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An item reported that at the Marti shipyard at Nikolayev [nowadays Ukraine] on one slipway the incomplete hull of an aircraft carrier with an estimated tonnage of 20.000 tons was sighted. The building was confirmed by two CIA informants of which one even reported that German technicians earlier working at the German aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin (1) were now involved in this newbuilding project. However according to one informant was there already for some time none substantial progress visible. On the second slipway was also a hull lying although around 20 meters shorter as the hull on the other slipway. Still it was believed that the second hull - which was in a less advanced stage of construction- was also to be completed as an aircraft carrier. Both vessels were expected not to be completed within the next three years due to lacking sufficient qualified labourers and experienced technicians.(2)
Notes
1. Contracted as the Flugzeugträger A on 16 November 1935, laid down by Deutsche Werke on 28 December 1936 as part of the Graf Zeppelin-class, launched on 8 December 1938, never completed, scuttled at Stettin in March 1945, salvaged by the Soviet Union in March 1946 and finally sunk during weapon tests north of Poland on 16 August 1947. Her wreck was found back on 12 July 2006.
2. Project 69AV dates immediate post-war era, 1945-46 when it was studied whether the incomplete heavy cruiser pr.69 Kronstadt could be able to modified as an aircraft carrier. 76 aircrafts were intended and armament consisted 8 dual 130mm guns and 16 dual 37mm AA guns.
Source
The report was published on www.archive.org, document number CIA-RDP82-00457R007400420007-1
