Evolution Of US Aircraft Carriers

Evolution of Aircraft Carriers
The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 placed strict limits on the tonnages of battleships and battlecruisers for the major naval powers after World War I, as well as not only a limit on the total tonnage for carriers but also an upper limit of 27000 tons for each ship. Although exceptions were made regarding the maximum ship tonnage, fleet units counted, experimental units did not, the total tonnage could not be exceeded. However, while all of the major navies were over-tonnage on battleships, they were all considerably under-tonnage on aircraft carriers. Consequently, many battleships and battlecruisers under construction (or in-service) were converted into aircraft carriers.

HMS Argus: the first full-length flat deck
The first full-length flat deck, HMS Argus in 1918
The first ship to have a full-length flat deck was HMS Argus, the conversion of which was completed in September 1918. The United States Navy did not follow suit until 1920, when the conversion of USS Langley, an experimental ship that did not count against America's carrier tonnage, was completed. The first American fleet carriers would not enter service until November 1927 when the USS Saratoga of the Lexington-class was commissioned. The lead ship of the class, USS Lexington, was commissioned the following month.

Hōshō: the first purpose-built aircraft carrier commissioned
The IJN's 1922 Hōshō was the first purpose-built aircraft carrier to be commissioned. The first purpose-designed aircraft carrier to be laid down as HMS Hermes (1924) in 1918. Japan began work on Hōshō the following year. In December 1922, Hōshō became the first to be commissioned, while Hermes was commissioned in February 1924.

HMS Hermes (1924): the first off-set control tower.
The design of HMS Hermes (1924) preceded and influenced that of Hōshō, and its construction actually began earlier, but numerous tests, experiments, and budget considerations delayed its commission. The long gestation of Hermes resulted finally in the first aircraft carrier to display the two most distinctive features of a modern aircraft carrier: the full-length flight deck and the starboard-side control tower island. With the exception of the squared-off flight deck prow and angled flight deck of later carriers, Hermes was the first to display the main features of the classic silhouette and plan the layout of the great majority of aircraft carriers produced over the next century. HMS Hermes (1924) was commissioned two days earlier than a sister aircraft carrier, HMS Eagle. Like Hermes, Eagle had a full-length flight deck and a starboard-side control tower island. Unlike Hermes, however, Eagle was a converted battleship and had a less integrated design and appearance than the purpose-designed Hermes.

Sources:

Photo Credits:
- USS Langley
- USS Lexington
- USS Ranger
- USS Essex
- Midway Class
- Forrestal Class
- USS Enterprise

[sledgehammerk]

The Yorktown-Class in my opinion are some of the best looking carriers ever designed.

[johnchampion]

You forgot about the Kitty Hawk class!! John F. Kennedy class variant! The USS Enterprise was 1123ft long. Better luck next time.

[michaelschoch]

You forgot both the USS Wasp and the Kitty Hawk Class.

[orchichris]

USS Enterprise (CV-6) The most decorated ship of ww2

[hyfy-trjy]

The whole "first navy It was the first purpose built Carrier for the US Navy...hence it was designed from "the keel up" as a carrier and not a conversion of another ship. It has nothing to do with the ship having a keel...heck....all ships have keels.

[DividedByZeero]

Wasp CV-7 is one of the most if not the most forgotten USN carrier

[rickmorgan]

As an old America, CVA-66, sailor, I'm disappointed that you missed it and the other conventionally powered carriers between Enterprise and Nimitz.

[GEMerc-succ]

You did forget the USS Wasp which was a one of a kind like the Ranger

[sebasthebuilder]

My grampa was on the uss enterprise cvn 65. And there was a huge fire and my grampa was trapped for 3 days then they found them and he was saved.

[thebigsad]

The evolution of US carriers in a nut shell: bigger. Bigger. BIGGER! Perfect.

[scottdixon]

The Midway was not the First carrier with an armored flight deck, just the first American carrier with one.

[Kerosene_]

How to make a WWI/ WWII carrier: make a street... *Make it float*

[utdkuze]

USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) is the best US carrier ever.
Change my mind.

[josephburke]

As shown, Saratoga, not Lexington. Lex had a vertical stripe on the funnel. Sara had a horizontal stripe. Easy to remember. The vertical stripe looks like an L.

[diecastworld]

My favorite is the Forrestal Class Aircraft carrier from the past and my favorite is the USS Nimitz class aircraft carrier although it's smaller than General R. Ford

[kwaktak]

I would have included the Kitty Hawk as an improvement of the Forrestal design by shifting the starboard elevator and the superstructure aft and placing two of the port side elevators forward of it, making the midships part of the flight deck less congested during flight ops.

[normanschenck]

you forgot to add the USS Kittyhawk carrier to the list. to be fair the Kittyhawk looks like a Nimitz class but with some note able stand outs

[hayzeuscrust]

So much wrong about this video. Only one really glaring error though, the claim that the Nimitz class were the first CATOBAR type CVs. Not even close. Not sure which was the first CV of that type but the Midway class were CATOBAR type thirty years before the Nimitz class entered service.

[Paul-yflq]

Hello Buss,
There were also 3 more conventional aircraft carriers ( Kitty Hawk class ) USS Kitty Hawk, America and John F Kennedy which was a variant design.
I just thought it would be important to incorporate the class into your video. 😊

[johncapurso]

Ouch!!! Some one forgot to do their preparation/homework. Can’t get much by these experts.