Laid down on as the American passenger and cargo ship Rio-Parana for the Moore-McCormack Lines at the yard of the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company at Chester, Pennsylvania on 28 December 1939 with hull number 188 and Maritime Commission contract hull umber 60, launched on 18 December 1940, handed over on 4 September 1941, rebuilt as the escort aircraft carrier BAVG3 based on the USS Long Island-class and part of the British Avenger-class at the yard of Atlantic Basin Iron Works, Brooklyn, New York, USA, commissioned as HMS Biter on 6 May 1942, transferred to the US navy on 9 April 1945, she was refitted and temporarily handed over to the French navy on loan basis where she became the Dixmude, decommissioned in the French navy on 24 January 1951 and stricken from the USS naval list, converted into an accommodation ship in the next 3 years, served as an accommodation ship for the Corps Amphibie between 1960 and 30 January 1965, given back to the USA and sunk as a target ship on 10 June 1966. With a displacement of 8,200 long tons/8,300 tons (normal)-9,000 long tons/9,100 tons (deep load) were her dimensions 150,0 x 20,19 x 7,09 metres or 492 x 66.25 x 23.25 feet. The dimensions of the hangar were 59 x 14 metres or 190 x 47 feet. Further more was she fitted out with a lift with the dimensions 13 x 10 metres or 42 x 34 feet and nine arrester wires. As a merchant ship was her DWT 9,100 tons. The 4 diesel engines provided 8,500 bhp allowing a speed of 16,5 knots. The crew in British naval service numbered 555 men. The armament in British service was 3-4" quick firing guns and 15-20mm guns. She carried with her between 15 and 21 planes of different types.
