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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AIRCRAFT CARRYING SHIPS
CURTISS seaplane tenders (1940)


Photo



  Curtiss 1940

Ships


No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
AV4 Curtiss 418 New York SB, Camden 3/1938 20.4.1940 11.1940 stricken 7.1963
AV5 Albemarle 420 New York SB, Camden 6.1939 13.7.1940 12.1940 repair ship for helicopters ARVH1 Corpus Christi Bay 3.1965, stricken 12.1974


Technical data


Displacement standard, t12053
Displacement full, t14900
Length, m

154.8 wl 160.7 oa

Breadth, m

21.1

Draught, m

6.50 full load

No of shafts2
Machinery

2 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers

Power, h. p.

12000

Max speed, kts

18

Fuel, toil 2164
Endurance, nm(kts) 
Armament

4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 10 x 1 - 12.7/90, 30 seaplanes (SOC/SON, OS2U)

Complement

1195



Standard scale images


<i>Curtiss </i>1963
Curtiss 1963


Graphics


  <i>Curtiss</i> 1940
  Curtiss 1940


Aircraft facilities

Aircraft fuel stowage was 1 020 500 l. There were 3 heavy cranes for handling seaplanes.

Project history

First USN modern purpose-built seaplane tenders. According to the design, each of them should maintain two seaplane squadrons and provide small repair of aircraft. For this purpose the deck aft has been exempted for placing of aircrafts requiring repair, and there was a hangar in a superstructure with necessary equipment. Seaplanes were lifted onboard by three powerful cranes (one on aft part of the aviation deck and two on a superstructure). Hull had underwater protection, aviation fuel tanks took places below a waterline. Total stowage of an aviation fuel notably exceeded accepted for aircraft carriers.

Ship protection

There was 4-compartment underwater protection.

Modernizations

1941, Curtiss: + CXAM-1 radar

1942 - 1943, both: - 10 x 1 - 12.7/90; + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, Mk 26 radar

1945, Curtiss: (presumably) - CXAM-1 radar

1944 - 1945, both: + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, presumably SG, SK radars

1.1946, both: 4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 4 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 30 seaplanes, presumably SG, SK, Mk 26 radars

Naval service

: Curtiss was badly damaged 21.6.1945 by kamikaze at Okinawa. Albermarle after conversion was used for repair of army helicopters in Vietnam.