GA.MAY@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU (mitchoid) (05/05/89)
From: "mitchoid" <GA.MAY@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU> >From: pv04+@andrew.cmu.edu (Philip Verdieck) > > >I was reading a book mentioning WWII, PAcific theatre, and they mentioned >our Carrier fleet at one time as consisting of WASP, HORNET, YORKTOWN, >LEXINGTON, ENTERPRISE, and RANGER. I had idea of the RANGER. Can anyon >fill me in. The Ranger (CV-4) was the first US carrier designed and built from the keel as a carrier. Due to limitations imposed by the Washington Naval Treaty, she displaced on 14,500 tons with a max speed of 29.5 knots. Aircraft load was still a hefty 86. A very noticable characteristic of the Ranger was the six (3 port and 3 starboard) folding funnels. While conducting flight ops, the funnels would be lowered until they were almost horizontal and out of the way. Otherwise, the funnels would be standing vertical. The Ranger was built by Newport News and launched in 1933 (2/25). Because of the speed limitations, the Ranger was considered inefficient for as a first line unit and her participation in WWII was mainly confined to the Atlantic. I don't have a very good summary of her operations handy, the summary I do have merely states operations in Atlantic 1941-44 (convoy escort?), N. Africa, raid on Norway 10/43, and finally as a training carrier 1944-1945. [mod.note: In _Aircraft Carriers_, Roger Chesneau claims Ranger actually launched air strikes against Vichy targets in North Africa, and against German shipping around Norway. - Bill ] The Ranger was scrapped in Pennsylvania in 1947. The Yorktown class (Yorktown, Hornet and Enterprise) are considered to be enlarged Ranger class ships without the funnel arrangements. Source: Paul Silverstone's US Warships of WWII and a Jane's 1942. Mitchell Yee ga.may@forsythe.stanford.edu