Re: US CVs WW2

> The US had, what, 4 carriers in 1941? I remember from my World War II
history
> class at university that they had 140-odd carriers by war's end, with
another
> 50 in some stage of construction.

In 1941 the US had Lexington, Saratoga (both converted from
partially-built 
HUGE Battlecruisers after WW1), the more modern standard design
Enterprise, 
Yorktown and Hornet plus the smaller Wasp, and the older and smaller
Ranger. 

CV -2  Lexington 14Dec27  33,000
CV -3  Saratoga  16Nov27  33,000
CV -4  Ranger	 4Jun34 14,500	  
CV -5  Yorktown  30Sep37  19,800    
CV -6  Enterprise  12May38 19,800    
CV -7  Wasp  25Apr40 14,700    
CV -8  Hornet 20Oct41 20,000   

The Japanese had 2 big carriers based on partially-completed HUGE 
battlecruisers, Akagi and Kaga, with smaller standard ones, Hiryu and
Soryu, 
and 2 larger, rather more modern ones completing (Zuikaku, Shokaku).
Plus 2 
small CVLs, Zuiho and Shoho of about 11,000 t each.

Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu and Soryu got sunk in the battle of Midway - which
was a 
catastrophe for the IJN. They lost the core of their fleet, 2/3 of their

effective capital ships.

But...and this is the big but... the USA produced 14 Essex-class
(greatly 
enlarged Enterprise design) in time for the war. Plus 9 of the smaller 
Independence design, plus many more of the smaller still escort
carriers.

Essentially they built an entire 1941 Carrier Fleet in both 43 and 44...
there 
would have been more, except that a) many weren't completed before late
45/46 
and b) after mid 43, it was obvious that no more were needed.

CV -9  Essex Dec 42 27,100
CV-10  Yorktown II 43  27,100  
CV-11  Intrepid 43  27,100    
CV-12  Hornet II  43  27,100   
CV-16  Lexington II  43  27,100    
CV-17  Bunker Hill  43	27,100	  
CV-18  Wasp II 43  27,100   
CV-13  Franklin  Jan 44  27,100    
CV-14 Ticonderoga   44	27,100	  
CV-15  Randolph    44  27,100  
CV-19  Hancock	44  27,100 
CV-20  Bennington   44	27,100 
CV -31	BonHommeRichard  Nov 44  27,100 
CV -38	Shangri-La  44	27,100	  

CVL-22	Independence  Jan 43  11,000	
CVL-23	Princeton  43  11,000	 
CVL-24	Belleau Wood  43  11,000    
CVL-25	Cowpens  43 11,000    
CVL-26	Monterey 43  11,000  
CVL-27	Langley II  43 11,000	 
CVL-28	Cabot 43 11,000 
CVL-29	Bataan Nov 43 11,000	
CVL-30	San Jacinto Dec 43 11,000    

CREDITS:
http://www.marshallnet.com/~manor/ww2/japcv.html
http://www.marshallnet.com/~manor/ww2/carriers.html
http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carriers/

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