Oh, say can you see... the American TTL flat-tops!
The
Essexes were a bit of a challenge to name, as since the USN isn't fighting Japan, there aren't going to be ships named after battles with Japan, and I also don't want to reveal which carriers, if any, get sunk, so I had to dip into Civil War battles. USN experts, feel free to correct me if I have a name that another ship is using, or if it's grossly out of character.
USS Langley (1920)
(CV-1) is a seaplane tender, converted in 1937.
Constellation Class (1920)
Flag: USA
Type: Fleet Carrier
Ships in Class:
Constellation (CV-2)
Ranger (CV-3)
Dimensions: 888' x 106' x 30.5' . 36 000 t standard
Air Wing: 78
Propulsion: Oil fired boilers, turbo-electric drive. 33.25 kn rated speed.
Characteristics:
-Straight deck, extends full length
-Starboard island, very large slab-sided funnel
-Open bow and stern
-Hydraulic catapult
USS United States (1934)
Flag: USA
Type: Fleet Carrier
Single Ship Class (CV-4)
Dimensions: 769' x 109.5' x 22.5'. 15 000 t standard
Air Wing: 76-86
Propulsion: Oil fired boilers, geared steam turbines. 29.5kn rated speed.
Characteristics:
-Straight deck, extends full length
-Starboard island
-Open bow and stern
-Hydraulic catapults
-3 small funnels per side.
Yorktown Class (1935)
Flag: USA
Type: Fleet Carrier
Ships in Class:
Yorktown (CV-5)
Enterprise (CV-6)
Hornet (CV-8)
Dimensions: 824 x 109.5 x 26' 20 000t standard
Air Wing: 90
Propulsion: Oil fired boilers, geared steam turbines. 32.5kn rated speed
Characteristics:
-Straight deck, extends nearly full length
-Open bow and stern
-Starboard island
-Hydraulic catapults
USS Wasp (CV-7) 1936
Flag: USA
Type: Fleet Carrier
Single ship class
Dimensions: 751' x 121' (at flight deck) x 20'. 17 000t at standard load
Air Wing: 80-100
Propulsion: Oil fired boilers, geared steam turbines. 29.5kn rated speed.
Characteristics:
-Angled deck, extends nearly full length
-Open bow and stern
-Starboard island
-Hydraulic catapults
Scorpion Class (1939)
Flag: USA
Type: Fleet Carrier
Ships in Class:
Scorpion(CV-9)
Firefly (CV-10)
Dimensions: 846' x 141' x 26'. 25 000t standard load.
Air Wing: 90-105
Propulsion: Oil fired boilers, geared steam turbines. 32.5kn rated speed.
Characteristics:
-Angled deck; deck stops just short of forepeak to accommodate AA guns.
-Open bow and stern
-Starboard island
-Hydraulic catapults
-Essentially follow-on
Yorktowns with
Wasp features added; the "spiritual predecessors" to the
Essex class.
Essex Class (Short Hull) 1941
Flag: USA
Type: Fleet Carrier
Ships in Class:
Essex (CV-11)
Bon Homme Richard (CV-12)
Intrepid (CV-13)
Kearsarge (CV-14)
Franklin (CV-15)
Cabot (CV-18)
Bunker Hill (CV-19)
Oriskany (CV-20)
Bennington (CV-22)
Chancellorsville (CV-23)
Dimensions: 894' x 164' x 27' 37 000 t standard
Air Wing: 110
Propulsion: Oil fired boilers, geared steam turbines. 32kn rated speed.
Characteristics:
-Angled deck
-Starboard island
-Hydraulic catapults
-Open bow and stern
Essex/Ticonderoga Class (Long Hull) 1941
Flag: USA
Type: Fleet Carrier
Ships in Class:
Ticonderoga (CV-16)
Randolph (CV-17)
Hancock (CV-21)
Lake Erie (CV-32)
Crown Point (CV-33)
Antietam (CV-34)
Lake Champlain (CV-35)
Valley Forge (CV-36)
Princeton (CV-37)
Boxer (CV-38)
Port Royal (CV-39)
Hampton Roads (CV-40)
Mobile Bay (CV-41)
Shiloh (CV-42)
Dimensions: 898' x 166' x 27' (at flight deck) 39 000t standard
Air Wing: 110
Propulsion: Oil fired boilers, geared steam turbines. 32kn rated speed.
Characteristics:
-Angled deck; deck stops just short of forepeak to accommodate AA guns.
-Open bow and stern
-Starboard island
-Hydraulic catapults
-Slightly larger subclass within the
Essex class; steeper angled deck.
Independence Class (1941)
Flag: USA
Type: Light Carrier
Ships in Class:
Independence (CVL-23)
Chickamauga (CVL-24)
Belleau Wood (CVL-25)
Cowpens (CVL-26)
San Jacinto (CVL-27)
Vicksburg (CVL-28)
Gettysburg (CVL-29)
White Marsh (CVL-30)
Haw River (CVL-31)
Dimensions: 664' x 128' x 19' 14 000 t standard
Air Wing: 45-50
Propulsion: Oil fired boilers, geared steam turbines. 32.5kn rated speed.
Characteristics:
-Angled deck; extends nearly full length
-Open bow and stern
-Starboard island
-Hydraulic catapult
-Hull form adapted from the
Vincennes class light cruiser, modified for improved carrier configuration.