HMS Biter (D97)

HMS Biter underway March 1943
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Biter
Builder:	Sun Shipbuilding
Laid down:	28 December 1939
Launched:	18 December 1940
Commissioned:	6 May 1942
In service:	1942–1945
Homeport:	HMNB Clyde
Fate:	Sold to France 1945
France
Name:	Dixmude
Acquired:	1945
Commissioned:	9 April 1945
Decommissioned:	24 January 1951
Out of service:	1956
Honours and awards:	Indo-China 1946
Fate:	Sunk as target 1966
General characteristics
Class and type:	Avenger-class escort carrier
Displacement:	8,200 long tons (8,300 t) (normal) 9,000 long tons (9,100 t) (deep load)
Length:	492 ft (150 m)
Beam:	66 ft 3 in (20.19 m)
Height:	23 ft 3 in (7.09 m)
Installed power:	8,500 hp (6,300 kW)
Propulsion:	4 × diesel engines 1 × shaft
Speed:	16.5 kn (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h)
Complement:	555
Armament:	3 × 4 in (100 mm) guns 15 × 20 mm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft on single and twin mounts
Aircraft carried:	15–21; a mixture of Grumman Martlets Hawker Sea Hurricane Fairey Swordfish Grumman Avenger
Aviation facilities:	Hangar: 190 ft × 47 ft (58 m × 14 m) by 47 ft (14 m) 1 × lift: 42 ft × 34 ft (13 m × 10 m) 9 arrester wires

HMS Biter was a Royal Navy escort carrier during the Second World War. She was laid down as a merchant ship at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company yard at Chester, Pennsylvania. Launched on 28 December 1939, she was converted to an escort carrier and commissioned in the Royal Navy on 6 May 1942. A few years later she was sold to neighboring France.

Biter was an Avenger-class escort carrier. These carriers were converted American merchant ships. Their design was based on the U.S. Navy′s Long Island class (AVG); to differentiate between the two classes, the Royal Navy added the prefix "B" (BAVG). HMS Biter (BAVG3) was built by the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, originally named the Rio-Parana; she was laid down on 28 December 1939, launched on 18 December 1940 and delivered on 4 September 1941. She was converted to an escort carrier in the Atlantic Basin Iron Works at Brooklyn New York and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 6 May 1942, under the command of Captain Abel-Smith.

Biter had a complement of 555 men and an overall length of 492 ft (150 m), a beam of 66 ft 3 in (20.19 m) and a height of 23 ft 3 in (7.09 m). She displaced 8,200 long tons (8,300 t) at normal load and 9,000 long tons (9,100 t) at deep load. Propulsion was provided by four diesel engines connected to one shaft giving 8,500 hp (6,300 kW), which could propel the ship at 16.5 kn (19.0 mph; 30.6 km/h).