NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Belleau Wood 1943

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
CV22, 7.1943- CVL22	Independence (ex-CL59 Amsterdam)	427	New York SB, Camden	1.5.1941	22.8.1942	1.1.1943	stricken 8.1946
CV23, 7.1943- CVL23	Princeton (ex-CL61 Tallahassee)	429	New York SB, Camden	2.6.1941	18.10.1942	25.2.1943	sunk 24.10.1944
CV24, 7.1943- CVL24	Belleau Wood (ex-CL76 New Haven)	431	New York SB, Camden	11.8.1941	6.12.1942	31.3.1943	to France 9.1953 (Bois Belleau)
CV25, 7.1943- CVL25, 5.1959- AVT1	Cowpens (ex-CL77 Huntington)	432	New York SB, Camden	17.12.1941	17.1.1973	28.5.1943	aviation transport 5.1959, stricken 11.1959
CV26, 7.1943- CVL26, 5.1959- AVT2	Monterey (ex-CL78 Dayton)	433	New York SB, Camden	29.12.1941	28.2.1943	17.6.1943	aviation transport 5.1959, stricken 6.1970
CVL27	Langley (ex-Crown Point, ex-CL85 Fargo)	443	New York SB, Camden	11.4.1942	22.5.1943	31.8.1943	to France 1.1951 (La Fayette)
CVL28, 5.1959- AVT3	Cabot (ex-CL79 Wilmington)	434	New York SB, Camden	13.3.1942	4.4.1943	24.7.1943	aviation transport 5.1959, to Spain 8.1967 (Dédalo)
CVL29, 5.1959- AVT4	Bataan (ex-CL99 Buffalo)	441	New York SB, Camden	31.8.1942	1.8.1943	17.11.1943	aviation transport 5.1959, stricken 9.1959
CVL30, 5.1959- AVT5	San Jacinto (ex-Reprisal, ex-CL100 Newark)	442	New York SB, Camden	26.10.1942	26.9.1943	15.12.1943	aviation transport 5.1959, stricken 6.1970

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	CVL22, 23: belt: 16, bulkheads: 127, main deck: 51 CVL24 - 30: belt: 127 on 16mm plating, bulkheads: 127, main deck: 51
Armament	CVL22, 23: 2 x 4 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 8 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 22 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, 30 aircraft (F4F Wildcat, F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat fighters, SB2U Vindicator, SBD Dauntless, SB2C Helldiver dive bombers, TBF/TBM Avenger torpedo bombers, SOC Seagull reconnaissance planes) CVL24 - 30: 2 x 4 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 8 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 22 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, 30 aircraft (F4F Wildcat, F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat fighters, SBD Dauntless, SB2C Helldiver dive bombers, TBF/TBM Avenger torpedo bombers, SOC Seagull reconnaissance planes)
Electronic equipment	SK, SC-2, SG radars
Complement	1569

Air group

Year	Fighters	Torpedo bombers / attackers	ASW planes
11.1943 Independence	28 F6F-3	9 TBF-1	---
6.1944 Monterey	34 F6F-3	8 TBM-1	---
7.1945 Belleau Wood	25 F6F-5	9 TBM-3	---
6.1952 Bataan	15-20 F4U-4B	---	10-15 AF-2S/W

Standard scale images

Graphics

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 2-1 catapult. Aircraft fuel stowage: 462 700 l.   

Project history

In 1942 it appeared that the USN would not be able to get any fleet carriers before 1944 (planned date for the completion of Essex). President ordered the Navy to convert Cleveland class cruisers to carriers. It allowed to receive new aircraft carriers already in early 1943.

Cleveland class light cruisers were used as design base. Hulls were blistered improving stability, and increasing the breadth at about 1.5m. Only seven ships had armoured belt, first two did not have side armour. Internal arrangement was altered slightly; machinery became unaltered. Despite growth of displacement, breadths and draught, speed was decreased slightly. Flight deck had one catapult (all ships received one more in 1944-1945). Hangar dimensions were less than on of Bogue and Casablanca escort carriers and that predetermined the main lack of design, small air group. Under the design artillery included two 127/38mm DP guns, 8 twin 40mm and 16 single 20mm guns. However after trials of Independence 127mm guns were replaced by two quadruple 40mm Boforses, all later ships were commissioned with this armament. As a whole Independence class carriers appeared as rather successful, but too cramped ships. Their air group was three times less, than on Essex, and endurance twice. Besides, Essex class carriers (for which temporary replacement Independence class was built) were built much faster, than originally planned, and Essex was commissioned earlier, than Independence.

Ship protection

(CVL22, 23): There were only 16mm plating at waterline and 51mm main deck.

(CVL24-30):127mm belt was closed at ship ends by 127mm bulkheads and connected with 51mm main deck.

Modernizations

1944 - 1945, all survived: + 1 H-II-1 catapult (2nd).

To 1945, Independence, Belleau Wood, Bataan: - 18 x 1 - 20/70, SC-2 radar; + 2 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, SP radar

To 1945, Cowpens, Langley, Cabot: - 2 x 4 - 40/56, 22 x 1 - 20/70, SC-2 radar; + 1 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 5 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 4, SP radar

To 1945, Monterey: - 2 x 4 - 40/56, 22 x 1 - 20/70, SC-2 radar; + 1 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 8 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 4, SP radar

To 1945, San Jacinto: - 2 x 4 - 40/56, SC-2 radar; + 1 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, SP radar

1/1946, Independence, Belleau Wood, Bataan: 2 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 10 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 1 catapult, 30 aircraft, SK, SP, SG radars

1/1946, Cowpens, Langley, Cabot: 9 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 5 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, 1 catapult, 30 aircraft, SK, SP, SG radars

1/1946, Monterey: 9 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 8 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, 1 catapult, 30 aircraft, SK, SP, SG radars

1/1946, San Jacinto: 9 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 22 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 1 catapult, 30 aircraft, SK, SP, SG radars

1946 - 1948, all survived: catapult was replaced by H 4B.

early 1950s, all survived: - SP radar; + SPS-4 radar, SLR-2 ECM suite

late 1950s, all survived: - SK, SG, SPS-4 radars, SLR-2 ECM suite; + SPS-6, SPS-8, SPS-10, SPS-17 radars, WLR-1 ECM suite

1960s, some survived: - SPS-17 radar; + SPS-40 radar, ULQ-6 ECM suite

Naval service

Princeton 24.10.1944 was badly damaged as a result of 250kg air bomb hit from Japanese D4Y bomber and followed fire. She was finally torpedoed by cruiser Reno. Independence 20.11.1943 was damaged by hit of Japanese air torpedo and was under repair till August, 1944; 1.7 and 25.7.1946 she was badly damaged at nuclear tests off Bikini and sunk at tests of new weapons 29.1.1951. Belleau Wood 30.10.1944 was badly damaged by kamikaze and returned to service in January, 1945.