US Navy 19 Escort Aircraft Carriers (1943-45) 35 planned, 16 cancelled) CVE-105 – CVE-123: Commencement Bay, Block Island, Gilbert Islands, Kula Gulf, Cape Gloucester, Salerno Bay, Vella Gulf, Siboney, Puget Sound, Rendova, Bairoko, Badoeng Strait, Saidor, Sicily, Point Cruz, Mindoro, Rabaul, Palau There were two types of mass-produced escort carriers during WW2: Those based on … Read more
USA (1945) USS Saipan (CVL-48), Wright (CVL-49) – service 1947-1980 Light Carriers based on heavy cruisers Two light carriers, Saipan (CVL-48) and Wright (CVL-49), were built for the USN during the war, and these were conversions, just like the nine Independence-class light carriers, based on cruiser hulls to gain a precious time in construction. However, … Read more
USS Langley (CV-1) (1920) USA (1920) – Aircraft Carrier The First American Aircraft Carrier (CV-1): Barely one year after the launch of IJN Hosho and two years after the HMS Furious, the US Navy ventured into the next capital ship of the century. Born as a fleet collier, the first turbo-electric-powered ship in the USN … Read more
