Aircraft repair ship is a naval auxiliary ship designed to provide maintenance support to aircraft. Aircraft repair ships provide similar services to seaplane tenders, that also cared for the crew. Aircraft repair ships had their own stores of spare parts, like a depot ship. Aircraft repair ships had repair personnel and equipment to repair failures or battle damage on aircraft. Aircraft repair ship also did regular aircraft maintenance.[1] [2]
After World War I two United States Navy ships were used as Lighter-than-Air Aircraft Tenders for naval kite balloon and rigid airship support.
During World War II there was a great demand for aircraft repair ships. The US Navy aircraft repair ship were manned by repair units, called Carrier Aircraft Service Units. If needed a Carrier Aircraft Service Unit could be redesignated into a Combat Aircraft Service Unit, Scout Observation Service unit or Patrol Service units. These units could also be land-based or on an aircraft repair ship.[3] [4] [5]
Aircraft carriers are not aircraft repair ships, but do have aircraft repair shops aboard. Most carrier-based aircraft repairs are done on the aircraft carriers.[9] [10] [11]
During the Vietnam War one seaplane tender was converted into a Helicopter Aircraft Repair Ship (ARVH)
The US Navy operated a fleet of seaplane tenders used to maintain the many U.S. Navy seaplanes. Some seaplane tenders were converted cargo ships. The was the first ship built to be a seaplane tender. Seaplane tender serviced and repaired seaplanes used in forward bases used for long-range patrol. Seaplane tenders were able to do repair and maintenance and had all the supplies needed to operate in remote forward bases for months. Once a land-based forward base was built the seaplane tender could move on to a more forward base. Seaplane tenders acted as barracks, supply depots, workshops, air mechanic and control towers for the planes.[12] [13] [14] The was converted to repair helicopters for the Vietnam War.[15] [16] [17]
See main article: Operation Ivory Soap. The demand for aircraft repair in the United States Army Air Forces in the Pacific Theatre of Operations was so high during World War II, a special program was started called Operation Ivory Soap. Operation Ivory Soap objective was to convert six Liberty ships into aircraft repair ships, called "Aircraft Repair Units (Floating)". With hundreds of Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber aircraft operating in the Pacific the ships were stocked B-29 parts and B-29 trained personnel. In addition to the Liberty ship for the B-29, eighteen smaller auxiliary ships were built for fighter aircraft support. These eighteen ship were long and designated, Aircraft Maintenance Units. The eighteen ships provided repair and maintenance to smaller aircraft like the North American P-51 Mustang, Lockheed P-38 fighters, and Sikorsky R-4 helicopters.[18] [19]
The key to the aircraft repair ships was the supply of parts, keeping ship supply depots stocked with the needed parts. Both the U.S. Navy and the World War II United States Merchant Navy kept parts flowing from the United States to the aircraft repair ships where they were needed.[4] [20] US Navy operated a fleet of Aviation Stores Issue Ships (AVS) to supply needed parts.[21]
During the 1950s the Navy converted 4 ships into Advance Aviation Base Ships
See main article: Aircraft maintenance carriers of the Royal Navy. The British Royal Navy for the support of its World War II aircraft, built three aircraft maintenance carriers. The first ship was in 1930. The next aircraft repair ships were two ships; and .[22] [23] [24] [25] The Royal Navy also operated a fleet of seaplane carriers.[26]