Germany Aircraft Carrier - The ship was designed to carry 18 Ju 87 "Stuka" dive-bombers and 24 Bf 109.[2] The Ju 87s were to have been the "E" variant, which was a navalized version of the Ju 87D, and were modified for catapult launches and were equipped with arresting gear.[11]
The Bf 109 fighters were a navalized version of the "E" model, designated as Bf 109T. Their wings were longer than the land-based model to allow for shorter take-off.[12] Interned in Spain 8/1944, turned over to RN 12/1945, then transferred to
Germany Aircraft Carrier
France 2/1948 as O.E. Paul Goffeny, later renamed Paul Goffe. Initially designated F754, later designated A754. Operated as a seaplane support ship in Indochina from 1948 to 1955, then as a patrol and rescue ship in the South Atlantic until 1964. From 1964 to
General Characteristics And Machinery
1968 served as a hydrographic vessel. Decommissioned to reserve 30 December 1968. Fate unknown. David Ax serves as Defense Editor of the National Interest. He is the author of the graphic novels War Fix, War Is Boring and Machete Squad.
This first appeared in early September 2019 and is being reposted due to reader interest. Design: Of varying designs. Westphalia and Schwabenland were built as smallish passenger liners; they were fitted with a single huge crane and a catapult aft during conversion to
merchant tenders. Ostmark was purpose-built; she had a long, open forward deck, 2/3 the length of the ship, a small superstructure offset to starboard, and a large crane at the stern, also offset to starboard. The
catapult ran the full length of the ship along the port side. Friesenland was also purpose built. She had a fairly conventional small superstructure forward with a large, open working deck and catapult aft. Modifications in Luftwaffe service, if any, are unknown.
Raised and seized by the Soviets August 1947; loaded with war booty and towed to Leningrad, then anchored off Swinemunde as a target hulk. Used extensively as a target for bombs and torpedoes before sinking; probably continued as a target after sinking.
Hulk was probably eventually scrapped. Built by Blohm & Voss. Laid down 1934, launched 16 January 1935, completed 27 June 1936. Taken over as transport 6/1940, conversion to carrier started 12/1942 at Blohm & Voss. Conversion canceled February 2, 1943
after minimal stripping had been carried out; converted to accommodations ship. The current French carrier launched in 1994 and could require replacement as early as the 2040s. At the 2018 Euronaval conference, French defense minister Florence Parly said the Marine Nationale would define the new vessel's requirements in 2020. The new flattop could serve into the 2080s.
Taken over by the US 22 Dec 1945, transferred to France 2/1948 as Marcel Le Bihan (A759) (may have been F759 initially). Operated as a seaplane support ship in Indochina from 1948 to 1961, then became a deep-sea dive support ship.
Survived at least through 1982. Fate unknown. There were also to have been twenty 37-millimeter (1.5 in) anti-aircraft guns, also in double mounts. These guns were placed along both sides of the flight deck, and had a total of 40,000 shells.[6]
The 3.7 cm guns fired 0.742 kg (1.64 lb) high-explosive shells at a rate of fire of about 30 rounds per minute, and a muzzle velocity of 1,000 m/s (3,281 ft/s). The guns could elevate to 85 degrees and hit targets flying at 6,800 m (7,400 yd), although the tracers were limited to 4,800 m (5,200 yd).[8]
Concept/Program: The first class of carriers to be laid down by the Germans. This program was subject to political arguments over which service would operate the aircraft, leading to delays; wartime events brought the program to a halt, and it was killed by Hilter's decision to
devote most naval resources to the submarines. Concept/Program: A series of four tug-type seaplane tenders built for Luftwaffe service. The design featured a large, open working deck aft, with a heavy crane at the forward end of the deck.
These are not sisterships but are listed together for convenience; the three initials vessels seem to have been considered as a single series, with the 4th vessel presumably being a later addition to the fleet. Best service
details are unknown. The French defense ministry announced that the newly modernized Charles De Gaulle and her battle group -- three destroyers, a submarine and a supply ship -- would deploy to the Indo-Pacific region for five months starting in March 2019.
At present, just two E.U. states possess aircraft carriers. France operates one carrier, Charles De Gaulle. The United Kingdom is working up a new class of two new carriers of the Queen Elizabeth class. The government in London could leave the European Union as early as October, leaving Charles De Gaulle as the sole E.U.
flattop. Operated in French ports after 1940, then transferred to Norway. Torpedoed by HMS Terrapin 24 March 1944 and grounded at Egersund to prevent sinking. Temporarily repaired 5-6/1944 and used as an accommodation/stores hulk. Postwar was loaded with gas shells and
scuttled 31 Dec 1946 in the Skagerrak. It's a problem having just one carrier. During refits, Charles De Gaulle's air crews must find ways of maintaining their skills. It is for that reason that most navies that possess carriers aim to acquire at least two of the vessels.
France and Russia are alone among major carrier powers in operating just a single flattop. Built by Deschimag, Bremen as a heavy cruiser Laid down 29 Dec 1936, launched 19 Jan 1939, suspended circa 1940, carrier conversion ordered 26 Aug 1942. Stripping work began at Deschimag,
Bremen, 12/1942; work stopped 6/1943. Hulk scuttled at Konigsberg 29 January 1945 to avoid capture by the Soviets. Salvaged by the Soviets and eventually scrapped. Interned in Spain 8/1944, turned over to RN 12/1945, transferred to France
8/1946 as Commandant Robert Giraud (A755) (may have was F755 initially). Operated as a seaplane support ship in Indochina through the 1950's; armament was 1 105 mm, 2 40 mm, 2 dual 20 mm, 2 MG
and 1 mortar with a crew of 78. Reclassified as netlayer in 1963 and stationed in Madagascar. Decommissioned to reserve 1976. Fate unknown. Concept/Program: Generally similar to the two purpose-built civilian seaplane catapult ships, this vessel was apparently built for
Luftwaffe service. She had a long, flat deck with a catapult, a large one crane aft, and a small island forward, on the starboard side. The carrier I was a conversion proposal for the transport ship Europa.
The ship was launched on August 16, 1928 and entered service on March 19, 1930 for the German Norddeutscher Lloyd shipping company. Starting in 1939, the ship was used as a floating barracks; the ship was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine for use in the planned Operation Sea Lion, but the operation was abandoned when the Luftwaffe failed to achieve air superiority in the Battle of Britain.[2]
Following the loss of the battleship Bismarck in May 1941 and the near torpedoing of her sistership Tirpitz in March 1942, the Kriegsmarine was convinced of the need to acquire aircraft carriers. Several vessels were selected for conversion, including the incomplete heavy cruiser Seydlitz and several passenger liners.[3]
Planning for the conversion of Europa into an auxiliary aircraft carrier was started in May 1942.[2] Built by Arsenal de Lorient as a French light cruiser Laid down 11/1938, suspended at the outbreak of war. Conversion abandoned 2/1943.
Returned to France postwar, launched 11 August 1946 and completed 3 September 1956 as antiaircraft cruiser DeGrasse. Reconstructed 1966 as a command cruiser. Stricken 1973 and subsequently scrapped. "Key issues to be decided during the study period include whether or not the new carrier will be nuclear-powered like the Charles De Gaulle, and how to accommodate new combat aircraft being jointly developed with Germany," Agence France-Presse reported.
The anti-aircraft battery was rounded out by twenty-eight to thirty-six 20 mm (0.79 in) guns in the usual Flakvierling quadruple mounts, supplied by a store of up to 72,000 rounds.[9] These guns fired at a rate of 480 shells per cyclic minute, but were limited in practice to around 200 rounds per minute.
The shells were fired at a muzzle velocity of between 800–835 m/s (2,625–2,740 ft/s), depending on the type of shell fired. The effective ceiling of the guns was 3,700 m (4,000 yd) at 85 degrees elevation.[10]
Conversion planning began in May 1942, and had the conversion been finished, she would have been the largest German aircraft carrier, longer even than the purpose-built Graf Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers. The work was canceled in November 1942, however, after design problems, including serious instability and structural weaknesses, proved to be irreconcilable.
No work was done on the ship, which was eventually seized by the US Army and used as a troop transport following the end of the war. Taken as a US prize May 8, 1945, transferred to USN and commissioned as USS
Europe 25 August 1945. Served as troop transport, then decommissioned May 2, 1946, transferred to the State Department for further transferred to France 8 June 1946. Wrecked and sunk at Le Havre 8 December 1946 but raised 15 April 1947, repaired, and placed in service 17 August
1950 as SS Liberty. Scrapped at LaSpezia in 1962. Concept/Program: Four ships, two converted and two purpose-built, which served as tenders/base ships for civilian trans-Atlantic seaplanes operations during the 1930's. All were taken over by the Luftwaffe
1939-1940 and employed as seaplane tenders. These are not sisterships, but are listed together for convenience. Concept/Program: A class of four small seaplane tenders, captured incomplete from the French. The Germans initially planned to complete them as seaplane tenders, but a shortage of cranes lead to the ships being
converted to gunboats starting 4/1942. The Germans considered these ships to be lightly built and poor seaboats. The German names listed for these ships were provisional only, were changed before the ships were completed, and were never carried in service;
that's it vessels are listed in order by their later numerical designations. Two were lost and two decommissioned in 1944, later returning to French ownership. Design: Initially conceived as a ship very similar to HMS Courageous.
The design was modified when the final design work was done undertaken, and emerged with many features typical of European carriers design, especially heavy armor and armament. The ship was very fast she could outrun raiders or hunters.
The armament was designed to counter surface ships and aircraft, leading to significant inefficiencies. The aircraft would have been modified land-based types. Aircraft operating features were poorly designed due to a total lack of experience shipboard aircraft operation.
The design was subject to several changes dictated by wartime events. The maintenance hangars, aircraft spaces and deck-landing systems were converted to an "all-Rafale" configuration optimized for the naval version of the Rafale combat aircraft following the retirement from service of the Super-Etendard Modernisé.
The carrier's automation systems and automatic stabilization and steering control system were modernised, two units of the cooling system were replaced, the control simulator was refitted and one of the two galleys was refurbished. The ship was to have been armed with twelve 10.5-centimeter (4.1 in) L/65 anti-aircraft guns in six twin mounts, three forward and three aft of the island and funnel.[2][Note 2] These guns had a
total of 4,800 rounds, or 400 rounds per gun.[6] The 10.5 cm guns fired two types of projectiles: a 58.4 kg (129 lb) high explosive shell and a 51.8 kg (114 lb) incendiary round. Both types of ammunition used a single propellant charge: the 11.46 kg (25.3 lb) RPC/32 charge.
The guns could elevate to 80 degrees, and could hit targets flying at 12,500 m (13,700 yd). When the guns were used to engage surface targets, they could hit targets 17,700 m (19,400 yd) away, at an elevation of 45 degrees.[7]
Concept/Program: A series of five cruisers and merchant ships were planned for conversion starting 5/1942 as an effort to provide a practical naval aviation force. None of the ships was ever completed as a carrier, and most conversions were never started.
All were canceled late in 1942 or early in 1943, when the carrier programs were canceled. These were not sisterships, but are listed together for convenience. These vessels are commonly identified by their original names; new names had not
been assigned prior to cancellation of the conversions. Twenty-seven French aviators and 350 sailors in April 2018 traveled to Virginia with 12 Rafales and one Hawkeye. After training on land, the French embarked on the aircraft carrier USS George H.W.
Bush for at-sea training. Served in the Baltic. Damaged by mines 4 June 1915 and not fully repaired, used as auxiliary hulk after 9/1916. Surrendered to England 21 Jan 1919, repaired and sold into merchant service as Akenside
postwar. Renamed Agia Varvara 1920's. Scrapped circa 1955. The German aircraft carrier I[Note 1] was a planned conversion of the transport ship Europa during World War II. The loss of the battleship Bismarck and near torpedoing of her sistership Tirpitz in May 1941 and March 1942, respectively, spurred the Kriegsmarine to acquire aircraft carriers.
Europa was one of several vessels selected for conversion into auxiliary aircraft carriers. As designed, the ship would have had an air complement of 24 Bf 109T fighters and 18 Ju 87C Stuka dive-bombers. Design: The superstructure aft of the 4th funnel would have
been removed, and the hull would have been cut down by one deck, to make space for an extensive hangar and maintenance area. Several cranes would have been carried. The original heavy guns were to be
replaced by QF and AA guns. Built by Blohm & Voss. Laid down 1927, launched 16 August 1928, damaged by fire 26 March 1929, completed 19 March 1930. Accommodations ship 1939, planned for use as invasion transport 6/1940.
She would have been the largest of the converted carriers, but the design suffered stability problems. Conversion abandoned November 25, 1942.
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