Lexington Class
Lexington Class (carrier specifications)
displacement: 41,000 tons
length: 888 feet
width: 105½ feet
height: 32 feet
speed: 34¼ knots
complement: 2,122 crew
armament: 8 eight-inch and 12 five-inch guns
propulsion: Quadruple screw, turbine
aircraft: 81
The first USS Lexington (CC.1, CV-2) and the fifth Saratoga (CC.3, CV-3) made up the only Lexington class conversions from Battle Cruiser to Aircraft Carrier. While the Lexington out classifies the Saratoga the Saratoga was the USN's first fast carrier.
The Lexington was a powerful machine, being the largest carrier afloat at the time, but this size came at a great cost, as it was easily recognised by the Japanese.
This branding resulted in her inevitable demise, at the Battle of Coral Sea when she was mortally hit and later sunk. The Saratoga survived the war, but whenever it wasn't in friendly waters, she was being shelled or torpedoed, resulting in multiple trips to the drydock. She was subjected to the US A-Bomb tests at Bikini Atol, an uncerimonious and potentially greusome end to a potentially impressive vessel.
The vessels of the Lexington class of Fleet Carrier where:
USS Lexington CV-2
USS Saratoga CV-3
Back to Main