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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0174.PDF
68 FLIGHT JANUARY 22ND, 1942 AMERICA'S NEW CARRIERS Photographs of the Latest Additions to the U.S. Navy's Air Strength : Torpedo-bomber Wing-folding Problems I N our issues of January 9th and Decem ber nth, 1941, we dealt with the aircraft carriers of the world, and those likely to be used in the Pacific Ocean, respectively. At the time these articles were published there were no photographs available of any of the American ships built after U.S.S. Ranger, which; incidentally, was the first American carrier to be designed as such; all the previous ships were conversions from liners or cruisers. By the courtesy of the American journal, Flying and Popular Avia tion, it is now possible to publish photographs of the latest aircraft carriers in service with the U.S. Navy. The two sister ships U.S.S. Yorktoicn and Enterprise—which were built next in order to the well-known Lexington, Saratoga and Ranger—were completed in 1938, but very little information has been published hitherto. U.S.S. Hornet is a later ship than the York- town and Enterprise, but is very similar in general layout and tonnage. The Wasp, on the other hand, is a much smaller carrier, having a standard displacement of only 14,700 tons as against the 20,000 tons of the other three ships. It was authorised in 1934, and first commis sioned in April, 1940. According to our American contemporary, the U.S. Navy is to have a further eighteen aircraft carriers as part of the naval expansion programme. Seven of these are already in commission, and two more are now on the stocks. It is presumed that these are not true aircraft The Douglas Devastator, which is the standard torpedo bomber of the U.S. Navy. It is a three-seater with fixed and free guns. In the retracted position about half of the wheels project into the air stream. No perform ance figures may be given. carriers, which are armoured ships capable of operating in a fleet action, but are converted merchantmen for use on convoy work. The Royal Navy has a number of ships of this type—one of them, JTMS- Audacious, was lost during the recent five-day attack on an Atlantic convoy. The names of the seven ships already in ser vice are not given, but those which are yet to be built or converted will be U.S.S. Essex, Bon Homme Richard, U.S.S. YorMown (above) and Enterprise, which are sister ships of 19,900 tons displacement. Each carries about 76 a'rcraft, made up of four operational squadrons, of 18 machines each, and four non-operational " utility " types. Designed speed was 34 knots, and their heavy A.A. armament consists of eight 5in. high-angle guns. There is, of course, a large number of smaller pieces.
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