MV Empire MacAlpine
Encyclopedia
MV Empire MacAlpine was a grain ship
converted to become the first Merchant Aircraft Carrier
(MAC ship).
MV Empire MacAlpine was built at the Burntisland Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Burntisland
, Scotland
, under order from the Ministry of War Transport and was delivered on 14 April 1943. As a MAC ship, only her air crew and the necessary maintenance staff were naval personnel and she was operated by William Thomson & Co (the Ben Line
).
After the war, the ship was converted to a grain carrier, and scrapped at Hong Kong
in 1970.
Bulk carrier
A bulk carrier, bulk freighter, or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, economic forces have fueled the development of these ships,...
converted to become the first Merchant Aircraft Carrier
Merchant aircraft carrier
Merchant aircraft carriers were bulk cargo ships with minimal aircraft handling facilities, used during World War II by Britain and the Netherlands as an interim measure to supplement British and United States-built escort carriers in providing an anti-submarine function for convoys...
(MAC ship).
MV Empire MacAlpine was built at the Burntisland Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Burntisland
Burntisland
Burntisland is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland on the Firth of Forth. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 5,940....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, under order from the Ministry of War Transport and was delivered on 14 April 1943. As a MAC ship, only her air crew and the necessary maintenance staff were naval personnel and she was operated by William Thomson & Co (the Ben Line
Ben Line
The Ben Line or Ben Line Steamers, Limited was a Scottish shipping company based at Leith, Scotland which specialised in the fast carriage of cargo to and from the Far East...
).
After the war, the ship was converted to a grain carrier, and scrapped at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1970.