American Lexington-class battlecruisers to be completed as aircraft carriers in 1922

USS Langley. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Lexington-class battlecruiser. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Preliminary design conversion into aircraft carrier d.d.18-2-1922. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

USS Saratoga. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item referred to the magazine le Yacht reporting that as a result of the Washington Naval Conference (1) the American aircraft carriers Fore River (ex-Lexington) (2) and Cambden (ex-Saratoga) (3) were to have a displacement of 30.000 tons instead of the projected 43.500 tons. The 180.000hp machinery was retained.

Notes

1. Result of the Washington Naval Conference between November 1921-February 1922 was the Washington Naval Treaty signed by USA, England, Japan, Italy and France to limit the building of battleships, battle cruisers and aircraft carriers and to limit the possession of such capital ships by stopping completion of breaking up already existing.

2. Ordered as battlecruiser in 1916, laid down by Fore River Ship Building Co., Quincy, Massachusetts, USA on 8 January 1921, reclassified as aircraft carrier 1 July 1922, launched on 3 October 1925, commissioned on 14 December 1927, scuttled after the Battle of the Coral Sea against the Japanese on 8 May 1942 and stricken on 24 June 1942. Wreck traced on 4 March 2018. Part of Lexington-class battlecruisers and aircraft carriers the latter poreceded by USS Langley and succeeded by USS Ranger.

3. Ordered as battlecruiser in 1917, laid down by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, USA on 25 September 1920, reclassified as aircraft carrier on 1 July 1922, launched on 7 April 1925, commissioned on 16 November 1927, sunk in an atomic bomb test on 25 July 1946 and stricken on 15 August 1946. Part of Lexington-class battlecruisers and aircraft carriers the latter poreceded by USS Langley and succeeded by USS Ranger.