french seaplane carrier large seaplane tender french_navy french built world war designed large possible counting limits spanish civil war protected neutral merchant shipping played limited role world war spent early war north african waters acting aviation transport france north_africa slightly damaged british bombardment july scuttled toulon germans invaded november refloated war considered conversion escort training carrier proposal accepted sold scrap design completion aircraft carrier desired aviation vessel lack hull converted aircraft carrier expensive settled seaplane carrier french transport aviation act mobile aviation base support specific attack ship restricted maximum size long tons standard displacement prevented counting france long tons carrier served costs relatively low description long overall maximum beam draught displaced long tons standard load long tons normal load long tons load ship high profile concerns stability bad weather significant weight mounted high ship notably cranes anti aircraft guns increase stability lateral tanks fitted butterfly valve connecting water flow tanks counter rolling motion trials system judged successful ship roll maintenance system proved problematic tanks difficult access propulsion shaft unit machinery layout alternating boiler engine rooms direct action geared steam turbines designed shp small tube boilers powered turbines pressure cm2 kpa psi temperature boilers required modifications ship trials forward boiler room oil fired use fuel oil coal designed speed mph exceeded mph trials july short tons fuel oil carried short tons coal provided range nmi mph nmi mph coal turbo generators provided electricity volts diesel generators fitted provide power harbor armament originally going carry mixture anti surface anti aircraft guns changed construction began main battery caliber dual purpose guns powered single mounts guns mounted fore aft mounted elevation limits rate fire rounds minute maximum range armor piercing shell muzzle velocity rounds provided gun including rounds rounds semi automatic guns carried fitted fore aft platforms single funnel rounds carried rounds gun guns elevate fired shells muzzle velocity effective anti aircraft ceiling twin machine gun mounts fitted mounts bridge wings upper funnel platform stern hotchkiss guns rate fire rounds minute practical rate rounds minute allow round magazines theoretical ceiling fire control directors mounted control guns bridge atop rear superstructure director fitted rangefinder upgrade planned improve director performance surface targets carried anti aircraft guns controlled single rangefinder provided fore aft guns protection waterline armor belt maximum thickness abreast machinery spaces high ship protected fire waterline partial transverse bulkheads thick magazines protected sides ends roofs deck consisted layers plating increased layers boilers armor protected steering gear sides conning tower thick roof thick aircraft arrangements large hangar amidships decks high measured approximately bulkhead incorporated exhaust funnel ventilation machinery spaces accommodate large torpedo bombers folding wings smaller aircraft folding wings lieu torpedo bomber additional large aircraft smaller aircraft carried dismantled hold hangar aircraft moved system wheeled running rails extended half hangar quarterdeck rear ship torpedo bombers moved quarterdeck wings extended lowered water large crane stern ship hangar compressed air launch capacity long tons smaller fighter reconnaissance lifted large hangar roofs cranes mounted corner hangar mounted catapult trials took hours embark group aircraft minutes embark single reconnaissance seven minutes launch section catapult aircraft designed accommodate naval version torpedo bomber obsolete commissioned torpedo bomber briefly proved fragile landing sea replaced improved july august replaced march scouting squadron initially equipped fixed wing folding wing arrived october replaced turn improved early larger flying boat replaced april modified handle greater weight fighter embarked designed role proved greatly classed contemporary land based fighters built service history served commissioning refitted november august guns given gun shields september based protect neutral shipping commerce raiders spanish civil war february refitted toulon upgrade served aviation transport france colonies north_africa august embarked sailed world war began month north african waters december returned toulon landed aircraft served aircraft transport french north_africa half late june transferred crowded anchorage lightly damaged shell splinters british attack july suffered casualties arrived toulon october subsequently disarmed june reactivated gunnery training ship toulon germans invaded scuttled november avoid capture germans refloated italians captured germans september sunk following year allied bombs august raised february thought considered conversion escort training carrier proposals eventually dropped ship store ship equipment sold scrap
French seaplane carrier Commandant Teste