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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
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AIRCRAFT CARRYING SHIPS
LA FAYETTE light aircraft carriers (1943 / 1950 - 1953)


Photo



Bois Belleau 1957 Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.

Ships


Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
La Fayette (ex-Langley) R96 443 New York SB, Camden, USA 11.4.1942 22.5.1943 31.8.1943 // 2.6./1951 returned to USA 3.1963
Bois Belleau (ex-Belleau Wood) R97 431 New York SB, Camden, USA 11.8.1941 6.12.1942 31.3.1943 // 23.12.1953 returned to USA 9.1960


Technical data


Displacement standard, t

10622

Displacement full, t

14751

Length, m

182.9 wl 189.7 oa

Breadth, m

21.8 wl 33.3 oa

Draught, m

7.39 full load

No of shafts

4

Machinery

4 sets General Electric geared steam turbines, 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers

Power, h. p.

100000

Max speed, kts

31.6

Fuel, t

oil 2633

Endurance, nm(kts)13000 (15)
Armour, mm

belt: 127 on 16mm plating, bulkheads: 127, main deck: 51

Armament

R96: 9 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 5 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, 1 H-4B catapult, 30 aircraft (F6F-5 Hellcat fighters, SB2C-5 Helldiver diving bombers)

R97: 2 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 10 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 1 H-4B catapult, 30 aircraft (F6F-5 Hellcat, F4U-7 Corsair fighters, SB2C-5 Helldiver diving bombers)

Electronic equipment

R96: SK-2, SG, SP radars

R97: SK-2, SG, SPS-4 radars

Complement

1569



Air group


Year Fighters torpedo/diving bombers
1953, La Fayette ~20 F6F-5 ~10 SB2C-5
1956, La Fayette ~20 F4U-7 ~10 TBF


Standard scale images


<i>La Fayette </i>1953
La Fayette 1953


Graphics


<i>Bois Belleau </i>1957 <i>Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.</i>
Bois Belleau 1957 Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.


Aircraft facilities

 (fd - 3,773 m², ha - 1,313 m² / 6,957 m³): Flight deck: 169.2 x 22.3 m. Hangar: 78.6 x 16.7 x 5.3 m. There were 2 lifts in center line (12.7 t, 12.8 x 13.4 m). There was 1 H-4B catapult. Aircraft fuel stowage: 462 700 l.   

Project history

Former USN Independence class light aircraft carriers.

Ship protection

Machinery was protected by 127mm belt, 127mm transverse bulkheads and 51mm main deck.

Modernizations

1955, La Fayette: + SPS-6 radar

1955, Bois Belleau: + DRBV-22A radar

1959, La Fayette: + DRBI-10 radar

1960, La Fayette: - 5 x 2 - 20/70

Naval service

No significant events.