Langley 1922
| No | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comm | Fate |
| CV1, 4/1937- AV3 | Langley (ex-Jupiter) | Mare Island N Yd, Vallejo | 18/10/1911 | 24/8/1912 | 7/4/1913 // 20/3/1922 | seaplane tender 4/1937, sunk 27/2/1942 |
|
Displacement normal, t |
13990 |
|
Displacement full, t |
15150 |
|
Length, m |
158.5 wl 165.3 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
19.9 |
|
Draught, m |
6.30 |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
electric motors, 2 General Electric turbo-generators, 3 Yarrow boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
6500 |
|
Max speed, kts |
15.5 |
|
Fuel, t |
coal 2300 |
|
Armament |
4 x 1 - 127/51 Mk 7/8/9, 34 aircraft (M-8, VE-7) |
|
Complement |
468 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 3,173 m², ha - ? m² / ? m³): Flight deck: 162.7 x 19.5 m. There were opened hangar and one lift. There were 2 pneumatic catapults for seaplanes (2.8t plane dispersed to 100 km/h).
| Year | Fighters | Reconnaissance | Torpedo bombers | Seaplanes |
| 1924 | 12 TS | 12 UO | 4 SC | 6 |
| 1933 | 15 F4B | 15 SU | --- | --- |
Ship project history: First American aircraft carrier. She was laid down as coaler Jupiter for USN and commissioned in 1913. Unusual feature of a vessel was twin-shaft turbo-electric machinery. In July, 1919 by order of the USN the project of her conversion to aircraft-carrier has been prepared. Works were conducted on Norfolk N Yd in March 1920 - March, 1922.
Langley was been equipped by a rectangular flight deck. The space between it and upper deck it was possible to call as a hangar with some share of convention as it was opened from both sides. For lifting of aircrafts one elevator was used, besides, seaplanes handled on a deck by special cranes. In the former cargo spaces tanks for aviation petrol and a aviation ammunition magazines were placed.
Originally ship was arranged by two pneumatic catapults for launching of seaplanes and arresting gear of longitudinal system.
In 1928 a catapult was demounted, and a year later longitudinal arresting gear have replaced by more successful transverse.
Too slow-speed for actions together with battle fleet, Langley was used as the experimental ship, on which various technical innovations were completed. So, originally carrier was equipped by one funnel a port side, but because of strong smoke blanketing of a flight deck it should be changed by two thrown off downwards.
In 1934 Americans have made a decision to build next aircraft carrier (Wasp) and it was necessary to "exempt" for them tonnage, assigned under aircraft carriers the Washington Treaty of 1922. Langley lost a third of flight deck, and the ship was officially reclassified to seaplane tender (AV3). She could support basing of one seaplanes squadron, but usually she was used for aircraft repair.
Modernizations:
1928: catapults were removed.(10/1936 - 2/1937, Mare Is N Yd): Langley was converted to seaplane tender. Fore one third part of flight deck was removed. One squadron of seaplanes can be based. Shp can carry up to 55 aircraft as aircraft transport.
Naval service: Langley was badly damaged by Japanese G4M land-based bombers 27/2/1942 in 75nm S off Java (she received five direct bombing hits) and sunk by destroyer Whipple.
Langley 1921
Langley as aircraft tender.
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-10