AHC: USS Wolverine and Sable see combat

[Alamo]

The USS Wolverine and Sable. Training carriers converted from Great Lake-steamers, they were the only paddle-wheel aircraft carriers ever to see service. They did their job well enough, and were sent to the scrappers at war's end.

Well, that's not good enough! With a POD of 1930, at least one of these two vessels must see combat of some sort in WW2, even if only a minor skirmish. It's a tall order, considering the lake-locked nature of these vessels, but that's what AHCs are for!

 

[Color-Copycat]

War Plan Red wouldn't count?

 

[HMS Warspite]

One major problem might be that these ships were not very seaworthy, and fragile in nature. Even the smallest swell would give serious stability issues in these ships, so they were only fit for inshore work and on the great lakes.

 

[Flubber]

One major problem might be that these ships were not very seaworthy, and fragile in nature. Even the smallest swell would give serious stability issues in these ships, so they were only fit for inshore work and on the great lakes.

As wrong and clueless as usual.

Seeing as both were passenger steamers before conversion, they were built to handle nearly everything the Lakes could throw at the them and the Lakes can throw a great deal.

Their slow speed also meant they could only conduct flight training ops when there was enough wind. That meant both ship routinely operate in fairly rough conditions complete with significant swells.

 

[Captain Jack]

You say the ships were lake locked. Is that because they were physically incapable of exiting the lakes or because they were unsuitable for conditions outside of the lakes?

Assuming the latter, I propose the following scenario: Sometime during WW2 A ring of German industrial saboteurs is discovered in the manufacturing cities around the Great Lakes. A group of the German agents flee the police sent to arrest them by stealing a lake steamer. The two training carriers are called out to help find the ship. Planes from the carriers locate and strafe the stolen ship, sinking it.

Okay it might not be "action" strictly speaking but planes from the carriers have fired their guns in anger and sunk a ship so I call it close enough.

 

[duckie]

Oke, you have a beginning, now let see if we can spice it up a little. They steal not yust a steamer, but an armed ship (coast guard, training ship). There was just a one guard (he we are in the middle of America). The use the weapons on board to sink the police boat that is following them, and even fire on the police standing on the pier. PANIC!!!!!!.

 

[Delta Force]

One major problem might be that these ships were not very seaworthy, and fragile in nature. Even the smallest swell would give serious stability issues in these ships, so they were only fit for inshore work and on the great lakes.

A ship built for fresh water service will have higher buoyancy in salt water, so it should be less prone to sinking, especially since Great Lakes ships must be built to withstand the powerful storms in the region.

 

[MattII]

This might seem like a silly question, but are great-lakes ship marinised (made resistant to salt corrosion)?

 

[Just Leo]

The USS Wolverine and USS Sable were converted coal-fired excursion ships with side-wheel propulsion. They operated 7 days a week, weather permitting, but didn't operate in heavy weather. They were capable of 18 knots, and could handle SNJs on days of calm winds, and Corsairs if there was a breeze. They had no overnight accommodation and carried no avgas or weapons. The flight deck overhang would have made them fragile in heavy seas, since the top of the deck was only 27 feet, but they didn't have the range to get that far from a port, and operated fairly close to shore. The aircraft operating from them could have intercepted that German reconnaissance Ju-390 or shot down an errant Japanese fire balloon, but the ships themselves could only ram German or Japanese sailboats operating on Lake Michigan. While it was suspected that Italian frogmen were attempting to attach mines to the ships at port in Chicago, the suspect frogmen were later recovered wearing cement overshoes, and no mines were found.

 

[Alamo]

You say the ships were lake locked. Is that because they were physically incapable of exiting the lakes or because they were unsuitable for conditions outside of the lakes?

Because they were physically incapable of exiting. The Saint Lawrence Seaway didn't exist yet, and the vessels were too large to fit inside the small canals that led off of the Lakes and to the ocean.

 

[Flying Sorcerer]

Because they were physically incapable of exiting. The Saint Lawrence Seaway didn't exist yet, and the vessels were too large to fit inside the small canals that led off of the Lakes and to the ocean.

Too bad. Otherwise - could they have served as ASW escort carriers? Maybe carrying half a dozen Swordfish?

 

[bsmart]

Because they were physically incapable of exiting. The Saint Lawrence Seaway didn't exist yet, and the vessels were too large to fit inside the small canals that led off of the Lakes and to the ocean.

Well there is always this scenario

http://www.combinedfleet.com/furashita/sable_f.htm

 

[CalBear]

Too bad. Otherwise - could they have served as ASW escort carriers? Maybe carrying half a dozen Swordfish?

Re-read Leo's post. No accommodations and no weapon storage. No elevators, no hanger deck.

Not combat capable, not close to being combat capable.

 

[HMS Warspite]

Too bad. Otherwise - could they have served as ASW escort carriers? Maybe carrying half a dozen Swordfish?

Higly unlikely, as the vessels merely were just floating decks only, with no hangar, equipment, or storage for aircraft maintenance, or armaments. Aircraft operating on these ships would need to go to other ships, or landbases to refuel and arm themseleves. You certainly can park aircraft on them, but these need to be both fueled and armed prior to shipping them onboard.