History of DedaloIn 1967, after over twelve years in mothballs in the United States, Cabot was loaned to Spain. The loan was converted to a sale in 1972. Dédalo initially deployed with the Spanish Navy as a helicopter-only antisubmarine warfare carrier operating the SH-3D Sea King and other helicopters from 1967 to 1976.
On 8 November 1972, a Harrier was successfully tested on the Dédalo deck, a first in the history of the plane. It was decided to order and deploy short-take-off-and-vertical-landing (STOVL) AV-8S Matadors (AV-8A Harrier) when Dédalo was overhauled. Since the Harriers' downdraft on vertical landing would have damaged the wooden deck, protective metal sheathing was installed on the rear area of the flight deck. The first batch of six AV-8S single seat and two TAV-8S two seat aircraft were delivered to the Armada Española throughout 1976. A second batch of four AV-8S aircraft was delivered in 1980. Unlike some carriers used for Harrier operations, a ski-jump to assist STOVL takeoff was never installed on Dédalo, limiting the maximum takeoff weight of the Harriers. She then typically carried an air group of eight AV-8S fighters, four Sea King antisubmarine warfare helicopters and four AB 212ASW Twin Hueys although Sikorsky S-55/CH-19s, AH-1 Cobras, and other specialized helicopters from the Spanish army, air force, and navy flew from her flight deck. During her Spanish service, Dédalo logged 1,650 days' steaming, covering 300,000 nautical miles (560,000 km), registering 30,000 landings and takeoffs, losing an AV-8A and three AB 212ASW helicopters to accidents. |
Stastistics
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The Model - Dragon 1/350 USS Independence Conversion |
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