USS Enterprise CV-6 - Most decorated ship of WW2 http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/us_prewa.htm#cv6 As Completed - Commissioned 12th May 1938 View attachment 24 After Refit in 1943 View attachment 25
Aircraft Carrier HMS Furious From: http://www.btinternet.com/~a.c.walton/navy/rn-cv1.html HMS Furious View attachment 622 View attachment 623 Furious Class Fleet Carrier (CV) (ex Large Light Cruiser) Final design:- Displacement: 22,450 tons standard ; 28,500 tons full load Dimensions: 735 pp, 786.25 oa x 88 x 27.75 feet Propulsion: Steam Turbines (18 Yarrow small-tube boilers, 4 shafts, Brown-Curtis geared turbines), 90,000 shp. Speed: 29.5 knots Range: 6,000 nmiles at 20 knots Compliment: 880 (including air group) Aircraft: 36 Guns: 6 x twin 4 inch ; 4 octuple 2 pdr ; 22 x 20 mm AA Furious, along with her half-sister ships Courageous and Glorious, was laid down was a large light cruiser mounting 2 18-inch guns on a shallow draught for gunfire support of amphibious operations in the Baltic. Before completion the design was changed to only 1 18-inch gun and a flying-off deck for sea planes at the bow. After completion the remaining 18-inch gun was removed and a landing-on deck added for half the length of the ship. This short flight deck caused problems with landing and was later extended to the full length of the ship, stopping just short of the forward flying-off deck one level below. Finally a small starboard island was added in 1939.
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Hermes From: http://www.btinternet.com/~a.c.walton/navy/rn-cv1.html Hermes Class Fleet Carrier (CV) View attachment 624 View attachment 626 Displacement: 11,024 tons standard ; 13,208 tons full load Dimensions: 548 pp, 600 oa x 70.25 x 21.5 feet Propulsion: Steam Turbines (6 Yarrow small-tube boilers, 2 shafts, Parsons geared turbines), 40,000 shp. Speed: 25 knots Compliment: 664 (including air group) Aircraft: 20 Guns: 6 x 5.5 inch ; 3 x 4 inch ; 2 quad 0.5 inch (added 1934) The first purpose built aircraft carrier in the world. The design was based on that of a cruiser and the ship was intended for a similar scouting role. Stability problems were caused by the large starboard island with fuel having to be carefully distributed to balance the ship.
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Eagle From: http://www.btinternet.com/~a.c.walton/navy/rn-cv1.html Eagle Class Fleet Carrier (CV) View attachment 627 Displacement: 22,200 tons standard ; 27,229 tons full load Dimensions: 627 pp, 667.5 oa x 105.1 x 26.5 feet Propulsion: Steam Turbines (32 Yarrow boilers, 4 shafts, Parsons geared turbines), 55,000 shp. Speed: 24 knots Range: 4,000 nmiles at 18 knots Compliment: 834 (including air group) Aircraft: 24 Guns: 9 x 6 inch ; 5 x 4 inch ; 4 x 3 pdr Converted form partially built Chilean battleship Almirante Cochrane. Conversion, first to a sea-plane carrier and then to a strike carrier, was started during WWI but slowed when it became clear that the ship could not be completed before the end of the war. It was decided to continue with the conversion 24 September 1920. The ship was eventually completed with a full length flight deck and a large starboard island. HMS Eagle Built by Armstrong Whitworth. Laid down 20 February 1913. Launched 8 June 1918. Commissioned 26 February 1924. Sunk 11 August 1942 by 4 torpedoes from German submarine U73 while escorting a convoy to Malta (operation 'Pedestal').
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Courageous From: http://www.btinternet.com/~a.c.walton/navy/rn-cv1.html http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3251.html HMS Courageous Courageous Class Fleet Carriers (CV) (ex Large Light Cruisers) View attachment 631 Final design:- Displacement: 22,352 tons standard ; 26,518 tons full load Dimensions: 735 pp, 786.5 oa x 90.5 x 27.75 feet Propulsion: Steam Turbines (18 Yarrow small-tube boilers, 4 shafts, Parsons geared turbines), 90,000 shp. Speed: 30.5 knots Range: 5,860 nmiles at 16 knots Compliment: 1200 (including air group) Aircraft: 48 Guns: 16 x 4.7 inch ; 4 single 2 pdr ; 3 octuple 2 pdr (Glorious) Both ships were completed originally as Large Light Cruisers mounting 2 twin 15 inch guns. When these ships were found to be inadequate and there was a need for fast carriers, both were converted along the same lines as Furious. The 8 15 inch guns removed from these ships were eventually mounted in the battleship Vanguard. HMS Courageous Built by Armstrong Whitworth. Laid down 18 March 1915. Launched 5 February 1916. Commissioned January 1917. Converted to carrier June 1924 - May 1928. Sunk 17 September 1939 by German submarine U20 in the South-West approaches.
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Glorious HMS Glorious http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3252.html View attachment 632 Built by Harland & Wolff. Laid down 1 May 1915. Launched 20 April 1916. Commissioned January 1917. Converted to carrier February 1924 - March 1930. Sunk 18 June 1940 by gunfire from German battlecruisers Sharnhost and Gneisenau while covering the Allied withdrawal from Norway.
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Ark Royal Ark Royal Class Fleet Carrier (CV) http://uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=99&navy=HMS View attachment 633 Displacement: 22,352 tons standard ; 28,143 tons full load Dimensions: 685 pp, 721.5 wl, 800 oa x 94.75 x 27.75 feet Propulsion: Steam Turbines (6 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 3 shafts, Parsons geared turbines), 102,000 shp. Speed: 31 knots Range: 7,600 nmiles at 20 knots Compliment: 1600 (including air group) Aircraft: 60+ (48 Swordfish, 12-24 Osprey (later Skua)) Guns: 8 x twin 4.5 inch ; 48 x 2 pdr ; 32 x 0.5 inch First purpose built large British carrier. The large aircraft capacity was made possible by a full length two level hangar which gave the ship a distinctive tall look. HMS Ark Royal Built by Cammell Laird. Laid down 16 September 1935. Launched 13 April 1937. Commissioned 16 November 1938. Sunk 13 November 1941 by a torpedo from German submarine U81, off Gibraltar.
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Illustrious British Aircraft Carrier HMS Illustrious http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3258.html View attachment 634
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Indomitable British Aircraft Carrier HMS Indomitable http://uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=410&navy=HMS View attachment 635
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Unicorn1 http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Cockpit/5520/gb.htm British Aircraft Carrier HMS Unicorn1 Unicorn with Renown & Illustrious 1944 View attachment 628
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Implacable British Aircraft Carrier HMS Implacable HMS Implacable's service history commenced in September 1944 as part of the Home Fleet. She took part in anti-shipping operations off Norway in 26-29 October, and on 27 November 1944. View attachment 629 Sydney Australia 1945
British Aircraft Carrier HMS Argus British Aircraft Carrier HMS Argus http://uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=104&navy=HMS View attachment 630
This is a nice early picture of the USS Saratoga, one of the many superb photographs from the book with the MN.Drawings. Is it possible to name the rotary engined bi-planes?
Lexington and Saratoga were probably the best of the carriers converted from battleships/cruisers. The 8in guns were a waste (by 1941, anyway), and the elevators were achingly slow. But the ships were fast and capable of handling large air groups. Considering how awful the battlecruiser design was, the conversion was a big plus for the USN.
Hi Geoff, Found a nice book on the history of aircraft carriers, with superb line drawings, with a slight problem with spine positioning. I will start with the first aircraft carriers and continue if there is any interest. Starting with the first conception. Cheers Keith
Aircraft Carriers Line Drawings Hi Geoff, I was surprised to learn one of the first aircraft carriers was called the Ark Royal. Probably before your time ! :heh: Cheers Keith
Definitely before my time. When she was completed in 1914 my father was only (1) year old. Incredible to note that she displaced only 7,450 tons and cost 81,000 pounds and nearly 112 metres. The second Ark Royal 3.2 million. The present US Nimitz class Carriers displace some 102,000 tons loaded, are 333 metres long and cost $4.5 billion. .
Aircraft Carriers ( Pictures ) Hi Geoff, To pad out the line drawings, I am posting pictures of the drawn carriers. Cheers Keith
Aircraft Carriers ( Pictures ) Hi Geoff, More of same, Will include with drawings from now on if possible. Cheers Keith
