HMS Unicorn (CVL-1941)
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The need for dedicated small aircraft service carriers that could back up the
fleet carriers was recognised with the laying down of the two Ark Royal class
carriers. The first Unicorn class ship was laid down at the end of 1938 and
completed early in 1941. None of these ships ever fulfilled this role during WW2
as the need for carriers in all theaters of the world meant that they undertook
front line duties from day one. The first two were followed by repeat orders in
1940 (2) ex Chilean order, 1941 (4), 1942 (2). The four ordered in 1941 were the cancelled
Lancaster Class
cruisers.
These were full sized aircraft carriers with double height hangar, good
defensive armament and a decent amount of aircraft carried compared to any of
the converted carriers. They were replaced by the Hermes class production which
were laid down in 1943 and all completed post war. The ships started the war
with the basic Commonwealth air wing aboard, Griffon, Skua and Sea Battle
aircraft.
The Australis Navy also built the Unicorn class ships under the Tasman Sea Class
name. The main difference was the Australis ships carried twin 4" in place of
the singles on the Unicorns. Australis did not have the same pool of spare
weapons that were stockpiled in Britain.
I have done various Light Fleet Carrier drawings for the Australis scenarios and
some were good and some were average at best. They are posted below so you can
see the difference between them.
HMAS Tasman Sea Class
| Displacement |
22,500 tons std, 27,500 tons full load |
| Length |
727.5 ft |
| Breadth |
90 ft hull |
| Draught |
28 ft |
| Machinery |
2 shaft steam turbines, 50,000shp |
| Speed |
26 knots |
| Range |
7000 miles at 18 knots |
| Armour |
3" over machinery and magazines |
| Armament |
8 x 4" (4x2) 16 x 2pd (4x4)
16 x 40mm (8x2)
12 x 20mm (6x2) |
| Aircraft |
60 (12TB, 12 DB, 12F2, 24F1) |
| Torpedoes |
nil |
| Complement |
1800 |
| Notes |
Tasman Sea (1936) 1940 Foveaux Strait (1937) 1940
Bass Strait (1938) 1942
Timor Sea (1938) 1942
Coral Sea (1940) 1943
Arafura Sea (1940) 1943
Lake Eyre (1941) 1944
Lake Wanaka (1941) 1944
Solomon Sea (1942) 1945
Spencer Gulf (1943) 1945 |
HMS Centaur Class
The Centaur class was the Royal Navies answer to the need for large numbers
of aircraft carriers with decent amount of aircraft carrying capacity. Like the
Albatross type before them the Centaurs were based on a mercantile type hull
fitted with hangar and flight deck above. The ships being completely unarmoured
except for amounts around the magazines and aviation gas storage areas.
I have the drawing noted as 1944 but in all reality these should not start
completing till about 1948-50, having been suspended at wars end.
| Displacement |
15,800 tons std, 23,500 tons full load |
| Length |
727 ft |
| Breadth |
88 ft hull, 110 ft over sponsons. |
| Draught |
25 ft |
| Machinery |
2 shaft, steam turbines, 50,000shp |
| Speed |
26 knots |
| Range |
12,000 miles at 14 knots |
| Armour |
2.5" over magazines. |
| Armament |
8 x 4" (4x2) 48 x 2pd (6x8)
28 x 20mm (8x2 12x1) |
| Aircraft |
54 |
| Torpedoes |
nil |
| Complement |
1400 |
| Notes |
|
RN Ships.
HMS Centaur, HMS Vengeance, HMS Albion, HMS Bulwark, HMS Venerable, HMS
Majestic, HMS Magnificent, HMS Pioneer, HMS Triumph, HMS Glory, HMS Ocean, HMS
Thesseus, HMS Goliath, HMS Alderney, HMS Perseus, HMS Thetis, HMS Warrior, HMS
Terrible.
RSAN Ships.
HMSAS Johannesburg, HMSAS Zambia.
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