate: Returned to US custody, 10 June 1966, and subsequently sunk as a target.

Specifications
(As converted, 1942)
Displacement: 8,200 tons standard; 15,700 tons full load
Dimensions (wl): 465' x 69.5' x 26.33' / 141.7 x 21.2 x 8 meters
Dimensions (max.): 492' x 102' / 150 x 31.1 meters
Armor: None
Power plant: 2 Doxford diesels (6-cylinder); 1 shaft; 8,500 bhp
Speed: 16 knots
Endurance: 14,550 nautical miles @ 10 knots
Armament: 3 single 4"/50 gun mounts; 10 single 20-mm/70-cal gun mounts
Aircraft: 15
Aviation facilities: 1 elevator; 1 hydraulic catapult (H 2); 9 arresting wires and 3 barriers
Crew: 555

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
In British Service
NS030100304	53k	Rio Hudson, *Rio Parana* and Rio de la Plata just prior to conversion.	Hazegray & Underway
NS030100311	79k	HMS *Biter* with one of her Avenger strike aircraft in the foreground whilst on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic, date unknown (Fleet Air Arm Museum).	Robert Hurst
NS030100201	93k	Undated, Avenger (D14, BAVG-2) and *Biter* are seen here in heavy weather in the North Sea. Note *Biter* has been fitted with an island structure, while her sister Avenger still shows her configuration as transferred.	IWM
NS030100301	67k	Good view of the flight deck taken from a plane which has just launched.	IWM
NS030100312	70k	Escort carriers HMS *Biter* (centre) and the slightly larger HMS Avenger as seen from the fleet carrier HMS Formidable, on whose deck are cannon-armed Seafires and an Albacore in the after lift (Fleet Air Arm Museum).	Robert Hurst
NS030100314	62k	HMS *Biter* (ex-BAVG 3) underway circa 1943 with a Fairey Swordfish ASW aircraft departing from her flight deck. Note the British 4" Mk.V guns below the flight deck overhang, and one of the carrier's 20mm Oerlikon AA guns in a deck-edge tub (Fleet Air Arm Museum).	Robert Hurst
NS030100302	55k	Starboard bow view, showing the added island and details of the bow area under the flight deck. Note sponsoned-out bow guns. Mid-1943 (thanks to Robert Hurst).	IWM
NS030100303	30k	Starboard view, showing the general layout of the class. *Biter* was generally similar to Archer, but increased sheer replaced the raised forecastle. May 1943 (thanks to Robert Hurst).	IWM
NS030100305	31k	HMS *Biter*, date and place unknown.	Hazegray & Underway
In French Service
NS030100308	47k	The French escort carrier *Dixmude* (ex-HMS *Biter, ex-US Mercantile Rio Parana*). Date and place unknown.	Robert Hurst
NS030100309	45k	The French escort carrier *Dixmude* (ex-HMS *Biter, ex-US Mercantile Rio Parana*). Date and place unknown.	Robert Hurst
NS030100313	48k	The French escort carrier *Dixmude* (ex-HMS *Biter, ex-US Mercantile Rio Parana*) underway. Date and place unknown.	Robert Hurst
NS030100306	87k	As French *Dixmude, place unknown. Circa 1950 (thanks to Robert Hurst)*.	Hazegray & Underway
NS030100310	33k	The French escort carrier *Dixmude* at anchor, circa 1950. Location unknown.	Robert Hurst
NS030100307	98k	The French escort carrier *Dixmude* (ex-HMS *Biter, ex-US Mercantile Rio Parana) at New Orleans in June 1953 with SB2C Helldiver*s aboard, her SA radar clearly visible at the masthead.	Robert Hurst

BAVG-3 / HMS Biter (D97) History
This vessel was not listed in DANFS.
To read another vessel's entry visit DANFS Online History Project
(Located on the Hazegray & Underway Web Site)

Crew Contact and Reunion Information

Not applicable to this ship

Related Links

Hazegray & Underway World Aircraft Carrier Pages By Andrew Toppan.

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Last update: 18 March 2007