class aircraft carrier built royal_navy world war modified whilst construction aircraft maintenance carrier ship arrived australia support operations japanese forces supported british attacks japanese mid june end war august base ship facilities help repair hong_kong infrastructure late returned early pioneer immediately placed reserve arrival sold scrap design description construction class carriers intended meet shortage naval flight decks design based class aircraft carriers modified permit rapid construction commercial yards pioneer completed original design success maintenance aircraft carrier prompted modification ship whilst construction aircraft maintenance ship aircraft pioneer overall length feet beam feet inches draught feet deep load displaced long tons standard load ship sets parsons geared steam turbines drove propeller shaft steam supplied admiralty drum water tube boilers operating pressure psi kpa cm2 turbines designed total shaft horsepower gave pioneer speed knots mph ship carried long tons fuel oil gave range nautical miles knots mph order maximize space workshops stores ship arresting gear catapult fitted large added port island rear flight deck ship single hangar feet inches high aircraft transported flight deck aircraft lifts elevators measured feet large cranes mounted flight deck aircraft stores flight deck ship carried small self propelled allow aircraft transferred ships shore facilities bulk petrol storage consisted imperial gallons gal ship crew totaled plus aircraft repair department ship equipped quadruple mounts millimetre pounder gun gun mounts elevate maximum viii pounder gun fired millimetre pound shell muzzle velocity distance yards gun rate fire approximately rounds minute fitted single mounts fired pound shell muzzle velocity rate fire rounds minute maximum range yards guns mounted flight deck hull like half sisters completed aircraft carriers mount provided separate fire control director fitted type gunnery radar pioneer ordered august renamed mars later laid december launched ship renamed pioneer july decision convert aircraft maintenance ship completed february service working pioneer sailed australia march arrived sydney transferred june prepare operations japan japan surrendered august repaired aircraft arrival pioneer arrived hong_kong late september help rebuilding colony infrastructure sailors restored power telephone service repaired trains buses trip hong_kong late november ship sailed sydney following month departed february arrival placed reserve pioneer sold scrap september broken
HMS Pioneer (R76)