Top 5 Carriers (classes) of WW2?

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Garyt
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Top 5 Carriers (classes) of WW2?

Post by Garyt »

And the US carrier Midway does not count :D

Just list your top 5 carriers and why, and limit the answers to one class (i.e. cannot say Hornet, Enterprise and Yorktown as 3 carriers :wink: )
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aurora
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Re: Top 5 Carriers (classes) of WW2?

Post by aurora »

The Illustrious class comprised four vessels: HM Ships Illustrious, Formidable, Victorious and Indomitable-one short I'm afraid
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Steve Crandell
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Re: Top 5 Carriers (classes) of WW2?

Post by Steve Crandell »

That's impossibly limiting. Wouldn't they all have to be Essex Class?
Garyt
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Re: Top 5 Carriers (classes) of WW2?

Post by Garyt »

The Essex class would count as one - just like I mentioned you could not say Enterprise, Yorktown and count each as one - the Yorktown class would also count as one.

The Essex class would be my top one too though.
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Re: Top 5 Carriers (classes) of WW2?

Post by Garyt »

My top 5

1) Essex Class - Could carry a great number of planes, decent speed.
2a) Shokaku Class - Decent plane complement, very fast, very survivable (due to thick armored main deck)
2b) Yorktown class- Carried a lot of planes
4) Implacable Class - A bit low in aircraft, but had the armored flight deck
5) Taiho - Very Good complement for a armored flight deck carrier. Would be rated higher but had some design flaw issues that perhaps made it less surviveable.

Just would like to add one thing - the US increased air complement had much to do with doctrine as well, the deck park would have added to the air complement of Jpanese carriers.
Garyt
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Re: Top 5 Carriers (classes) of WW2?

Post by Garyt »

I might add one thing I liked about the US carriers was the open hangar design, making them more survivable.
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tameraire01
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Re: Top 5 Carriers (classes) of WW2?

Post by tameraire01 »

For me being British it has to be: 1- HMS Ark royal the first true aircraft carrier of any navy
2- Illustrious class carriers , the armoured decks and hangers meant that you would need one hell of a bomb to sink them
3-Implacable class carriers , bigger versions of the illustrious class carriers and very capable in the pacific theatre if it lasted longer
4-Essex class carriers, the perfect balance of speed,range and fire power to be used in the pacific
5-Audacity class escort class carriers , very useful for convoy duty in the battle of the atlantic
Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas. Joseph Stalin
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