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  Curtiss 1940

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
AV4	Curtiss	418	New York SB, Camden	3/1938	20.4.1940	11.1940	stricken 7.1963
AV5	Albemarle	420	New York SB, Camden	6.1939	13.7.1940	12.1940	repair ship for helicopters ARVH1 Corpus Christi Bay 3.1965, stricken 12.1974

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	12053
Displacement full, t	14900
Length, m	154.8 wl 160.7 oa
Breadth, m	21.1
Draught, m	6.50 full load
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers
Power, h. p.	12000
Max speed, kts	18
Fuel, t	oil 2164
Endurance, nm(kts)
Armament	4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 10 x 1 - 12.7/90, 30 seaplanes (SOC/SON, OS2U)
Complement	1195

Standard scale images

Graphics

Aircraft facilities

Aircraft fuel stowage was 1 020 500 l. There were 3 heavy cranes for handling seaplanes.

Project history

First USN modern purpose-built seaplane tenders. According to the design, each of them should maintain two seaplane squadrons and provide small repair of aircraft. For this purpose the deck aft has been exempted for placing of aircrafts requiring repair, and there was a hangar in a superstructure with necessary equipment. Seaplanes were lifted onboard by three powerful cranes (one on aft part of the aviation deck and two on a superstructure). Hull had underwater protection, aviation fuel tanks took places below a waterline. Total stowage of an aviation fuel notably exceeded accepted for aircraft carriers.

Ship protection

There was 4-compartment underwater protection.

Modernizations

1941, Curtiss: + CXAM-1 radar

1942 - 1943, both: - 10 x 1 - 12.7/90; + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, Mk 26 radar

1945, Curtiss: (presumably) - CXAM-1 radar

1944 - 1945, both: + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, presumably SG, SK radars

1.1946, both: 4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 4 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 30 seaplanes, presumably SG, SK, Mk 26 radars

Naval service

: Curtiss was badly damaged 21.6.1945 by kamikaze at Okinawa. Albermarle after conversion was used for repair of army helicopters in Vietnam.