Two days after the conversion was completed, BAVG-1 was transferred to and commissioned in the Royal Navy as part of the Lend-Lease program. On 23 December 1941, three US Navy Grumman F4F Wildcats landed on "Archer" for trials to the launch accelerator. The accelerator misfired, causing the first aircraft to dive into the sea as sufficient airspeed had not been gained. The remaining two aircraft were successfully flown off. "Archer" put into the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 24 December 1941 for repairs to the accelerator, which had been damaged in the misfire. On 2 January 1942, "Archer" successfully completed her sea trials. On 9 January, she sailed down the Delaware River bound for Norfolk, Virginia, where she was to load aircraft for ferrying to the United Kingdom. Her gyro compass failed near Goose Island and then her engines developed problems. After repairs were effected she arrived at Norfolk and on 12 January she embarked eleven Martlet Is.