In article <picoparsec-C09CBC.14383816082015@unknown.hwng.net>,
Jeremy Jeremyson <picoparsec@magma.ca> wrote:
> In article <CZ-dnfmXIYoY2E3InZ2dnUU78TGdnZ2d@giganews.com>,
> PVK <pv.kirkland@gmail.com> wrote:
> =>
> => I'd be very grateful if someone could explain, or point me to an
> => explanation of, the exact difference between short hull and long hull
> => Essex-class carriers.
>
> The introduction of the Essex class of aircraft carriers was in response
> to the Navy's request for a carrier that could handle more and heavier
> types of aircraft that were already on the drawing boards than the then
> current Yorktown class of carriers. The Essex class was divided into two
> types: the so-called long-hulled and short-hulled variants.
>
> The Short-Hulled Essex Ships:
> CV9 USS Essex CV16 USS Lexington
> CV10 USS Yorktown CV17 USS Bunker Hill
> CV11 USS Intrepid CV18 USS Wasp
> CV12 USS Hornet CV21 USS Boxer
> CV13 USS Franklin CV31 USS Bon Homme Richard
>
> The forward part of the flight deck has a single hydraulic catapult
> located on the starboard side. This was common to most of the early
> ships of the Essex class. Later in the war, most of the ships received a
> second catapult on the port side during refit.
>
> During their 1944 refits, the forward most 40mm gun on the island was
> deleted and more flag space was added to the bridge level. The original
> radars were SK, SC-2 radars, and YE homing beacon. This was the common
> layout for this class of ship in 1943. As the war progressed, the radars
> changed drastically.
>
> The Long-Hulled Essex Ships:
> CV14 USS Ticonderoga CV38 USS Shangri-La
> CV15 USS Randolf CV39 USS Lake Champlain
> CV19 USS Hancock CV40 USS Tarawa
> CV20 USS Bennington CV41 USS Midway
> CV32 USS Leyte CV42 USS Franklin D. Roosevelt
> CV33 USS Keararge CV43 USS Coral Sea
> CV34 USS Oriskany CV44 USS (cancelled)
> CV35 USS Reprisal (*) CV45 USS Valley Forge
> CV36 USS Antietam CV46 USS Iwo Jima (*)
> CV37 USS Princeton CV47 USS Philippine Sea
>
> (*) Never completed.
>
> The so-called long-hulled Essex carriers were also known as the improved
> Essex class, often called the Ticonderoga class.
>
> Most of the long-hulled ships' improvements were internal to the ship,
> such as redesigned aviation gasoline tanks and relocation of the CIC
> under the armoured deck. The most visible identification features of the
> long-hulled ships were that they had a slightly shorter flight deck and
> a clipper-like bow. This allowed the ships to carry two 40mm mounts on
> the bow (rather than the single mount of the short-hulled carriers) for
> increased AA protection.
>
> The flight deck is similar to that of the short-hulled Essex carriers,
> however there are two catapults, one slightly offset from the front of
> the deck. The forward flight deck on these carriers is also shorter, cut
> back to clear the field of fire for the bow mounted anti aircraft guns.
> For the ships in the class completed post war, the forward flight deck
> was lengthened, necessitating the relocation of the fire control
> director for the bow anti aircraft armament.
>
> To summarize, the visible external differences for the wartime
> long-hulled variant are the heavier and more elegant clipper-like bow,
> and the cut back forward flight deck to clear field of fire of the twin
> 40mm anti aircraft mounts that replaced the single mount of the
> short-hulled variant. Also, some changes to the island structure that
> include the deletion of the foremost 40mm anti aircraft mount, and the
> redesign of many of the platforms. All the long-hulled Essex ships had
> two catapults on the flight deck, while the short-hulled ships started
> life with only a single starboard side catapult.
>
> Cheers,
>
> JeremyJ
I think that the CV41/42/43 are not Essex but Midway class (45000t
against 27000t)
But thanks for a clear explanation
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