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USS Saipan (CVL-1943)
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ship list:
30/07/2022 - Several weeks on and I started giving the US
carriers enclosed bows, that would certainly have extended to the Light Fleet
Carriers (CVL) types. So instead of it being the last four with the enclosed
bow, all would have the enclosed bow and the last four might do changes to the
funnels and bridge area.
The US Navy quickly caught on to the use of smaller carriers to use for combat
air patrol aircraft and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. These could be carriers
that as part of a larger fleet would specialise in those areas. Suitable ships
for conversion were the Baltimore class cruisers. These ships had the size and
speed to be able to carry a useful amount of aircraft to fulfill their role. The
first ships were completed in January 1943 with additions to the class being
completed through to the end of 1945.
The internal aircraft storage would be 40-44 (depending on size and type),
with a small deck park of 6-8 aircraft in the ready mode. For the first time on
US Navy aircraft carriers there were no larger AA guns of the 3"-5" fitted. Only
weapons of 40mm and 20mm size were put aboard. The ships proved extremely useful
and more were put into production, with Baltimore hulls being built especially
for the conversions.
Eventually 21 of the class were ordered with 13 being completed during the war,
2 completed post-war and 6 cancelled and/or scrapped.
| Displacement | 16,400 tons std 21,200 tons full load |
| Length | 673 ft, (690 ft with extended bow) |
| Breadth | 77 ft hull (115ft extreme width over sponsons) |
| Draught | 28 ft |
| Machinery | 4 shaft steam turbines 125,000shp |
| Speed | 33 knots |
| Range | 10,000 miles at 15 knots |
| Armour | 3" Belt, 2.5" Deck |
| Armament |
32 x 40mm (3x4 10x2) |
| Aircraft | 46-52 |
| Complement | 1750 |
| Notes | USS Saipan USS Wright USS Independence USS Belleau Wood USS Princeton USS Cowpens USS Monterey USS Cabot USS Langley USS Bataan USS San Jacinto USS Yale USS Harvard USS Iwo Jima USS Guadalcanal USS Solomon Islands USS Cambridge |
The last four were completed to a slightly improved design. Enclosed bow,
four funnels replaced with two. The funnels being paired allowed for an
enlarged bridge structure post-war, a necessity if they were to be kept by
the US Navy. In the end all of the class had been sold or scrapped by 1960.
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The original US version of the Saipan had an open bow as shown below:
