French cruiser De Grasse

The De Grasse was a French light cruiser, which was established in 1940, still lying on stack captured by the Wehrmacht and should be completed as German aircraft carrier. She was named after the French Admiral Comte de Grasse.

History

The De Grasse was laid on 28 August 1939 in Lorient on stack. After the invasion of the German troops during the French campaign in Lorient in June 1940, the ship building was confiscated as German war booty.

1942 were employed in the Navy consider how you could quickly get to aircraft carriers. As a useful half-finished new building could be completed more quickly to a support as a completely new building, new buildings were sought and appropriate, the De Grasse included in the planning in order to assemble finished as an aircraft carrier for the German fleet. Such plans were drawn up and issued the order to the ship's conversion to the aircraft carrier on December 3, 1942.

With the command of Adolf Hitler on 26 January 1943 cease all Großschiffbauten, in early February 1943, completed the little tarnished construction at the De Grasse.

Because of their relatively small size, the De Grasse could only carry 23 aircraft, it would therefore become a Light aircraft carriers.

In May 1945, ended the German occupation of Lorient, and the French began the further construction of the ship as a cruiser. On September 11, 1946, the De Grasse was launched. Due to lack of money and modern technology, the warship was found to be anti-aircraft cruiser in service until September 3, 1956. In 1974, the De Grasse was decommissioned and scrapped in 1976.