Displacement: 15,120 tons full load (Charger in US service: 16,000 tons full load)
Dimensions: 465 x 69.5 x 25 feet/141.7 x 21.2 x 7.6 meters
Extreme Dimensions: 492 x 78 x 25 feet/149.9 x 23.7 x 7.6 meters
Propulsion: 6-cylinder Doxford diesels, 1 shaft, 8500 hp, 16.5 knots
Crew: 555 (Charger in US service: 856)
Armor: none
Armament: 3 4/50, 19 20 mm (Charger in US service: 1 single 5/38 DP, 4 single 3/50 AA, 4 quad 40 mm AA)
Aircraft: 15 (Charger in US service: up to 36)

Concept/Program: Members of the first batch of escort carrier conversions. Converted from merchant C3 freighters, generally similar to Long Island but converted prior to completion as freighters. Ordered for RN service, but Charger was retained by USN for joint USN/RN training purposes.

Class: Not officially assigned USN class names as BAVGs. Charger officially was a one-unit class in US service.

Design/Conversion: Generally similar to Long Island but with a longer flight deck, larger hangar, and an island. These were still fairly minimal conversions.

Variations: Charger outfitted and ballasted to USN specifications.

Modifications: All RN ships had their US-style 4 inch guns replaced by British weapons in 1942.

Classification: All initially classed as BAVG. Charger switched into AVG series when returned to USN; designated AVG, ACV and CVE in sequence.

Operational: RN employed these ships mostly as convoy escorts; two were lost after relatively short service lives. USN used Charger as a training and transport carrier only.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Survivors deemed obsolete and quickly discarded postwar; RN ship returned to USN for disposal. They were sold into merchant service and reconverted.

No name assigned
ex merchant Rio Hudson
Lend-Lease as HMS Avenger (D14)
MC Hull 59
BAVG 2
Photos: [Rio Hudson, Rio Parana and Rio De La Plata just prior to conversion], [HMS Avenger].


Built by Sun Shipbuilding. Laid down 28 November 1939, launched 27 Nov 1940, acquired by USN 20 May 1941. Converted at Bethlehem Staten Island, transferred to RN and commissioned in RN service as HMS Avenger (D14) 2 March 1942.

Served as convoy escort and participated in Operation Torch. Torpedoed and sunk by U-155 off Gibraltar 15 November 1942; uncontrollable fires and explosions resulted from single torpedo hit.