TL-191: Yankee Joe - Uniforms, Weapons, and Vehicles of the U.S. Armed Forces

[Alterwright]

View attachment 657678
A Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-5) during the Second Battle of Bermuda, circa April of 1943.

The SBD Dauntless was first developed and introduced in 1940 by the Douglas Aircraft Company as a replacement for the older Curtiss SBC Helldiver as the US Navy's primary scouting and dive bomber. The aircraft was armed with two Colt 12.7mm machine-guns in the nose, two 7.62mm MGs in the rear for defense, and could carry up to 2,250 pounds of bombs and was equipped with dive brakes for diving attacks against ground and sea targets. For the whole duration of the Second Great War, the Dauntless would prove itself as an excellent dive bomber, sinking a large number of Radius and Japanese ships as well as ground targets. The type would also serve in modified form in the United States Air Force as the A-24 Banshee, in addition, small numbers would be supplied to the air forces of Quebec, Denmark, and Brazil before the conflict as well as the German Navy using some aboard their own carriers. A grand total of 6,233 airframes would be produced from it's production run from 1940 to 1944.

View attachment 657686
A Curtiss SB2C Helldiver from the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga (CV-12) during the Battle of Rockall Bank in late 1943.

The SB2C was developed in 1940 to replace the SBD Dauntless, in which was to be faster than the preceding type and could carry more armaments. As the SB2C began to enter service in early 1943, problems with the new model were discovered which included structural problems, poor handling, directional instability. Curtiss in response, would tweak the design, delaying it's introduction into service, in which it was not until later that year when the first planes were ready for battle in time for the Battle of Rockall Bank. There, the Helldiver would prove it's worth to the pilots who flew as it sank some British warships during the battle. Later in the war, the Helldiver would also see combat service over the Caribbean, the North Atlantic, the British Isles, the Pacific Northwest, and the Atlantic coastline of the CSA. When production of the SB2C ended in November of 1944, a grand total of 4,187 airframes would be constructed and would serve in the air forces of Ireland, Quebec, Haiti, Texas, Brazil, and Portugal. It's armament would include two 20mm cannons in the wings, two 7.62mm machine-guns in the rear, four optional 12.7mm machine-guns in pods underneath the wings, eight 5-inch HVAR rockets, and up to 2,000 pounds of bombs or a single torpedo in it's internal bomb-bay.

View attachment 657702
A TBF Avenger from the light aircraft carrier USS Roanoke (CVL-15) in the North Pacific, circa December of 1943.

By 1940, it was evident to the US Navy that the TBD Devastator torpedo bomber was obsolete, which would prompt the navy to start looking for a replacement. By December of the following year, the replacement would be selected from the Grumman corporation was adopted as the TBF Avenger. By the spring of 1942, the first production aircraft would be introduced into use with the US Navy aboard their carriers stationed in the Pacific. By the end of the summer, the Avenger would be in full service as the navy's standard carrier borne torpedo bomber and would quickly prove it's worth during the Second Battle of the Three Navies. The Avenger was powered by Wright R-2600-8 Twin Cyclone 14 cylinder radial engine with a top speed of 278 miles per hour, and was armed with two 12.7mm machine-guns in the wings, a single 12.7mm machine-gun in the rear turret, and one 7.62mm machine-gun in the ventral position. The bomber could carry either eight 5-inch HVAR rockets, 2,000 pounds of bombs, or a single torpedo. During the Second Great War, the Avenger would serve in great numbers in both the Union Navy and Marine Corps, as well a small number being used by the German Navy aboard the SMS Graf Zeppelin and with the Luftwaffe in Mittleafrika. Post-war, the Avenger would be developed into many different variant including one for anti-submarine warfare and would not be retired until the 1960s, in which a grand total of 9,000 airframes would be built.

Nice work! These look great! The paint jobs and colors suit them well and I like the bits of into as to where they served.

 

[S. Marlowski]

A F2B-2 Buffalo from the USS Sandwich Islands during the First Battle of Bermuda, circa August of 1941.

Introduced in 1938, the Brewster F2B Buffalo was the US Navy's first monoplane fighter replacing the earlier Grumman F2A biplane. The aircraft would be armed with 4 12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns, two in the nose and wings respectively and could also carry two bombs on underneath racks. By the summer of 1941, the Buffalo was beginning to show it's obsolescence and was in the process of being replaced from USN service by the new Grumman F3A Katzenjammer. On the outbreak of war however, this process was not fully complete as the air groups of the aircraft carriers Sandwich Islands, Bonhomme Richard, and Hornet were still comprised either partially or fully of Buffalos. In addition, numerous USMC fighter squadrons were also using the type in the from of the F2B-3 variant. At the battles of Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Midway, the Buffalo fighter proved no match for the British Sea Hurricane, the Confederate Hound-Dogs, and the Japanese Zero respectively, which those dogfights proved to be a one sided affair for the F2B's enemies. By the start of 1942, all remaining Buffalos were withdrawn to use as advanced trainers. Other users of the model were the Dutch, Finnish, and Ottomans, in both Dutch and Ottoman service, would not fare much better. However, the Finns would prove to be rather successful users of the model during the Lappland War against the Russians as they had modified their Buffalos into better fighters.

A F4A-5 Wildcat from the aircraft carrier USS Ranger in the Strait of Magellan, circa February of 1944.

In October of 1941, Grumman would begin work on a new fighter design which was to replace the earlier Katzenjammer by including new features such as hydraulically retractable landing gear, as well as other improvements. During this, Grumman would work with the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics and with experienced F3A pilots to give the new plane an edge over the Zero and other Radius fighters. In early 1943, the first of the new Wildcats would enter service aboard the aircraft carriers Enterprise and Ticonderoga just in time for the Second Battle of Bermuda. There it would prove itself a viable aircraft when faced against the Seadogs, Sea Hurricanes, Spitfires, and Fulmars that the enemy field there. Later on, the more Wildcats would be fielded by the Navy serving the North Pacific, the Atlantic, and in the Caribbean and the plane would also see some improvements including night fighter variants. The Wildcat was armed with six 12.7mm M2 machine-guns in the wings, it could carry up to 4,000 pounds of bombs or a single torpedo, six 5-inch HVAR rockets or two 11-inch Tiny Tim anti-ship rockets. A total of 8,184 airframes would be produced from 1942-1945 and would in several different air forces until 1960.

A F7A Bearcat from the light aircraft carrier USS Queen Charlotte Islands in the North Sea, circa Summer of 1944.

In the middle of 1942, Grumman would begin work on a new fighter design which it's aim was to a smaller version of the XF4A prototype but with the same capabilities. In that same year, the US Navy would receive and evaluate a German Focke Wulf 190, in which it turn, would help with the development of the Grumman G-58. In June of 1944, the F7A Bearcat would enter service with the US Navy would begin to replace the F3A Katzenjammer from service aboard it's escort and light aircraft carriers. However, the following month, the war came to an end before the type had a chance to test itself in combat. The F7A came equipped with four 20mm cannons in the wings, in addition, it can carry four 5-inch HVAR rockets and up to 1,000 pounds of bombs. In the immediate post-war period, the Bearcat would be made the standard fighter plane for the US Navy as well becoming one the first planes to used by it's Blue Angels Aerobatic Team as well serving in several different air forces until their replacement by turbo fighters in the 1950s and 1960s.

 

[Alterwright]

View attachment 657932
A F2B-2 Buffalo from the USS Sandwich Islands during the First Battle of Bermuda, circa August of 1941.

Introduced in 1938, the Brewster F2B Buffalo was the US Navy's first monoplane fighter replacing the earlier Grumman F2A biplane. The aircraft would be armed with 4 12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns, two in the nose and wings respectively and could also carry two bombs on underneath racks. By the summer of 1941, the Buffalo was beginning to show it's obsolescence and was in the process of being replaced from USN service by the new Grumman F3A Katzenjammer. On the outbreak of war however, this process was not fully complete as the air groups of the aircraft carriers Sandwich Islands, Bonhomme Richard, and Hornet were still comprised either partially or fully of Buffalos. In addition, numerous USMC fighter squadrons were also using the type in the from of the F2B-3 variant. At the battles of Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Midway, the Buffalo fighter proved no match for the British Sea Hurricane, the Confederate Hound-Dogs, and the Japanese Zero respectively, which those dogfights proved to be a one sided affair for the F2B's enemies. By the start of 1942, all remaining Buffalos were withdrawn to use as advanced trainers. Other users of the model were the Dutch, Finnish, and Ottomans, in both Dutch and Ottoman service, would not fare much better. However, the Finns would prove to be rather successful users of the model during the Lappland War against the Russians as they had modified their Buffalos into better fighters.

View attachment 657937
A F4A-5 Wildcat from the aircraft carrier USS Ranger in the Strait of Magellan, circa February of 1944.

In October of 1941, Grumman would begin work on a new fighter design which was to replace the earlier Katzenjammer by including new features such as hydraulically retractable landing gear, as well as other improvements. During this, Grumman would work with the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics and with experienced F3A pilots to give the new plane an edge over the Zero and other Radius fighters. In early 1943, the first of the new Wildcats would enter service aboard the aircraft carriers Enterprise and Ticonderoga just in time for the Second Battle of Bermuda. There it would prove itself a viable aircraft when faced against the Seadogs, Sea Hurricanes, Spitfires, and Fulmars that the enemy field there. Later on, the more Wildcats would be fielded by the Navy serving the North Pacific, the Atlantic, and in the Caribbean and the plane would also see some improvements including night fighter variants. The Wildcat was armed with six 12.7mm M2 machine-guns in the wings, it could carry up to 4,000 pounds of bombs or a single torpedo, six 5-inch HVAR rockets or two 11-inch Tiny Tim anti-ship rockets. A total of 9,184 airframes would be produced from 1942-1945 and would in several different air forces until 1960.

View attachment 657944
A F7A Bearcat from the light aircraft carrier USS Queen Charlotte Islands in the North Sea, circa Summer of 1944.

In the middle of 1942, Grumman would begin work on a new fighter design which it's aim was to a smaller version of the XF4A prototype but with the same capabilities. In that same year, the US Navy would receive and evaluate a German Focke Wulf 190, in which it turn, would help with the development of the Grumman G-58. In June of 1944, the F7A Bearcat would enter service with the US Navy would begin to replace the F3A Katzenjammer from service aboard it's escort and light aircraft carriers. However, the following month, the war came to an end before the type had a chance to test itself in combat. The F7A came equipped with four 20mm cannons in the wings, in addition, it can carry four 5-inch HVAR rockets and up to 1,000 pounds of bombs. In the immediate post-war period, the Bearcat would be made the standard fighter plane for the US Navy as well becoming one the first planes to used by it's Blue Angels Aerobatic Team as well serving in several different air forces until their replacement by turbo fighters in the 1950s and 1960s.

All of these are great. I think I’m going to save the first two for my project. But what is this “Katzenjammer” you mentioned?

 

[S. Marlowski]

To start....
View attachment 545572


The US navy's embryonic Naval Air Force had been well-honed by the outbreak of the Second Great War, going so far as to launch a Carrier air raid on Charleston, South Carolina on the opening days of hostilities. From its early days following the end of the First Great War, the USN's Aircraft Carrier program had been a world-leader, pioneering many of the techniques and operational strategies, and experience in the Pacific War had demonstrated that Carriers would determine the future of Naval Warfare.
As the USN's first carrier, the converted battlecruiser USS Remembrance, had advanced, despite the languishing years of Socialist rule and Depression, she had needed updates to her aircraft infrastructure to maintain parity with overseas developments, such as those of the British and Japanese.

Grumman Aircraft had provided such updates by the beginning of the 1940's, as the Aggression of the rebuilt CSA had reached a boiling point.

the F3A "Katzenjammer" was the first USN fighter to have retractable landing gear, a fully enclosed cockpit and folding wings, allowing for storage of more aircraft without needing to increase the size of the carrier's hanger. Armed with 6 Browning .50 Caliber machine guns and capable of being fitted with drop tanks for extended range, the fighter was devleoped from experience in the Pacific War, where the USN's Biplane fighters had struggled with the new Mitsubishi A5M monoplanes the Japanese had fielded from their carriers.

Despite the advances that allowed the fighters to go toe-to-toe with both carrier planes and land-based aircraft, the F3A's weren't enough to save Bermuda, the battle for which saw pitched air battles with CSA-built "Sea Dog" Navalized versions of the Hughes Hound Dog fighter, or the Remembrance herself, which was sunk on December 7th 1941 off Midway Island. Marine squadrons based on the Island itself, bolstered by those planes able to escape the sinking carrier, held off the Japanese for a few more days, but the island eventually fell to the Japanese, forcing the US to withdraw to the Sandwich Islands and the West Coast.

The loss of Remembrance was a blow to the USN, but a temporary solution was found in "Escort" carriers, freighters converted with flight decks to hold smaller quantities of planes until new Fleet carriers could be built. The first two such vessels, the USS Trenton and USS Chapultepec, were soon jined by more such conversions, named for Famous battles and aviation pioneers. Marine units operating out of the Sandwich Islands had also engaged with Japanese bombers, and CSA and Mexican air patrols off Baja California.

This plane (which is OTL's Wildcat) as made by Soundwave3591

All of these are great. I think I’m going to save the first two for my project. But what is this “Katzenjammer” you mentioned?

 

[Alterwright]

View attachment 657932
A F2B-2 Buffalo from the USS Sandwich Islands during the First Battle of Bermuda, circa August of 1941.

Introduced in 1938, the Brewster F2B Buffalo was the US Navy's first monoplane fighter replacing the earlier Grumman F2A biplane. The aircraft would be armed with 4 12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns, two in the nose and wings respectively and could also carry two bombs on underneath racks. By the summer of 1941, the Buffalo was beginning to show it's obsolescence and was in the process of being replaced from USN service by the new Grumman F3A Katzenjammer. On the outbreak of war however, this process was not fully complete as the air groups of the aircraft carriers Sandwich Islands, Bonhomme Richard, and Hornet were still comprised either partially or fully of Buffalos. In addition, numerous USMC fighter squadrons were also using the type in the from of the F2B-3 variant. At the battles of Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Midway, the Buffalo fighter proved no match for the British Sea Hurricane, the Confederate Hound-Dogs, and the Japanese Zero respectively, which those dogfights proved to be a one sided affair for the F2B's enemies. By the start of 1942, all remaining Buffalos were withdrawn to use as advanced trainers. Other users of the model were the Dutch, Finnish, and Ottomans, in both Dutch and Ottoman service, would not fare much better. However, the Finns would prove to be rather successful users of the model during the Lappland War against the Russians as they had modified their Buffalos into better fighters.

View attachment 657937
A F4A-5 Wildcat from the aircraft carrier USS Ranger in the Strait of Magellan, circa February of 1944.

In October of 1941, Grumman would begin work on a new fighter design which was to replace the earlier Katzenjammer by including new features such as hydraulically retractable landing gear, as well as other improvements. During this, Grumman would work with the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics and with experienced F3A pilots to give the new plane an edge over the Zero and other Radius fighters. In early 1943, the first of the new Wildcats would enter service aboard the aircraft carriers Enterprise and Ticonderoga just in time for the Second Battle of Bermuda. There it would prove itself a viable aircraft when faced against the Seadogs, Sea Hurricanes, Spitfires, and Fulmars that the enemy field there. Later on, the more Wildcats would be fielded by the Navy serving the North Pacific, the Atlantic, and in the Caribbean and the plane would also see some improvements including night fighter variants. The Wildcat was armed with six 12.7mm M2 machine-guns in the wings, it could carry up to 4,000 pounds of bombs or a single torpedo, six 5-inch HVAR rockets or two 11-inch Tiny Tim anti-ship rockets. A total of 9,184 airframes would be produced from 1942-1945 and would in several different air forces until 1960.

View attachment 657944
A F7A Bearcat from the light aircraft carrier USS Queen Charlotte Islands in the North Sea, circa Summer of 1944.

In the middle of 1942, Grumman would begin work on a new fighter design which it's aim was to a smaller version of the XF4A prototype but with the same capabilities. In that same year, the US Navy would receive and evaluate a German Focke Wulf 190, in which it turn, would help with the development of the Grumman G-58. In June of 1944, the F7A Bearcat would enter service with the US Navy would begin to replace the F3A Katzenjammer from service aboard it's escort and light aircraft carriers. However, the following month, the war came to an end before the type had a chance to test itself in combat. The F7A came equipped with four 20mm cannons in the wings, in addition, it can carry four 5-inch HVAR rockets and up to 1,000 pounds of bombs. In the immediate post-war period, the Bearcat would be made the standard fighter plane for the US Navy as well becoming one the first planes to used by it's Blue Angels Aerobatic Team as well serving in several different air forces until their replacement by turbo fighters in the 1950s and 1960s.

I didn't the realize the Brewster Buffalos were carrier capable too. I don't recall ever seeing them in that role. Mostly the Wildcats and Hellcats replaced them by that time I guess.

While I personally actually like the eagle and crossed anchors as a naval air roundel for the planes, I do recognize that a more simple roundel would be adopted. Thus the star roundel makes sense as being eventually adopted.

In the early months of the war of course, older aircraft would be used and inevitably go through the meat grinder, meaning that the newer stuff eventually comes in.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

I didn't the realize the Brewster Buffalos were carrier capable too. I don't recall ever seeing them in that role. Mostly the Wildcats and Hellcats replaced them by that time I guess.

While I personally actually like the eagle and crossed anchors as a naval air roundel for the planes, I do recognize that a more simple roundel would be adopted. Thus the star roundel makes sense as being eventually adopted.

In the early months of the war of course, older aircraft would be used and inevitably go through the meat grinder, meaning that the newer stuff eventually comes in.

The F2B was carrier based OTL Brewster had major issues with production of all of its models and was so badly managed that the Government finally took it over during WWII. It was really really bad. As a fighter the Buffalo was completely out classed and except in Finland is close to forgotten same goes for the Brewster Buccaneer their Dive Bomber from around the same time period.

Brewster SB2A Buccaneer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Alterwright]

The F2B was carrier based OTL Brewster had major issues with production of all of its models and was so badly managed that the Government finally took it over during WWII. It was really really bad. As a fighter the Buffalo was completely out classed and except in Finland is close to forgotten same goes for the Brewster Buccaneer their Dive Bomber from around the same time period.

Brewster SB2A Buccaneer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

... I didn't even know this thing existed. 700 built and many of the completed ones were scrapped without being used. That's saying something.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

... I didn't even know this thing existed. 700 built and many of the completed ones were scrapped without being used. That's saying something.

Like I said it was just BAD. LOL Its hard to make some of the Junk France turned out leading up to WWII look good but the Buccaneer managed to.

 

[S. Marlowski]

USS Remembrance Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1920)

Specifications (Following 1941 refit)
Weight: 43,055 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x General Electric turbo generators
Range: 10,500 nautical miles
Sensors: 1x CXAM-1 early warning radar
Speed: 33.25 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 178mm
• Lower Deck: 32mm
• Sides: 51mm
• Roof: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 8 in guns (4x2)
• 12 x 5 in DP guns
• 20 x 28mm AA guns (5x4)
• 32 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 22 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 12 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Fate​
USS Remembrance (CV-1)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	August 17th, 1915	April 1st, 1918	May 10th, 1920	Sunk during the Battle of Midway, December 7th, 1941

USS Ranger Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1927)

Specifications (Following 1941 refit)
Weight: 41,400 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x General Electric turbo generators
Range: 9,150 nautical miles
Sensors: 1x CXAM-1 early warning radar
Speed: 33.25 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 214mm
• Lower Deck: 32mm
• Sides: 50mm
• Roof: 50mm

Armament:

• 6 x 8 in guns (3x2)
• 12 x 5 in DP guns
• 20 x 28mm AA guns (5x4)
• 34 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 22 F2B Buffalo Fighters
• 24 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 12 SB2U Vindicator Scout Bombers
• 12 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Ranger (CV-2)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	July 12, 1921	July 1, 1924	November 9, 1927	August 22, 1945	Sunk during Nuclear Tests in the Pacific in August of 1945.

USS Sandwich Islands Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1934)

Specifications (Following 1940 refit)
Weight: 17,577 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 2x Parsons geared steam turbines
Range: 7,000 nautical miles
Speed: 29 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 51mm (aircraft ammunition holds only)
• Deck: 25mm
• Bulkhead: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 32 x 28mm AA guns (8x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 12 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 12 F2B Buffalo Fighters
• 35 SB2U Vindicator Scout Bombers
• 2 J2F-1 Duck Seaplanes

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Sandwich Islands (CV-3)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 26, 1931	February 25, 1933	July 4, 1934	September 9, 1945	Sold for scrap, October 1945.

Bonhomme Richard class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1937-1941)

Specifications (As originally completed (Wasp))
Weight: 25,484 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 12,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SC early warning radar
Speed: 32.5 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 102mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Bulkhead: 102mm
• Sides: 102mm
• Roof: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 16 x 28mm AA guns (4x4)
• 14 x 20mm AA guns
• 10 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 27 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 37 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 15 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Bonhomme Richard (CV-4)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	May 21, 1934	April 4, 1936	September 30, 1937		Sunk during the Battle of Queen Charlotte Islands, September, 1942.
USS Enterprise (CV-5)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	July 16, 1934	October 10, 1936	May 12, 1938	November 11, 1949	Preserved as a Museum Ship in New York City, 1958.
USS Hornet (CV-6)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 4, 1934	February 14, 1937	July 22, 1939		Sunk by British Aircraft in the South Atlantic, November 1943.
USS Wasp (CV-8)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 25, 1939	December 14, 1940	October 20, 1941	September 19, 1949	Sold for scrap, April 1958.

USS Oriskany Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1940)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 19,100 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 2x Parsons geared steam turbines
Range: 7,500 nautical miles
Sensors: SC early warning radar
Speed: 29.5 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 16mm
• Deck: 32mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 16 x 28mm AA guns (4x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 29 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 30 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 15 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Fate​
USS Oriskany (CV-7)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	April 1, 1936	April 4, 1939	April 25, 1940	Sunk by HMS Tribune in the Labrador Sea, September 1942.

Benjamin Franklin class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1941-1950)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 34,881 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 15,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SK early warning radar, 2x Mk 4 fire control radar
Speed: 32.7 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 102mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Hanger Deck: 54mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns (4x2)
• 32 x 40mm AA guns (8x4)
• 46 x 20mm AA guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 36 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 18 TBF Avenger Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Benjamin Franklin (CV-9)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	April 28, 1940	July 31, 1941	December 31, 1941	October 9, 1974	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1960. Sold scrap, June 1975.
USS Yorktown (CV-10)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	December 1, 1940	January 1, 1942	April 4, 1942	June, 1973	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1957. Preserved as a museum ship in San Francisco, 1973.
USS Remembrance (CV-11) - ex Intrepid	Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City.	December 1, 1940	April 21, 1942	October 16, 1942	November 1989	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1962. Training carrier, 1969. Preserved as a museum ship in Philadelphia, 1990.
USS Ticonderoga (CV-12)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	September 1, 1941	September 30, 1942	February 17, 1943	February 1976	Sold for scrap, April 1976.
USS Valley Forge (CV-22)	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	June 9, 1942	April 30, 1943	January 7, 1944	January 1970	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1953. Helicopter Assault Carrier, 1960. Sold for scrap, January 1970.
USS Lubbock (CV-23)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	June 15, 1942	August 17, 1943	February 22, 1944	April 1974	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1961, Sold for scrap, May 1974.
USS Bunker Hill (CV-24)	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	July 6, 1942	May 24, 1943	January 18, 1944	November 1977.	Aviation Transport, 1959. Sold for scrap, June 1978.
USS Princeton (CV-25) - ex Hancock	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	August 16, 1942	October 24, 1943	April 22, 1944	July 1982.	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1969. Sold for scrap, August 1982.

4 additional ships in the class commissioned after the war; USS Intrepid (CV-26), USS Saratoga (CV-27) - ex Cabot, USS Randolph (CV-28), USS Mitchell (CV-29). All commissioned between September 1944 and May 1950.

Pittsburgh class Battle Aircraft Carrier (1945)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 59,901 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 15,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SK-2, SR-2, SX early warning radar, 2x Mk 19 fire control radar, TDY electronic counter-measures
Speed: 33 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 193mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Hanger Deck: 54mm
• Bulkheads: 160

Armament:

• 14 x 5 in DP guns
• 76 x 40mm AA guns (19x4)
• 28 x 20mm AA guns (14x2)

Aviation Capacity:

• 64 F4U-4 Corsair Fighters
• 4 F4A-5N Wildcat Night Fighters
• 64 SB2C Helldiver Dive Bombers
• 4 F4A-5P Wildcat Recon Planes

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Pittsburgh (CVB-30) - ex Franklin D. Roosevelt	Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City.	August 27, 1943	January 20, 1945	July 10, 1945	May 10, 1996	Preserved as a museum ship in Los Angeles, March 1997.
USS Rockall Bank (CVB-31) - ex United States	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	December 1, 1943	April 29, 1945	October 27, 1945	October 17, 1991	Sold for scrap, November 6, 1993.

 

[ThirdyLovesAH]

View attachment 658268
USS Remembrance Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1920)

Specifications (Following 1941 refit)
Weight: 43,055 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x General Electric turbo generators
Range: 10,500 nautical miles
Sensors: 1x CXAM-1 early warning radar
Speed: 33.25 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 178mm
• Lower Deck: 32mm
• Sides: 51mm
• Roof: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 8 in guns (4x2)
• 12 x 5 in DP guns
• 20 x 28mm AA guns (5x4)
• 32 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 22 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 12 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Fate​
USS Remembrance (CV-1)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	August 17th, 1915	April 1st, 1918	May 10th, 1920	Sunk during the Battle of Midway, December 7th, 1941

View attachment 658286
USS Ranger Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1927)

Specifications (Following 1941 refit)
Weight: 41,400 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x General Electric turbo generators
Range: 9,150 nautical miles
Sensors: 1x CXAM-1 early warning radar
Speed: 33.25 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 214mm
• Lower Deck: 32mm
• Sides: 50mm
• Roof: 50mm

Armament:

• 6 x 8 in guns (3x2)
• 12 x 5 in DP guns
• 20 x 28mm AA guns (5x4)
• 34 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 22 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 12 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Ranger (CV-2)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	July 12, 1921	July 1, 1924	November 9, 1927	August 22, 1945	Sunk during Nuclear Tests in the Pacific in August of 1945.

View attachment 658289
USS Sandwich Islands Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1934)

Specifications (Following 1940 refit)
Weight: 17,577 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 2x Parsons geared steam turbines
Range: 7,000 nautical miles
Speed: 29 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 51mm (aircraft ammunition holds only)
• Deck: 25mm
• Bulkhead: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 32 x 28mm AA guns (8x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 12 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 12 F2B Buffalo Fighters
• 35 SB2U Vindicator Scout Bombers
• 2 J2F-1 Duck Seaplanes

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Sandwich Islands (CV-3)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 26, 1931	February 25, 1933	July 4, 1934	September 9, 1945	Sold for scrap, October 1945.

View attachment 658294
Bonhomme Richard class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1937-1941)

Specifications (As originally completed (Wasp))
Weight: 25,484 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 12,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SC early warning radar
Speed: 32.5 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 102mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Bulkhead: 102mm
• Sides: 102mm
• Roof: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 16 x 28mm AA guns (4x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 27 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 37 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 15 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Bonhomme Richard (CV-4)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	May 21, 1934	April 4, 1936	September 30, 1937		Sunk during the Battle of Queen Charlotte Islands, September, 1942.
USS Enterprise (CV-5)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	July 16, 1934	October 10, 1936	May 12, 1938	November 11, 1949	Preserved as a Museum Ship in New York City, 1958.
USS Hornet (CV-6)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 4, 1934	February 14, 1937	July 22, 1939		Sunk by British Aircraft in the South Atlantic, November 1943.
USS Wasp (CV-8)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 25, 1939	December 14, 1940	October 20, 1941	September 19, 1949	Sold for scrap, April 1958.

View attachment 658300
USS Oriskany Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1940)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 19,100 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 2x Parsons geared steam turbines
Range: 7,500 nautical miles
Sensors: SC early warning radar
Speed: 29.5 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 16mm
• Deck: 32mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 16 x 28mm AA guns (4x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 29 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 30 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 15 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Fate​
USS Oriskany (CV-7)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	April 1, 1936	April 4, 1939	April 25, 1940	Sunk by HMS Tribune in the Labrador Sea, September 1942.

View attachment 658303
Benjamin Franklin class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1941-1950)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 34,881 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 15,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SK early warning radar, 2x Mk 4 fire control radar
Speed: 32.7 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 102mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Hanger Deck: 54mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns (4x2)
• 4 x 1 in DP guns
• 32 x 40mm AA guns (8x4)
• 46 x 20mm AA guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 36 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 18 TBF Avenger Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Benjamin Franklin (CV-9)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	April 28, 1940	July 31, 1941	December 31, 1941	October 9, 1974	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1960. Sold scrap, June 1975.
USS Yorktown (CV-10)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	December 1, 1940	January 1, 1942	April 4, 1942	June, 1973	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1957. Preserved as a museum ship in San Francisco, 1973.
USS Remembrance (CV-11) - ex Intrepid	Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City.	December 1, 1940	April 21, 1942	October 16, 1942	November 1989	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1962. Training carrier, 1969. Preserved as a museum ship in Philadelphia, 1990.
USS Ticonderoga (CV-12)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	September 1, 1941	September 30, 1942	February 17, 1943	February 1976	Sold for scrap, April 1976.
USS Valley Forge (CV-22)	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	June 9, 1942	April 30, 1943	January 7, 1944	January 1970	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1953. Helicopter Assault Carrier, 1960. Sold for scrap, January 1970.
USS Lubbock (CV-23)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	June 15, 1942	August 17, 1943	February 22, 1944	April 1974	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1961, Sold for scrap, May 1974.
USS Bunker Hill (CV-24)	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	July 6, 1942	May 24, 1943	January 18, 1944	November 1977.	Aviation Transport, 1959. Sold for scrap, June 1978.
USS Princeton (CV-25) - ex Hancock	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	August 16, 1942	October 24, 1943	April 22, 1944	July 1982.	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1969. Sold for scrap, August 1982.

4 additional ships in the class commissioned after the war; USS Intrepid (CV-26), USS Saratoga (CV-27) - ex Cabot, USS Randolph (CV-28), USS Mitchell (CV-29). All commissioned between September 1944 and May 1950.

View attachment 658314
Pittsburgh class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1945)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 59,901 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 15,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SK-2, SR-2, SX early warning radar, 2x Mk 19 fire control radar, TDY electronic counter-measures
Speed: 33 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 193mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Hanger Deck: 54mm
• Bulkheads: 160

Armament:

• 14 x 5 in DP guns
• 76 x 40mm AA guns (19x4)
• 28 x 20mm AA guns (14x2)

Aviation Capacity:

• 64 F4U-4 Corsair Fighters
• 4 F4A-5N Wildcat Night Fighters
• 64 SB2C Helldiver Dive Bombers
• 4 F4A-5P Wildcat Recon Planes

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Pittsburgh (CVB-30) - ex Franklin D. Roosevelt	Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City.	August 27, 1943	January 20, 1945	July 10, 1945	May 10, 1996	Preserved as a museum ship in Los Angeles, March 1997.
USS Rockall Bank (CVB-31) - ex United States	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	December 1, 1943	April 29, 1945	October 27, 1945	October 17, 1977	Sold for scrap, November 6, 1977.

I love how US Navy is still one of the largest navies in the planet despite being not united. Also, you will do the version of this using US Battleships?

 

[S. Marlowski]

I love how US Navy is still one of the largest navies in the planet despite being not united. Also, you will do the version of this using US Battleships?

at some point yes

 

[Alterwright]

View attachment 658268
USS Remembrance Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1920)

Specifications (Following 1941 refit)
Weight: 43,055 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x General Electric turbo generators
Range: 10,500 nautical miles
Sensors: 1x CXAM-1 early warning radar
Speed: 33.25 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 178mm
• Lower Deck: 32mm
• Sides: 51mm
• Roof: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 8 in guns (4x2)
• 12 x 5 in DP guns
• 20 x 28mm AA guns (5x4)
• 32 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 22 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 12 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Fate​
USS Remembrance (CV-1)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	August 17th, 1915	April 1st, 1918	May 10th, 1920	Sunk during the Battle of Midway, December 7th, 1941

View attachment 658286
USS Ranger Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1927)

Specifications (Following 1941 refit)
Weight: 41,400 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x General Electric turbo generators
Range: 9,150 nautical miles
Sensors: 1x CXAM-1 early warning radar
Speed: 33.25 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 214mm
• Lower Deck: 32mm
• Sides: 50mm
• Roof: 50mm

Armament:

• 6 x 8 in guns (3x2)
• 12 x 5 in DP guns
• 20 x 28mm AA guns (5x4)
• 34 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 22 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 12 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Ranger (CV-2)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	July 12, 1921	July 1, 1924	November 9, 1927	August 22, 1945	Sunk during Nuclear Tests in the Pacific in August of 1945.

View attachment 658289
USS Sandwich Islands Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1934)

Specifications (Following 1940 refit)
Weight: 17,577 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 2x Parsons geared steam turbines
Range: 7,000 nautical miles
Speed: 29 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 51mm (aircraft ammunition holds only)
• Deck: 25mm
• Bulkhead: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 32 x 28mm AA guns (8x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 12 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 12 F2B Buffalo Fighters
• 35 SB2U Vindicator Scout Bombers
• 2 J2F-1 Duck Seaplanes

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Sandwich Islands (CV-3)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 26, 1931	February 25, 1933	July 4, 1934	September 9, 1945	Sold for scrap, October 1945.

View attachment 658294
Bonhomme Richard class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1937-1941)

Specifications (As originally completed (Wasp))
Weight: 25,484 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 12,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SC early warning radar
Speed: 32.5 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 102mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Bulkhead: 102mm
• Sides: 102mm
• Roof: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 16 x 28mm AA guns (4x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 27 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 37 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 15 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Bonhomme Richard (CV-4)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	May 21, 1934	April 4, 1936	September 30, 1937		Sunk during the Battle of Queen Charlotte Islands, September, 1942.
USS Enterprise (CV-5)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	July 16, 1934	October 10, 1936	May 12, 1938	November 11, 1949	Preserved as a Museum Ship in New York City, 1958.
USS Hornet (CV-6)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 4, 1934	February 14, 1937	July 22, 1939		Sunk by British Aircraft in the South Atlantic, November 1943.
USS Wasp (CV-8)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 25, 1939	December 14, 1940	October 20, 1941	September 19, 1949	Sold for scrap, April 1958.

View attachment 658300
USS Oriskany Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1940)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 19,100 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 2x Parsons geared steam turbines
Range: 7,500 nautical miles
Sensors: SC early warning radar
Speed: 29.5 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 16mm
• Deck: 32mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 16 x 28mm AA guns (4x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 29 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 30 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 15 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Fate​
USS Oriskany (CV-7)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	April 1, 1936	April 4, 1939	April 25, 1940	Sunk by HMS Tribune in the Labrador Sea, September 1942.

View attachment 658303
Benjamin Franklin class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1941-1950)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 34,881 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 15,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SK early warning radar, 2x Mk 4 fire control radar
Speed: 32.7 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 102mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Hanger Deck: 54mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns (4x2)
• 4 x 1 in DP guns
• 32 x 40mm AA guns (8x4)
• 46 x 20mm AA guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 36 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 18 TBF Avenger Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Benjamin Franklin (CV-9)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	April 28, 1940	July 31, 1941	December 31, 1941	October 9, 1974	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1960. Sold scrap, June 1975.
USS Yorktown (CV-10)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	December 1, 1940	January 1, 1942	April 4, 1942	June, 1973	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1957. Preserved as a museum ship in San Francisco, 1973.
USS Remembrance (CV-11) - ex Intrepid	Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City.	December 1, 1940	April 21, 1942	October 16, 1942	November 1989	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1962. Training carrier, 1969. Preserved as a museum ship in Philadelphia, 1990.
USS Ticonderoga (CV-12)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	September 1, 1941	September 30, 1942	February 17, 1943	February 1976	Sold for scrap, April 1976.
USS Valley Forge (CV-22)	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	June 9, 1942	April 30, 1943	January 7, 1944	January 1970	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1953. Helicopter Assault Carrier, 1960. Sold for scrap, January 1970.
USS Lubbock (CV-23)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	June 15, 1942	August 17, 1943	February 22, 1944	April 1974	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1961, Sold for scrap, May 1974.
USS Bunker Hill (CV-24)	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	July 6, 1942	May 24, 1943	January 18, 1944	November 1977.	Aviation Transport, 1959. Sold for scrap, June 1978.
USS Princeton (CV-25) - ex Hancock	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	August 16, 1942	October 24, 1943	April 22, 1944	July 1982.	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1969. Sold for scrap, August 1982.

4 additional ships in the class commissioned after the war; USS Intrepid (CV-26), USS Saratoga (CV-27) - ex Cabot, USS Randolph (CV-28), USS Mitchell (CV-29). All commissioned between September 1944 and May 1950.

View attachment 658314
Pittsburgh class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1945)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 59,901 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 15,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SK-2, SR-2, SX early warning radar, 2x Mk 19 fire control radar, TDY electronic counter-measures
Speed: 33 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 193mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Hanger Deck: 54mm
• Bulkheads: 160

Armament:

• 14 x 5 in DP guns
• 76 x 40mm AA guns (19x4)
• 28 x 20mm AA guns (14x2)

Aviation Capacity:

• 64 F4U-4 Corsair Fighters
• 4 F4A-5N Wildcat Night Fighters
• 64 SB2C Helldiver Dive Bombers
• 4 F4A-5P Wildcat Recon Planes

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Pittsburgh (CVB-30) - ex Franklin D. Roosevelt	Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City.	August 27, 1943	January 20, 1945	July 10, 1945	May 10, 1996	Preserved as a museum ship in Los Angeles, March 1997.
USS Rockall Bank (CVB-31) - ex United States	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	December 1, 1943	April 29, 1945	October 27, 1945	October 17, 1977	Sold for scrap, November 6, 1977.

Fantastic! I love these. I’m curious as to how you’re making these pictures. Are you using Paint-3D or another more advanced app?

I assume that the Ben Franklin Class is the equivalent of the Essex Class in this case, and that the Pittsburgh Class is the equivalent of the Midway Class. It’s also interesting to me that the US here doesn’t seem to have as many fleet carriers as in our timeline. I’m guessing there would be more light carriers perhaps? And of course you can’t have a US Navy without its Enterprise.

With the names selected, I have a pretty good assumption that a few are named after battles from the Second Great War, namely Pittsburgh, Lubbock, and Rock(b)all Bank. I’m guessing the last one is a battle you came up with. Fitting though, since quite a few in our own timeline were named after battles from WW1.

Remembrace and Ranger look very similar to each other but it’s interesting to me that you made them separate classes, likely owing to them being constructed differently.

 

[S. Marlowski]

Fantastic! I love these. I’m curious as to how you’re making these pictures. Are you using Paint-3D or another more advanced app?

Those actually come from navypedia.com, and that is where I also sourced much of the info for the ship's stats and capacities from. A pretty good website about warships.

 

[Alterwright]

Those actually come from navypedia.com, and that is where I also sourced much of the info for the ship's stats and capacities from. A pretty good website about warships.

Excellent. I ought to use this for my project then. I want to make something similar for my project I’m working on. It will involve the escort carriers of the US Navy squaring off against Japanese light carriers.

 

[ThirdyLovesAH]

Those actually come from navypedia.com, and that is where I also sourced much of the info for the ship's stats and capacities from. A pretty good website about warships.

I was thinking of doing similar to your work, though I will focus on the 4th Pacific War.

 

[Alterwright]

I was thinking of doing similar to your work, though I will focus on the 4th Pacific War.

4th Pacific War?

 

[ThirdyLovesAH]

4th Pacific War?

@David bar Elias' TL-191 After The End.

 

[Alterwright]

View attachment 658268
USS Remembrance Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1920)

Specifications (Following 1941 refit)
Weight: 43,055 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x General Electric turbo generators
Range: 10,500 nautical miles
Sensors: 1x CXAM-1 early warning radar
Speed: 33.25 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 178mm
• Lower Deck: 32mm
• Sides: 51mm
• Roof: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 8 in guns (4x2)
• 12 x 5 in DP guns
• 20 x 28mm AA guns (5x4)
• 32 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 22 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 12 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Fate​
USS Remembrance (CV-1)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	August 17th, 1915	April 1st, 1918	May 10th, 1920	Sunk during the Battle of Midway, December 7th, 1941

View attachment 658286
USS Ranger Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1927)

Specifications (Following 1941 refit)
Weight: 41,400 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x General Electric turbo generators
Range: 9,150 nautical miles
Sensors: 1x CXAM-1 early warning radar
Speed: 33.25 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 214mm
• Lower Deck: 32mm
• Sides: 50mm
• Roof: 50mm

Armament:

• 6 x 8 in guns (3x2)
• 12 x 5 in DP guns
• 20 x 28mm AA guns (5x4)
• 34 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 22 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 12 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Ranger (CV-2)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	July 12, 1921	July 1, 1924	November 9, 1927	August 22, 1945	Sunk during Nuclear Tests in the Pacific in August of 1945.

View attachment 658289
USS Sandwich Islands Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1934)

Specifications (Following 1940 refit)
Weight: 17,577 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 2x Parsons geared steam turbines
Range: 7,000 nautical miles
Speed: 29 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 51mm (aircraft ammunition holds only)
• Deck: 25mm
• Bulkhead: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 32 x 28mm AA guns (8x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 12 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 12 F2B Buffalo Fighters
• 35 SB2U Vindicator Scout Bombers
• 2 J2F-1 Duck Seaplanes

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Sandwich Islands (CV-3)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 26, 1931	February 25, 1933	July 4, 1934	September 9, 1945	Sold for scrap, October 1945.

View attachment 658294
Bonhomme Richard class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1937-1941)

Specifications (As originally completed (Wasp))
Weight: 25,484 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 12,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SC early warning radar
Speed: 32.5 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 102mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Bulkhead: 102mm
• Sides: 102mm
• Roof: 51mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 16 x 28mm AA guns (4x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 27 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 37 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 15 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Bonhomme Richard (CV-4)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	May 21, 1934	April 4, 1936	September 30, 1937		Sunk during the Battle of Queen Charlotte Islands, September, 1942.
USS Enterprise (CV-5)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	July 16, 1934	October 10, 1936	May 12, 1938	November 11, 1949	Preserved as a Museum Ship in New York City, 1958.
USS Hornet (CV-6)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 4, 1934	February 14, 1937	July 22, 1939		Sunk by British Aircraft in the South Atlantic, November 1943.
USS Wasp (CV-8)	New York Shipbuilding, Camden, New Jersey	September 25, 1939	December 14, 1940	October 20, 1941	September 19, 1949	Sold for scrap, April 1958.

View attachment 658300
USS Oriskany Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1940)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 19,100 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 2x Parsons geared steam turbines
Range: 7,500 nautical miles
Sensors: SC early warning radar
Speed: 29.5 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 16mm
• Deck: 32mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns
• 16 x 28mm AA guns (4x4)
• 24 x 12.7mm AA machine-guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 29 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 30 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 15 TBD Devastator Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Fate​
USS Oriskany (CV-7)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	April 1, 1936	April 4, 1939	April 25, 1940	Sunk by HMS Tribune in the Labrador Sea, September 1942.

View attachment 658303
Benjamin Franklin class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1941-1950)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 34,881 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 15,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SK early warning radar, 2x Mk 4 fire control radar
Speed: 32.7 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 102mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Hanger Deck: 54mm

Armament:

• 8 x 5 in DP guns (4x2)
• 4 x 1 in DP guns
• 32 x 40mm AA guns (8x4)
• 46 x 20mm AA guns

Aviation Capacity:

• 36 F3A Katzenjammer Fighters
• 36 SBD Dauntless Scout Bombers
• 18 TBF Avenger Torpedo Bombers

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Benjamin Franklin (CV-9)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	April 28, 1940	July 31, 1941	December 31, 1941	October 9, 1974	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1960. Sold scrap, June 1975.
USS Yorktown (CV-10)	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts.	December 1, 1940	January 1, 1942	April 4, 1942	June, 1973	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1957. Preserved as a museum ship in San Francisco, 1973.
USS Remembrance (CV-11) - ex Intrepid	Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City.	December 1, 1940	April 21, 1942	October 16, 1942	November 1989	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1962. Training carrier, 1969. Preserved as a museum ship in Philadelphia, 1990.
USS Ticonderoga (CV-12)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	September 1, 1941	September 30, 1942	February 17, 1943	February 1976	Sold for scrap, April 1976.
USS Valley Forge (CV-22)	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	June 9, 1942	April 30, 1943	January 7, 1944	January 1970	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1953. Helicopter Assault Carrier, 1960. Sold for scrap, January 1970.
USS Lubbock (CV-23)	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	June 15, 1942	August 17, 1943	February 22, 1944	April 1974	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1961, Sold for scrap, May 1974.
USS Bunker Hill (CV-24)	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	July 6, 1942	May 24, 1943	January 18, 1944	November 1977.	Aviation Transport, 1959. Sold for scrap, June 1978.
USS Princeton (CV-25) - ex Hancock	Todd Dry Dock & Construction Co, Tacoma, Washington	August 16, 1942	October 24, 1943	April 22, 1944	July 1982.	ASW Aircraft Carrier, 1969. Sold for scrap, August 1982.

4 additional ships in the class commissioned after the war; USS Intrepid (CV-26), USS Saratoga (CV-27) - ex Cabot, USS Randolph (CV-28), USS Mitchell (CV-29). All commissioned between September 1944 and May 1950.

View attachment 658314
Pittsburgh class Fleet Aircraft Carrier (1945)

Specifications (As originally completed)
Weight: 59,901 long tons fully loaded
Propulsion: 4x Westinghouse geared steam turbines
Range: 15,000 nautical miles
Sensors: SK-2, SR-2, SX early warning radar, 2x Mk 19 fire control radar, TDY electronic counter-measures
Speed: 33 knots
Armor:

• Belt: 193mm
• Deck: 32mm
• Hanger Deck: 54mm
• Bulkheads: 160

Armament:

• 14 x 5 in DP guns
• 76 x 40mm AA guns (19x4)
• 28 x 20mm AA guns (14x2)

Aviation Capacity:

• 64 F4U-4 Corsair Fighters
• 4 F4A-5N Wildcat Night Fighters
• 64 SB2C Helldiver Dive Bombers
• 4 F4A-5P Wildcat Recon Planes

Ship​	Builder​	Laid Down​	Launched​	Commissioned​	Decommissioned​	Fate​
USS Pittsburgh (CVB-30) - ex Franklin D. Roosevelt	Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City.	August 27, 1943	January 20, 1945	July 10, 1945	May 10, 1996	Preserved as a museum ship in Los Angeles, March 1997.
USS Rockall Bank (CVB-31) - ex United States	Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts	December 1, 1943	April 29, 1945	October 27, 1945	October 17, 1977	Sold for scrap, November 6, 1977.

I like how the Enterprise's ultimate fate is that of a museum ship here. Maybe it does take a grim timeline like TL-191 to get it preserved.

 

[Alterwright]

Draft 1 - Trenton Class Escort Carrier*

* = Some of the information here is still subject to change. I'm still adding and changing more as I continue with this little project of mine. Tell me what you guys think.

Trenton Class Escort Carrier

^^^ --- USS Trenton (CVE-27), 1942

^^^ --- USS Glorieta (CVE-30), 1943

Specifications:

• Displacement:
  • 10,500t standard load
  • 23,875t full load
• Dimensions:
  • Length 553ft
  • Beam 75ft
  • Draft 30ft
• Propulsion:
  • 2x General Electric geared steam turbines, 4x Babcock and Wilcox boilers
  • Horsepower: 13,500shp
• Speed and Range:
  • Max Speed: 18kts
  • Max Range: 23,900nm at 15kts
• Armament:
  • 1942:
    • 2× 5"/51 cal. guns (2×1)
    • 8× Bofors 40mm guns (4×2)
    • 12× Oerlikon 20mm cannons (12×1)
  • 1943-1944:
    • 2x 5/51 cal. Guns (2x1)
    • 18x Bofors 40mm guns (9x2)
    • 19x Oerlikon 20mm guns (19x1)
• Aircraft:
  • 1942: 31x aircraft
    • 12x F3A Bobcat
    • 9x SBD-5 Dauntless
    • 9x TBD-1 Devastator
    • 1x SOC-3A Seagull
  • 1944: 31x aircraft
    • 12x F4A-5 Wildcat
    • 18x TBF-1 Avenger
    • 1x SOC-3A Seagull
• Crew Complement:
  • 1,080

By the time of the Battle of Midway in December 1941 and the loss of USS Remembrance, the US Navy was in dire need of escort carriers. Galvanized by the mounting losses to warships in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean, the Navy embarked on a massive program to convert cargo ships from the United States Maritime Commission into escort carriers. 20 Type-C3 cargo ships were requested for the program for the USN's first class of escort carriers, but due to a shortage of ships only 15 were available for conversion. To make up for the shortage, 5 Susquehanna Class oilers were selected for conversion to escort carriers, a somewhat controversial decision given the high demand for oilers.

Once the ships were acquired in January 1942, work on their conversion commenced immediately and at a feverish pace. They were some of the first escort carriers to be named after historic battles in United States history. By June 1942 the first two ships in the class, Trenton and Chapultepec, were fully converted and commissioned, with the other 3 ships, Philippi, Glorieta, and Puebla, completed by July 1942. The Trenton Class, as they were officially called, were significantly larger than the Type-C3 ships selected for conversion, owing to their origins as oilers intended for fleet use. They possessed better speed, longer hulls, and better structural strength with efficient compartmentalization. This contributed to superior stability in rough seas and the added length meant they could carry more aircraft in the hangar. This also meant they had a larger flight deck that possessed no sheer and one that was much lower to the water, making aircraft handling much easier, especially in challenging weather. Their anti-aircraft armament upon completion in 1942, however, was inadequate. Hard combat experience in Atlantic and Pacific necessitated refits in 1943 and 1944 to increase the amount of AA guns each ship could carry.

The combination of their larger aircraft capacity, greater endurance, and superior seaworthiness earmarked them for service as “substitute” fleet carriers early in the war to make up for losses in the Pacific. Most of their wartime service was therefore committed to combat, either supporting amphibious operation, hunting submarines, and lending their strength to several naval battles. They were often used in groups and hardly operated alone, with commanders choosing to combine their strike groups to mirror the strength of fleet carriers – a group of two Trenton Class carriers possessed a combine total of aircraft that roughly equaled the amount carried by one early-war US fleet carrier.

By the end of the war two out of the five vessels in the class were sunk after hard and bitter fighting, with the ships run ragged from the blistering pace of combat operations, especially in the Atlantic. By 1948, after their valiant service in the US Navy, the remaining vessels were placed into reserve. By 1950, with newer modern classes of carriers entering service, they were finally scrapped. USS Chapultepec's stern plate and anchor were preserved by her former crew, after failing to gain the funding to save her as a museum ship. The artifacts can be viewed at the San Francisco Naval Museum, along side the preserved USS Barb (SS-214), USS Greene (APD-20), SS Gordon McSweeney, and SMS U-882.

 

[S. Marlowski]

Draft 1 - Trenton Class Escort Carrier*

* = Some of the information here is still subject to change. I'm still adding and changing more as I continue with this little project of mine. Tell me what you guys think.

Trenton Class Escort Carrier

View attachment 658353
^^^ --- USS Trenton (CVE-27), 1942

View attachment 658354
^^^ --- USS Glorieta (CVE-30), 1943

Specifications:

• Displacement:
  • 10,500t standard load
  • 23,875t full load
• Dimensions:
  • Length 553ft
  • Beam 75ft
  • Draft 30ft
• Propulsion:
  • 2x General Electric geared steam turbines, 4x Babcock and Wilcox boilers
  • Horsepower: 13,500shp
• Speed and Range:
  • Max Speed: 18kts
  • Max Range: 23,900nm at 15kts
• Armament:
  • 1942:
    • 2× 5"/51 cal. guns (2×1)
    • 8× Bofors 40mm guns (4×2)
    • 12× Oerlikon 20mm cannons (12×1)
  • 1943-1944:
    • 2x 5/51 cal. Guns (2x1)
    • 18x Bofors 40mm guns (9x2)
    • 19x Oerlikon 20mm guns (19x1)
• Aircraft:
  • 1942: 31x aircraft
    • 12x F3A Bobcat
    • 9x SBD-5 Dauntless
    • 9x TBD-1 Devastator
    • 1x SOC-3A Seagull
  • 1944: 31x aircraft
    • 12x F4A-5 Wildcat
    • 18x TBF-1 Avenger
    • 1x SOC-3A Seagull
• Crew Complement:
  • 1,080

By the time of the Battle of Midway in December 1941 and the loss of USS Remembrance, the US Navy was in dire need of escort carriers. Galvanized by the mounting losses to warships in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean, the Navy embarked on a massive program to convert cargo ships from the United States Maritime Commission into escort carriers. 20 Type-C3 cargo ships were requested for the program for the USN's first class of escort carriers, but due to a shortage of ships only 15 were available for conversion. To make up for the shortage, 5 Susquehanna Class oilers were selected for conversion to escort carriers, a somewhat controversial decision given the high demand for oilers.

Once the ships were acquired in January 1942, work on their conversion commenced immediately and at a feverish pace. They were some of the first escort carriers to be named after historic battles in United States history. By June 1942 the first two ships in the class, Trenton and Chapultepec, were fully converted and commissioned, with the other 3 ships, Philippi, Glorieta, and Puebla, completed by July 1942. The Trenton Class, as they were officially called, were significantly larger than the Type-C3 ships selected for conversion, owing to their origins as oilers intended for fleet use. They possessed better speed, longer hulls, and better structural strength with efficient compartmentalization. This contributed to superior stability in rough seas and the added length meant they could carry more aircraft in the hangar. This also meant they had a larger flight deck that possessed no sheer and one that was much lower to the water, making aircraft handling much easier, especially in challenging weather. Their anti-aircraft armament upon completion in 1942, however, was inadequate. Hard combat experience in Atlantic and Pacific necessitated refits in 1943 and 1944 to increase the amount of AA guns each ship could carry.

The combination of their larger aircraft capacity, greater endurance, and superior seaworthiness earmarked them for service as “substitute” fleet carriers early in the war to make up for losses in the Pacific. Most of their wartime service was therefore committed to combat, either supporting amphibious operation, hunting submarines, and lending their strength to several naval battles. They were often used in groups and hardly operated alone, with commanders choosing to combine their strike groups to mirror the strength of fleet carriers – a group of two Trenton Class carriers possessed a combine total of aircraft that roughly equaled the amount carried by one early-war US fleet carrier.

By the end of the war two out of the five vessels in the class were sunk after hard and bitter fighting, with the ships run ragged from the blistering pace of combat operations, especially in the Atlantic. By 1948, after their valiant service in the US Navy, the remaining vessels were placed into reserve. By 1950, with newer modern classes of carriers entering service, they were finally scrapped. USS Chapultepec's stern plate and anchor were preserved by her former crew, after failing to gain the funding to save her as a museum ship. The artifacts can be viewed at the San Francisco Naval Museum, along side the preserved USS Barb (SS-214), USS Greene (APD-20), SS Gordon McSweeney, and SMS U-882.

I like it