Air Class Cutters

April 13, 2020
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AIR CLASS CUTTERS:

The Air Class cutters were 70 Navy SC 497-class patrol boats the Coast Guard requested to be permanently transferred from the Navy to the Coast Guard for air-sea-rescue duties. Initially, 36 were provided on a loan basis. However, due to a shortage of CG personnel immediately following World War II, few 110-foot SCs became operational and those that did saw little service. Those units placed “in commission in reserve” status were assigned one deck petty officer and one engine-room rate as caretakers.


Builder: Dooley’s Basin and Drydock Company, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Launched: 1942

Decommissioned: 1942, by the U.S. Navy; 1945 by the U.S. Coast Guard

Length: 111 feet 6 inches

Navigation draft:  7 feet

Beam: 18 feet 9 inches

Displacement: 135 tons

Propulsion: 2 GM Model 16-184A diesels

Shaft horsepower: 1,200 BHP

Maximum speed: 19.3 knots

Economical speed:  8.0 knots

Screw: Twin screw 

Fuel capacity:  4,833 gallons

Water capacity: Unknown

Endurance (@ 8 knots):  Unknown

Complement :16 person crew; 1 officer, 15 enlisted

Electronics: Detection Radar: SF-1

Armament : Small Arms


LIST OF "AIR CLASS" CUTTERS TRANSFERRED TO THE COAST GUARD:

AIR CROW

AIR CURLEW

AIR DRAKE

AIR EIDER

AIR EGRET

AIR FALCON

AIR FINCH

AIR GANNET

AIR GOOSE

AIR GRAYLEG

AIR GREBE

AIR HAWK

AIR HERON

AIR IBIS

AIR JAY

AIR AVOCENT

AIR BRANDT

AIR CARDINAL

AIR CONDOR

AIR CORMORANT

AIR KESTREL

AIR KILLDEER

AIR LAPWING

AIR LINNET

AIR LOON

AIR MALLARD

AIR MARTIN

AIR MERLIN

AIR ORIOLE

AIR OWL

AIR PARAKEET

AIR PARROT

AIR PARTRIDGE

AIR PEACOCK

AIR PELICAN

AIR PENGUIN

AIR PETREL

AIR PHEASANT

AIR PHEOBE

AIR PIGEON

AIR PIPER

AIR PLOVER

AIR PUFFIN

AIR QUAIL

AIR RAVEN

AIR REDWING

AIR ROBIN

AIR ROOK

AIR RUFF

AIR SCAUP

AIR SHELDRAKE

AIR SHIRKE

AIR SKIMMER

AIR SKYLARK

AIR SNIPE

AIR SPARROW

AIR STARLING

AIR STORK

AIR SWALLOW

AIR SWAN

AIR SWIFT

AIR TANAGER

AIR TEAL

AIR TOUCAN

AIR TERN

AIR THRUSH

AIR WARBLER

AIR WAXWING

AIR WILLET

AIR WREN