Battle cruisers: Their genesis is not very simple: Originally, these ships were commanded on plans in 1916 as battle cruisers, in the wake of the arms race initiated before the great war. During this construction was postponed and suspended to give priority to the means ASM, then resumed before being stopped net by the Treaty of Washington in 1921. The latter clamped down tonnage and calibres, prohibited the construction of any ship of line for ten years.
As a result, the Lexington class, ambitious with its six 42,000-tonne, 270-meter long, 8-piece, 457-mm vessels, already well underway in 1922, was suspended pending a decision by the Admiralty. Since the treaty considered aircraft carriers to be essentially auxiliaries for lighting, defense and not attack, no limitation was imposed on them.
As a result the decision became obvious. The plans of the final aircraft carriers based on these monsters, of which only the two most advanced units were the object, the others canceled, were long to draw because of the new field in which the engineers ventured then. Meanwhile, a coaler was converted into an aircraft carrier (renamed the Langley) to train pilots and future airmen.
The new design was based on their hull, by then quite advanced (more than 35%). Compartimentation, upper framing, and even the armored belt were simply reduced in height. All the work was done on the design of a huge one-storey hangar and then the flight deck. The military at that time, who did not see the potential of the nascent air force, insisted that the vessel be able to defend itself, demanding the installation of a heavy cruiser armament and all the defensive armament and facility of shooting needed.
When the gigantic boiler galleries that propelled these ships to more than 33 knots, they were gathered in a single - but huge - duct, which was reported, like the entire superstructure, to port, which was considered more practical for right-handed tendencies. and the specific maneuvers of the airmen at the time, that the smoke of the ducts could further hinder. Much of the original design is also to the credit of the delegation of engineer officers who went to study the British Furious in operations.
After three years of work, the ships were ready for launch in 1925. This was done in October with the sponsorship of Mrs. Theodore Douglas Robinson, secretary of the navy's wife at the White House. It was one of the largest navy days, inaugurating a new generation of officers and theorists, viewed with suspicion, however, by the admirals of the old school (Mahan). The first air complement, of 63 aircraft, was judged at the time acceptable but appears reduced depending on the size of the ship, and the respective size of the aircraft.
But the latter, biplanes that hardly exceeded 250 kmh, could not fold their wings, and in general, the design of the hangar had been contingent by many compromises due to the origin of these ships. Both "Lex" were prototypes in many ways...
Interwar: From 1928, when they were accepted into service, until December 1941, these large ships traveled a lot. After a perishable adaptation of their fleet and their pilots, freshly emanated from the USS Langley, the "Lex" and the "Sara" participated in maneuvers campaigns in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Caribbean, but were based mainly on the theater of operations of the Pacific.
The Lexington was home base at San Pedro, California. These ships participated in strike exercises on Pearl Harbor and the Panama Canal, among others. The Lexington also performed assistance operations, using its powerful electric generators to "troubleshoot" the dam supplying the city of Tacoma. Searching (unsuccessfully) the aviator Amelia Earhart and evacuating the victims of an earthquake in Guantanamo.
WW2 In 1941, the Lexington was at Pearl Harbor, in the TF12 under the command of Vice Admiral Husband Kimmel. With his escort, he set out on December 5th charged with aircraft (mostly Vindicator bombers) for the Midway base, which in retrospect saved him.
The Saratoga on his side was in San Diego for a short time. The two ships, each on their own, were ordered to hunt down the Japanese fleet (unsuccessful). Subsequently, the Lexington was sent to create a force-helping diversion to rescue the beleaguered Wake Island garrison and to attack the Japanese installations of the Marshall Islands. The island capitulated, however, despite the relief force close enough and the mission was canceled.
A planned attack on Wake Island in January 1942 was then canceled when a submarine sank the tanker supplying fuel for the return. The Lexington then operated in the Coral Sea the following month to block any Japanese advance in the region. The ship was spotted by Japanese seaplanes on approach to Rabaul, New Britain, but her aircraft repelled the following attacks. Reinforced by Yorktown, both units successfully attacked the Japanese expedition off the east coast of New Guinea in early March.
The Lexington was briefly restored at Pearl Harbor at the end of the month and made an appointment with Yorktown in the Coral Sea in early May. A few days later, the Japanese began Operation MO, the invasion of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and the two US carriers attempted to stop the invading forces. They sank the light-air carrier Shoho on May 7 at the start of the Battle of the Coral Sea, but their aircraft did not find the main Japanese force of Shokaku and Zuikaku, at least until the next day when the Lexington aircraft and Yorktown severely damaged the Shokaku, with in return lucky strikes by the Japanese on the Lexington.
The leaking aviation gas tanks gave off considerable fumes that triggered a series of explosions and fires, quickly out of control. The Lexington had to be scuttled by an American destroyer during the evening of May 8 to avoid its capture...
The Saratoga on her side received on her truncated funnels structure a broad black band which allowed airmen to differentiate it during the exercises. In January 1941, the "sara" entered the Bremerton Navy yard for its first major modernization. In addition to the enlargement of its runway, a reinforced AA artillery and a CXAM-1 radar (one of the 14 ships of the Navy to benefit).
After Pearl Harbor and the attempt to save Wake, the "sara" patrolled in January 1942, receiving an I-6 torpedo that sent her for a while in dry dock to Hawaii, then to Bermerton. It was used to drop its heavy artillery, replaced by additional DCA, including 16 carriages 127 mm long range (38 calibers).
When the ship, whose anti-aircraft defense had been greatly strengthened, returned on mission in June, loaded with new equipment and supplies, food and ammunition. Until September, the Saratoga supported the forces present during the Solomon campaign. After torpedoing I-26, the large ship re-docked at Pearl Harbor, then returned to business with the Eastern Solomon Islands campaign from Noumea.
In November, it was the Bougainville, then the assault on Rabaul, where his cameras recorded a superb hunting table. Then it was the support of the operation against Makin and Tarawa (Gilbert). A new dry dock in San Francisco resulted in the addition of a new radar and superior DCA, including new quadruple 40 mm hulls.
AA | Anti-Aircraft |
AAW | // warfare |
AAS | Amphibious Assault Ship |
Adm | Admiral |
AEW | Airbone early warning |
AG | Air Group |
AFV | Armored Fighting Vehicle |
AMGB | armoured motor gunboat |
AP | Armor Piercing |
APC | Armored Personal Carrier |
AS | Antisubmarine |
ASM | Air-to-surface Missile |
ASMD | Anti Ship Missile Defence |
ASROC | ASW Rockets |
ASW | // Warfare |
ASWRL | /// rocket launcher |
ATW | ahead thrown weapon |
avgas | Aviation Gasoline |
aw | Above Waterline |
AWACS | Airborne warning & control system |
BB | Battleship |
bhp | brake horsepower |
BL | Breach-loader (gun) |
BLR | Breach-loading, Rifled (gun) |
BU | Broken Up |
c | circa |
CA | Armoured/Heavy cruiser |
Capt. | Captain |
Cal | Caliber or ".php" |
CG | Missile Cruiser |
CIC | Combat Information Center |
C-in-C | Commander in Chief |
CIWS | Close-in weapon system |
CE | Compound Expansion (engine) |
Ch | Chantiers ("Yard", FR) |
CL | Cruiser, Light |
cm | centimeter(s) |
CMB | Coastal Motor Boat |
CMS | Coastal Minesweeper |
CNO | Chief of Naval Operations |
Cp | Compound (armor) |
Co | Company |
COB | Compound Overhad Beam |
CODAG | Combined Diesel & Gas |
CODOG | Combined Diesel/Gas |
COGAG | Combined Gas and Gas |
COGOG | Combined Gas/Gas |
comm | commissioned |
comp | completed |
conv | converted |
convl | conventional |
COSAG | Combined Steam & Gas |
CR | Compound Reciprocating |
CRCR | Same, connecting rod |
CruDiv | Cruiser Division |
CP | Controlled Pitch |
CT | Conning Tower |
CTL | constructive total loss |
CTOL | Conv. Take off & landing |
CTp | Compound Trunk |
cu | cubic |
Cyl | Cylinder(s) |
CV | Aircraft Carrier |
CVA | // Attack |
CVE | // Escort |
CVL | // Light |
CVS | // ASW support |
cwt | Hundredweight |
DA | Direct Action |
DASH | Drone ASW Helicopter |
DC | Depht Charge |
DCT | // Track |
DCR | // Rack |
DCT | // Thrower |
DD | Destroyer/drydock |
DE | Double Expansion |
DE | Destroyer Escort |
DDE | // Converted |
DesRon | Destroyer Squadron |
DF | Double Flux |
D/F | Direction(finding) |
DP | Dual Purpose |
DUKW | Amphibious truck |
DyD | Dockyard |
EOC | Elswick Ordnance Co. |
ECM | Electronic Warfare |
ESM | Electronic support measure |
F | Farenheit |
FCS | Fire Control System |
FF | Frigate |
fps | Feet Per Second |
ft | Feets |
FY | Fiscal Year |
gal | gallons |
GM | Metacentric Height |
GPMG | General Purpose Machine-gun |
GRP | Fiberglass |
GRT | Gross Tonnage |
GUPPY | Greater Underwater Prop.Pow. |
HA | High Angle |
HC | Horizontal Compound |
HCR | // Reciprocating |
HCDA | // Direct Acting |
HCDCR | // connecting rod |
HDA | // direct acting |
HDAC | // acting compound |
HDAG | // acting geared |
HDAR | // acting reciprocating |
HDML | Harbor def. Motor Launch |
H/F | High Frequency |
HF/DF | // Directional Finding |
HMS | Her Majesty Ship |
HN | Harvey Nickel |
HNC | Horizontal non-condensing hp |
HP | High Pressure |
hp | horizontal |
HQ | Headquarter |
HR | Horizontal reciprocating |
HRCR | // connecting rod |
HS | Harbor Service |
HS(E) | Horizontal single (expansion) |
HSET | // trunk |
HT | Horizontal trunk |
HTE | // expansion |
IC | Inverted Compound |
IDA | Inverted direct acting |
IFF | Identification Friend or Foe |
ihp | indicated horsepower |
IMF | Inshore Minesweeper |
in | Inche(s) |
irc | ironclad |
KC | Krupp, cemented |
kg | Kilogram |
KNC | // non cemented |
km | Kilometer |
kt(s) | Knot(s) |
kw | kilowatt |
ib | pound(s) |
LA | Low Angle |
LC | Landing Craft |
LCA | // Assault |
LCAC | // Air Cushion |
LFC | // Flak (AA) |
LCG | // Gunboat |
LCG(L) | /// Large |
LCG(M) | /// Medium |
LCG(S) | /// Small |
LCI | // Infantry |
LCM | // Mechanized |
LCP | // Personel |
LCP(R) | /// Rocket |
LCS | // Support |
LCT | // Tanks |
LCV | // Vehicles |
LCVP | /// Personal |
LCU | // Utility |
loco | locomotive (boiler) |
LSC | Landing ship, support |
LSD | // Dock |
LSF | // Fighter (direction) |
LSM | // Medium |
LSS | // Stern chute |
LST | // Tank |
LSV | // Vehicle |
LP | low pressure |
lwl | lenght waterline |
m | metre(s) |
M | Model |
MA/SB | motor AS boat |
max | maximum |
MG | Machine Gun |
MGB | Motor Gunboat |
MLS | Minelayer/Sweeper |
ML | Motor Launch |
MMS | Motor Minesweper |
MT | Military Transport |
MTB | Motor Torpedo Boat |
HMG | Heavy Machine Gun |
MCM(V) | Mine countermeasure Vessel |
min | minute(s) |
Mk | Mark |
ML | Muzzle loading |
MLR | // rifled |
MSO | Ocean Minesweeper |
mm | millimetre |
NC | non condensing |
nhp | nominal horsepower |
nm | Nautical miles |
N° | Number |
NBC/ABC | Nuc. Bact. Nuclear |
NS | Nickel steel |
NTDS | Nav.Tactical Def.System |
NyD | Naval Yard |
oa | Overall |
OPV | Offshore Patrol Vessel |
PC | Patrol Craft |
PDMS | Point Defence Missile System |
pdr | pounder |
pp | perpendicular |
psi | pounds per square inch |
PVDS | Propelled variable-depth sonar |
QF | Quick Fire |
QFC | // converted |
RAdm | Rear Admiral |
RC | Radio-control/led |
RCR | return connecting rod |
rec | Rectangular |
rev | Revolver |
RF | Rapid Fire |
RPC | Remote Control |
rpg | Round per gun |
SAM | Surface to air Missile |
SAR | Search Air Rescue |
sb | Smoothbore |
SB | Ship Builder |
SC | Sub-chaser (hunter) |
SSBN | Ballistic Missile sub.Nuclear |
SE | Simple Expansion |
SET | // trunk |
SG | Steeple-geared |
shp | Shaft horsepower |
SH | simple horizontal |
SOSUS | Sound Surv. System |
SPR | simple pressure horiz. |
sq | square |
SS | Submarine (Conv.) |
SSM | Surface-surface Missile |
sub | submerged |
sf | steam frigate |
SLBM | Sub.Launched Ballistic Missile |
spf | steam paddle frigate |
STOVL | Short Take off/landing |
SUBROC | Sub.Fired ASW Rocket |
t | ton, long (short in bracket) |
TACAN | Tactical Air Nav. |
TB | Torpedo Boat |
TBD | // destroyer |
TC | Torpedo carriage |
TE | Triple expansion |
TER | // reciprocating |
TF | Task Force |
TGB | Torpedo gunboat |
TG | Task Group |
TL | Torpedo launcher |
TLC | // carriage |
TNT | Trinitroluene |
TS | Training Ship |
TT | Torpedo Tube |
UDT | Underwater Demolition Team |
UHF | Ultra High Frequency |
Vadm | Vice Admiral |
VC | Vertical compound |
VCE | // expansion |
VDE | / double expansion |
VDS | Variable Depth Sonar |
VIC | / inverted compound |
VLF | Very Low Frequency |
VQL | / quadruple expansion |
VSTOL | Vertical/short take off/landing |
VTE | / triple expansion |
VTOL | Vertical take off/landing |
VSE | / Simple Expansion |
wks | Works |
wl | waterline |
WT | Wireless Telegraphy |
x | number of |
Yd | Yard |
Organizations | |
GIUK | Greenland-Iceland-UK |
BuShips | Bureau of Ships |
DBM | German Navy League |
GB | Great Britain |
DNC | Directorate of Naval Construction |
EEZ | Exclusive Economic Zone |
FAA | Fleet Air Arm |
FNFL | Free French Navy |
JMSDF | Jap.Mar.Self-Def.Force |
MDAP | Mutual Def.Assistance Prog. |
MSA | Maritime Safety Agency |
NATO | |
RAF | Royal Air Force |
RAN | Royal Australian Navy |
RCN | Royal Canadian Navy |
R&D | Research & Development |
RN | Royal Navy |
RNZN | Royal New Zealand Navy |
USSR | Union of Socialist Republics |
UE/EEC | European Union/Comunity |
UN | United Nations Org. |
USN | United States Navy |
WaPac | Warsaw Pact |