World War Ⅱ carriers and beyond

摘要

During world war Ⅱ, and notably the Pacific War against the Japanese, the American aircraft carrier came of age, and at the heart of these operations was the classic Essex class aircraft carrier. Patrick Boniface looks at the history and development of these iconic warships. The united states Navy's Essex class aircraft carriers constituted the 20th century's most numerous class of capital ships, with 24 vessels built in both the 'short-hull' and 'long-hull' versions. Originally, 32 were ordered, although six were cancelled before construction, and a further two, USS Reprisal and USS Iwo Jima, after construction had begun.