Design and capability of aircraft carriers during World War II

Main article: Aircraft carrier operations during World War II

Naval historians such as Evan Mawdsley, Richard Overy, and Craig Symonds concluded that World War II's decisive victories on land could not have been won without decisive victories at sea.^[1][2][3] Naval battles to keep shipping lanes open for combatant's movement of troops, guns, ammunition, tanks, warships, aircraft, raw materials, and food largely determined the outcome of land battles. Without the Allied victory in keeping shipping lanes open during the Battle of the Atlantic, Britain could not have fed her people or withstood Axis offensives in Europe and North Africa.^[4] Without Britain's survival and without Allied shipments of food and industrial equipment to the Soviet Union,^[a] her military and economic power would likely not have rebounded in time for Russian soldiers to prevail at Stalingrad and Kursk.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

Without victories at sea in the Pacific theater, the Allies could not have mounted amphibious assaults on or maintained land forces on Guadalcanal, New Guinea, Saipan, The Philippines, Iwo Jima, or Okinawa. Allied operations in the Atlantic and Pacific war theaters were interconnected because they frequently competed for scarce naval resources for everything from aircraft carriers to transports and landing craft.^[10] Effective transport of troops and military supplies between the two war theaters required naval protection for shipping routes around the Cape of Good Hope, through the Suez canal, and through the Panama Canal. In both theaters, maritime dominance enabled combatants to use the sea for their own purposes and deprive its use by adversaries. As naval historian Admiral Herbert Richmond stated, "Sea power did not win the war itself: it enabled the war to be won".^[11]

Aircraft carriers played a major role in winning decisive naval battles,^[12] supporting key amphibious landings, and keeping critical merchant shipping lanes open for transporting military personnel and their equipment to land battle zones. This article is part of a series that covers World War II from the vantage point of aircraft carrier operations and is focused upon carrier design and capability.

Design considerations

Aircraft carrier design involved trade-offs between offensive striking power and defensive survivability. The more carrier tonnage allocated to guns and armor for protection, the less was available for carrying and launching aircraft, the warship's principal weapon. Combatant nations of World War II placed varying emphasis on these factors depending upon conditions in their principal operating theater, their preferred operating tactics, and their industrial capability. Experts continue to debate whether increasing carrier survivatility through increased anti-aircraft armament and armored flight decks was optimal during World War II since adding the weight to do so necessitated reductions in the number of carrier aircraft available to inflict damage upon the enemy. For example, would designing the USS Yorktown so that it was more likely to survive the punishment it took at the Battle of Midway have been desirable if its carrying a smaller air group resulted in fewer Japanese carriers being sunk?^[13]

Initial constraints on design

Aircraft carrier design prior to the outbreak of World War II had been constrained by limitations of international agreements among the major naval powers which were intended to avoid an arms race over capital ships. The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 limited carrier displacement for the five signers to 27,000 tons ( long tons of 2,240 lbs/ton), except that each could convert two existing battleship hulls to carriers having displacements up to 33,000 tons. Armament for carriers was limited to a maximum of ten guns with a maximum caliber of 8 inches. Aircraft carriers were defined as having displacements of at least 10,000 tons and used exclusively for launching and landing aircraft. The overall tonnage limit for carriers was 135,000 tons for Britain and America, 81,000 for Japan, and 60,000 tons for Italy and France.^[14]

"Experimental" Designs

Only four aircraft carriers were in service or under construction at the time the Washington Naval Treaty was agreed to. These four were considered "experimental" and not included as part of the treaty's overall tonnage limitations. They were relatively small in size and carried a relatively small number of aircraft. These were HMS Argus (a converted liner), USS Langley (a converted collier), IJN Hōshō (laid down as a carrier), and HMS Hermes (laid down as a carrier).

Evolving design emphasis by each combatant

Japanese aircraft carriers

The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) emphasized offensive capability consistent with their strategic vision of orchestrating and winning a single, decisive battle. Limited by treaties to having fewer capital ships than the US and UK, Japan's planning emphasized ways to degrade enemy fleets before they arrived at battle by extending the capability of IJN weapon systems. Aircraft as well as torpedoes had longer ranges than American or British counterparts.

The following table shows some key performance parameters for Japanese aircraft carriers. It also shows what it took to sink them. Carriers are listed in order of commissioning date within each carrier type (fleet, light, escort).

Key Performance Parameters for Japanese Aircraft Carriers

		Commission		Standard	Length	Speed	Range		Operational	Reserve
		Date	Class	Displacement	(ft)	(knots)	(nm)	Crew	Aircraft	Aircraft	Sunk By
	Fleet
1	Akagi	25-May-27	Akagi	36,500	855	31	8,200	1,630	66	15	1 bomb
2	Kaga	30-Nov-29	Kaga	38,200	812	28	10,000	1,708	72	18	4 bombs
3	Soryu	29-Sep-37	Soryu	15,900	746	34	7,750	1,103	63	8	3 bombs
4	Hiryu	05-Jul-39	Soryu	17,300	746	34	10,330	1,103	57	16	4 bombs
5	Shokaku	08-Aug-41	Shokaku	26,675	845	34	9,700	1,660	72	12	4 torpedoes
6	Zuikaku	25-Sep-41	Shokaku	29,800	845	34	--	1,660	72	12	9 bombs+7 torp
7	Junyo	03-May-42	Hiyo	24,100	718	25.5	10,000	1,224	48	5	--
8	Hiyo	31-Jul-42	Hiyo	26,949	718	25.5	10,000	1,224	48	5	2 torpedoes
9	Taiho	07-Mar-44	Taiho	29,300	855	33	10,000	1,751	75	0	1 sub. torpedo
10	Unryu	06-Aug-44	Unryu	17,150	742	34	8,000	1,595	57	6	2 sub. torpedoes
11	Amagi	10-Aug-44	Unryu	17,460	742	34	9,700	1,595	57	6	many bombs
12	Katsuragi	15-Oct-44	Unryu	17,260	742	33	9,700	1,595	57	6	--
13	Shinano	19-Nov-44	Shinano	64,800	873	27	10,000	2,400	47	0	4 sub. Torpedoes
	Light
1	Hosho	27-Dec-22	Hosho	7,470	551	25	8,680	550	21	0	--
2	Ryujo	09-May-33	Ryujo	12,732	590	29	10,000	924	48	0	4 bm+1 torp
3	Zuiho	27-Dec-40	Zuiho	11,262	712	28	9,236	785	30	0	many bm +2 torp
4	Shoho	30-Nov-41	Zuiho	11,262	674	28	9,236	785	30	0	13 bm+7 torp
5	Ryuho	28-Nov-42	Ryuho	13,360	707	26	8,000	989	30	0	--
6	Chitose	01-Nov-43	Chitose	11,190	631	29	11,000	1,500	30	0	3 torpedoes
7	Chiyoda	21-Dec-43	Chitose	11,190	631	29	11,810	1,500	30	0	4 bombs + gunfire
	Escort
1	Taiyo	15-Sep-41	Taiyo	17,830	591	21	8,500	850	23	4	1 sub. torpedo
2	Unyo	31-May-42	Taiyo	17,830	649	21	8,500	850	30	0	1 sub. torpedo
3	Chuyo	25-Nov-42	Taiyo	17,830	591	21	8,500	850	30	0	2 sub. Torpedoes
4	Shinyo	15-Nov-43	Shinyo	17,500	651	22	8,000	948	27	6	4 sub. Torpedoes
5	Kaiyo	23-Nov-43	Kaiyo	13,600	546	23	7,000	587	24	0	bombs
	RANGES
	Fleet
	Low			15,900	718	26	7,750	1,103	48	0
	High			64,800	873	34	10,000	2,400	75	18
	Light
	Low			7,470	551	25	8,000	550	21	0
	High			13,360	712	29	11,810	1,500	48	0
	Escort
	Low			13,600	546	21	7,000	587	23	0
	High			17,830	651	23	8,500	948	30	6

Notes:

• This table includes only ships that operated between July 1937 and August 1945 and that had flight decks for both launching and recovering aircraft at sea.
• "Commission Date" is the date the ship was first commissioned as an aircraft carrier.
• "Standard Displacement" is the weight in tons of the ship with full load of stores and ammunition, but with no fuel, lubricating oil, or reserve feed water. (See Stille, p. 61)
• "Range" is the maximum distance in nautical miles possible on a load of fuel when traveling at optimal speed, which is typically much less than maximum speed.
• "Operational Aircraft" is the number that could be launched for attacks or Combat Air Patrol. It excludes spares and cargo aircraft. (See Parshall and Tully, p. 478)
• Various specifications changed over time. Values shown here are typically for the 1942 to 1944 time frame.

Sources:

• Parshall, Jonathan and Anthony Tully; Shattered Sword (2005)
• Stille, Mark; The Imperial Japanese Navy (2013)
• Imperial Japanese Navy Page
• Naval War In The Pacific, 1941-1945
• World War II Database

American aircraft carriers

Americans perceived their principal operating theater would be the Pacific, where immense distances between refueling bases placed a premium on carrier speed and range. Threats were likely to come from other warships, either as enemy aircraft or ship's guns, rather than from land-based planes or batteries. Carrier-launched strikes would involve fewer aircraft and each would carry less of a payload, consisting of 250lb and 500lb bombs, compared to land-based aircraft. Also, war-games indicated the ability to strike first and decisively was important for success. Strong first strikes against enemy carriers were expected to reduce or eliminate their ability to counter-attack, reducing the need for strong defensive measures. As a result of these considerations, Americans placed greater emphasis on aircraft striking power than upon survivability when attacked. Accordingly, carriers were designed to carry more aircraft and aircraft components at the expense of more anti-aircraft guns and flight deck armor. To further increase the number of aircraft carried, large numbers of them were kept on the flight deck in addition to those kept below in hangars. In the Pacific, storms that could toss or wash deck-park aircraft overboard were uncommon and could theoretically be navigated around. Finally, within a year of the beginning of the Pacific War, America's industrial capacity enabled them to rapidly make good their carrier losses, enabling them to take greater risks with their carriers to achieve greater success.^[13]

(to be continued)

British aircraft carriers

The British also operated in the Pacific but, for most of the war, their principal areas of carrier operation were the coastal Atlantic, Mediterranean, and North Sea. In these areas, there were no enemy carriers. The threat was from land-based, potentially multi-engine, heavy bombers in potentially overwhelming numbers that could deliver heavy payloads consisting of 1,000lb bombs or more and be protected by equally large numbers of fighter aircraft. Unlike with relatively few and small enemy attacking aircraft in the Pacific, it was almost assured that some attacking aircraft would penetrate a fighter and anti-aircraft screen. Further, attacks from land bases could be sustained after airfield repairs, unlike in the Pacific where the launch platform could be sunk or sufficiently damaged to require an immediate return to dry-dock facilities. Accordingly, emphasis was placed on surviving an attack such that a counter-attack could be launched. Survivability was enhanced with more anti-aircraft guns and flight deck armor at the expense of larger aircraft groups on-board. Additional anti-aircraft armament also made carriers more self-sufficient for defense and less reliant upon other warships for screening. Finally, heavy weather was more common and less avoidable in the Atlantic theater than in the Pacific. and deck-parking to increase aircraft group size was less common.^[13]

(to be continued)

All carriers

The table below (incomplete, work-in-progress) shows the specifications and capabilities for aircraft carriers as they evolved over time.

	Carrier Name	Date Comm.	Carrier Class	Std. Displ	Full Displ	Length w/l	Length o/a	Beam o/a	Draft	Speed (kn)	Range (nmi)	H. AA	L. AA	Belt Arm.	Deck Arm.	Air- craft	Men
1	HMS Argus	1918		14,680	16,028		565	68	23	20	3,600	6				15-18	495
2	USS Langley	1922	Langley	12,900	14,100		542	65	25	16	3,500	4				36	631
3	IJN Hōshō CVL	1922		7,590	9,646		552	59	20	25	8,680	6				15	512
4	HMS Hermes CVL	1923		11,020	13,900		600	70	23	25	5,600	9		3	1	20	566
5	HMS Eagle	1924		22,200			668	115	27	24	4,800	14		4.5	1-1.5	25-30	791
6	HMS Furious	1925	Courageous	22,900	26,000		787	88	25	30	7,480	16		2-3	.8-3	36	795
7	IJN Akagi	1927		37,100	42,000		855	103	29	32	10,000	12	14	6	3.1	66	1,630
8	USS Saratoga	1927	Lexington	37,000	43,746		888	106	30	33	10,000	20		5-7	.8-2	78	2,791
9	USS Lexington	1927	Lexington	37,000	48,500		888	108	33	33	10,000	20		5-7	.8-2	78	2,791
10	FMN Béarn	1927		22,501	29,000		599	116	31	22	7,000	14	16	3.1	1	35-40	865
11	HMS Courageous	1928	Courageous	24,600	27,420	735	786	91	28	30	6,630	16		2-3	.8-3	48	1,217
12	IJN Kaga	1929		38,813			812	33	31	28	10,000	26	22	6	1.5	90	1,708
13	HMS Glorious	1930	Courageous	25,370	27,859	735	787	91	28	30	5,860	16		2-3	.8-1	48	1,283
14	IJN Ryujo CVL	1933		7,900	9,990		590	67	18	29	10,000	12	24			48	600
15	USS Ranger	1934		14,810	17,859	730	769	109	22	29	10,000	8	40	2	1*	86	2,461
16	IJN Sōryū	1937		16,200	19,100		748	70	25	34	7,750	6	14			63+9	1,100
17	USS Yorktown	1937	Yorktown	20,100	25,900		825	109	26	33	12,500	8	40	2.5-4		80-90	2,217
18	USS Enterprise	1938	Yorktown	19,800	25,500	770	825	110	26	33	12,500	8	40	2.5-4		90	2,217
19	HMS Ark Royal	1938		22,000	28,160	722	800	95	28	30	7,600	16	64	4.5	.8-3.5	50-60	1,580
20	IJN Hiryū	1939		17,600	29,570		746	73	26	34	10,330	12	21	3.5-6	1-2.2	64+9	1,100
21	USS Wasp	1940	Wasp	14,900	19,423	688	741	109	20	30	12,000	8	30	3.5		100	2,167
22	HMS Illustrious	1940	Illustrious	23,369		710	740	96	29	30	10,700	16	48	4.5	3.0	36-57	1,299
23	Formitable	1940	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
24	Zuiho CVL	1940	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
25	Victorious	1941	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
26	IJN Shōkaku	1941	Shōkaku	26,087	32,620		845	85		34	9,700	16	32			72	1,660
27	Zuikaku	1941	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
28	Indomitable	1941	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
29	Hornet	1941	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
30	Shoho CVL	1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
31	Junyo	1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
32	Hiyo	1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
33	Ryuho CVL	1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
34	USS Essex	1942	Essex	27,500	36,960		872	148		33	20,000	12	78	3-4	1.5	95	2,600
35	Independence CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
36	Lexington (2nd)	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
37	Princeton CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
38	Unicorn CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
39	Belleau Wood CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
40	Yorktown (2nd)	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
41	Bunker Hill	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
42	Cowpens CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
43	Montery CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
44	Cabot CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
45	Intrepid	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
46	Langley (2nd) CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
47	Chiyoda CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
48	Bataan CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
49	Wasp (2nd)	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
50	Hornet (2nd)	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
51	San Jacinto CVL	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
52	Indefatigable	1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
53	Chitose CVL	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
54	Franklin	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
55	Taiho	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
56	Unryu	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
57	Hancock	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
58	Ticonderoga	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
59	Bennington	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
60	Amagi	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
61	HMS Implacable	1944	Implacable		32,630		767	96		33	6,720	16	104	4.5	3.0	48-81	2,300
62	Shangri-La	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
63	Randolph	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
64	Katsuragi	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
65	Shinano	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
66	Bon Homme Richard	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
67	Colossus CVL	1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
68	Venerable CVL	1945	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
69	Antietam	1945	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
70	Vengence CVL	1945	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
71	Boxer	1945	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
72	Glory CVL	1945	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
73	Warrior CVL	1945	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
74	Lake Champlain	1945	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
75	Ocean CVL	1945	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men

SELECTED ESCORT CARRIERS

Long Island aircraft: 16 hangar + 46 flight deck Audacity: no hangar; aircraft stored on flight deck

	Carrier Name	Date Comm.	Carrier Class	Std. Displ	Full Displ	Length f/d	Length o/a	Beam o/a	Draft	Speed (kn)	Range (nmi)	H. AA	L. AA	Belt Arm.	Deck Arm.	Air- craft	Men
1	USSLong Island	1941	Long Island			404	492	70	25	17	10,000					62	856
2	HMS Audacity	Jun 1941		12,000			467	56	28	15		1	9			6+8	480
3	IJN Taiyō	Sep 1941	Taiyō	18,116	20,321		591	73	25	21	8,500	8	14			27-30	850
4	HMS Archer	Nov 1941	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
5	HMS Avenger	Mar 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
6	USS Charger	Mar 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
7	HMS Biter/Dixmude	Apr 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
8	IJN Un'yō	May 1942	Taiyō	18,116	20,321		591	73	25	21		8	8			30	850
9	USS Copahee	jun1942	BAVG	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
10	HMS Dasher	Jul 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
11	USS Nassau	Aug 1942	Bogue	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
12	USS Santee	Aug 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
13	USS Sangamon	Aug 1942	Sangamon	11,600	24,665		553	114	32	18		2	20			25	830
14	Altamaha	Sep 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
15	Chenango	Sep 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
16	USS Suwannee	Sep 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
17	USS Bogue	Sep 1942	Bogue	9,800			496	112	26	18		2				24	890
18	HMS Activity	Sep 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
19	HMS Attacker	Sep 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
20	USS Card	Nov 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
21	IJN Chūyō	Nov 1942	Taiyō	18,116			591	73	25	21	8,500	8	8			30	850
22	HMS Battler	Sep 1942	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	USS Block Island	Mar 1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	HMS Chaser	Apr 1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	USS Striker	Apr 1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	HMS Pursuer	Jun 1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	USS Casablanca	Jul 1943	Casablanca	7,900	11,077	490 w/l	498	65-108	22	19	10,240	1	20			27	916
#	HMS Pretoria Castle	Jul 1943		23,450			594	76	29	18						21
#	USS Liscome Bay	Aug 1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	USS St. Lo	Oct 1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	IJN Shin'yō	Nov 1943		17,500	20,586		621	26	26	22		8	30			27+6	942
#	IJN Kaiyō	Nov 1943		13,600	16,483		546	71	26	23	7,000	8	24			24	829
#	HMS Vindex	Dec 1943	Nairana	13,671			524	68	21	17		2	32			15-20	700
#	HMS Nairana	Dec 1943	Nairana	14,280			529	69	21	17		2	32			15-20	728
#	USS Gambier Bay	Dec 1943	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	Ommaney Bay	Feb 1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	HMS Campania	Mar 1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	USS Bismark Sea	May 1944	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men
#	USS Commencement Bay	Nov 1944	Commencement Bay	11,100			557	75	31	spd	range	2	36			34	1,066
#	name	date	class	std	deep	lenwl	lenoa	beam	draft	spd	range	haa	laa	belt	deck	planes	men

Footnotes

1. Britain and America shipped war-sustaining goods to the Soviet Union via Arctic Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Pacific Ocean routes.

References

1. Mawdsley, Evan (2019). The War For The Seas- A Maritime History of World War II. London: Yale University Press. p. 478. ISBN 978-0-300-19019-9.
2. Overy, p. 61
3. Symonds, p. 641
4. Overy, Richard (1995). Why The Allies Won. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company. p. 18. ISBN 0-393-03925-0.
5. Overy p. 19, 254, 321
6. Mawdsley, p.478
7. Baranov, Sergey (14 Mar 2018). "Lend-Lease: How American supplies aided the USSR in its darkest hour". Russia. Science & Tech. Retrieved 29 Aug 2019.
8. Hill, Alexander (July 2008). "Did Russia Really Go It Alone- How Lend-Lease Helped The Soviets Defeat The Germans". History.net. Retrieved 28 Aug 2019.
9. Toland, John (1965). The Last 100 Days. New York, NY & Toronto, Canada: Bantam Books. p. 102. ISBN 0-553-34208-8.
10. Symonds, WWII at Sea, p. xi-xii
11. Mawdsley, page=xxxix, 477
12. Symonds, p. 268
13. Pocklington, Alexander (aka "Drachinifel") (2 Jan 2019). "'Armoured' and 'Unarmoured' Carriers: Survivaility vs. Strike Power". Five Minute Guide To Warships WWI & WWII (more or less). Retrieved 31 Mar 2019.
14. DiGiulian, Tony (29 Dec 2017). "Washington Naval Limitation Treaty of 1922". NavWeaps- Naval Weapons, Naval Technology and Naval Reunions. Retrieved 31 Mar 2019.