AHC: convert 'Hawkins' cruisers to CVLs

In OTL HMS Vindictive was converted back to cruiser in 1923-25. Her sister ships Effingham, Frobisher & Hawkins were built as Cruisers - launched 29/08/1919, 08/06/1921, & 20/03/1920 respectively.

As Cruisers they displaced 9,7500, 9,550, 9860, and 9,800 tons respectively.

Your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to have all four as light carriers. You could do that as part of the initial construction, or phase it in over a number of years.

In the WNC below 10,000 tons wasn't included in the carrier total tonnage - but if these CVLs exist before the Treaty maybe that won't apply!

Moreover depending on the reconstruction timescale - would it bring forward the Kent & London Heavy Cruiser programme.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Naval_Treaty

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Naval_Treaty

Interested to the contrast between different peoples on how this may be achieved.
 
You've just spent £1.57m on each of these ships and now you want to ask for more money to convert them? They are 5ft narrower than Hermes, I don't think they are good CVL material when more suitable ships like Glorious and Courageous are available for conversion.
 
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The Vindictive v Hermes, though the latter is just over the 10,000 ton limit, I know which type I would employ as a trade protection carrier.
 
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Unless the WNT is rewritten to limit cruisers to less than 6 inch guns and a weight of less than the sub 10,000 ton standard tonnage of the Hawkins class I cannot see the RN doing this.
 
Seems to be a poor use of treaty tonnage in the 1920s early 1930s but once the treaties are OBE and everyone is gearing up for war I suppose these would be a good way to get additional flight decks quick and dirty. Kind of a poor man's Independence class CVL or a CVE class ship that is capable of fleet speeds.
 
You might get away with fully converting Vindictive to a carrier provided HMS Raleigh doesn't run aground, but the other Hawkins class are going to remain as cruisers.
 
Conversions were considered in the 30's, but there were two big problems.

First that the cost of a conversion would be nearly as much as building a similar size of light carrier, which would be considerably more capable.

Second was that they were considered too small for operational use (remember, the RN is looking at the Atlantic and North Sea in winter), they considered something in the range 12-14kt the acceptable minimum.
 
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