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The more navies used aircraft carriers, the more they learnt what the optimal type of aircraft carrier should be. All of the major navies built bigger and bigger ships with ever larger aircraft complements. Panagaea followed suit. Slightly larger dimensions than the Sapphire, the two Paladins were slower but had the same machinery. Command and control functions for the air wings were superior to the previous classes, The air commander had his own domain aft of the main bridge structure.. The larger air groups required larger spaces dedicated to briefing rooms and even accommodation became larger, not just for pilots but all the extra service personnel required housing as well.
The Panagaean Navy had learnt many things, when trialing and testing the aircraft carriers they had in service, in as near combat conditions as they could make. One thing that showed out was that the center line lifts interfered with flight operations. The only way that could be thought of to remove this as a problem was to move the elevators/lifts to the flight deck edges. If this did not work, it was going to be an expensive failure, especially as war broke out as these ships were so near completion. October 1939 the Paladin was joined by the Vindictive, two Reliance class battleships, cruisers and destroyers to form the first fleet to be sent overseas to join Force H operating in the Central Atlantic. With the defeat of the German Fleets ambitions to decimate the convoys of the North Atlantic (see Battle of Denmark Strait), the First Fleet was sent north to replace the damaged ships and hold the front line. The Champion had joined soon after the fleets arrival and joining to Force H. Once the damaged ships had been repaired and returned to service, First Fleet returned to Force H, then after further service there were recalled to Panagaea after Pearl Harbour. The ships spent the next few months guarding Panagaea from any Japanese incursions. The three carriers took turns to have refits during this period. They then joined the US Pacific Fleet to take on the Japanese forces. May 1942 and the Panagaean Navy has lost the Formidable at the Coral Sea Battle and the rest are looking for revenge. Midway gives them their chance the big carriers launch a big strike on the main fleet in behind Nagumo's carriers (that were no longer there) and sunk the Zuiho, damaged the Yamato, Mussashi and Nagato, sank two cruisers, damaged two more, but most importantly, sank two transports carrying part of the invasion force. The Japanese Fleet turned tail and ran.
With the tide turning against the Japanese, the two Paladin class carriers could be recalled to Panagaea for a major refit to upgrade the AA armament and electronics. The biggest change was to embark US aircraft. The only aircraft kept were the long range strike fighters of the CAC Whirlwind II, that made excellent long range search aircraft.
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The Paladin class were the last large carriers to be operated by the Panagaean Navy. The deck edge lifts proved to be a winner with all navies taking this up prior to the end of the war. The ships lasted 40 years in service and were finally withdrawn in 1980. To be kept in service would have required being upgraded to handle the Phantom, which would have required more money to be spent than the old ships were worth. The Champion being in better condition was kept as a static naval museum with examples of most of the aircraft that served on the ships being placed on display in the upper hangar. The 4.5" had disappeared in the 1950's to be replaced with twin 3"/70 cal automatic weapons. The 40mm were upgraded twice with better electronics guiding them. Electronics were upgraded regularly with more being added at every refit.
