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Aircraft carriers of World War II by country Aircraft carriers serve as a seagoing airbases, equipped with a flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying and recovering aircraft. [ 1 ] Typically, they are the capital ships of a fleet, as they project air power worldwide without depending on local bases for operational support.
Four types of ships are included in the list: fleet carriers, light carriers, escort carriers, and merchant aircraft carriers. Fleet and Light Carriers. The number of each combatant's operational fleet and light carriers provides an indication of that country's offensive naval capability at any point in time.
During World War II, the United States Navy purchased two Great Lakes side-wheel paddle steamers and converted them into freshwater aircraft carrier training ships. Both vessels were designated with the hull classification symbol IX and lacked hangar decks , elevators or armaments .
Named World War II military operations involving aircraft carriers Name Navy Action Begin End Task Force Carriers 1940: Hurry: RN: Deliver Aircraft to Malta: 31 July 1940: 4 August 1940: Force H: Argus, Ark Royal: Hat: RN: Reinforce Eastern Mediterranean Fleet; Deliver Supplies to Malta: 30 August 1940: 5 September 1940: Force H & Force F: Ark ...
Successful Allied initiatives at El Alamein, Stalingrad, French North Africa, and Guadalcanal in November 1942 marked strategic shifts for World War II. Aircraft carriers contributed to the success of these operations by protecting convoys of armaments and other supplies to Egypt and Russia, keeping Malta supplied and able to disrupt Axis ...
Merchant ship convoys protected by carrier aircraft also delivered critical supplies in January, July, and September, losing only one ship of the 39 total. [187] Ark Royal successfully sent a squadron of torpedo-bombers to Malta in October and more fighters and bombers in November.
An aircraft carrier, the Enterprise, shot down 911 enemy aircraft and sank 71 ships. It also damaged or destroyed another 192 ships and was vital in the Doolittle Raids.
Some carrier aircraft served in dual roles, such as fighter-bomber and bomber-reconnaissance aircraft. Carrier aircraft functions. Torpedo and dive bombers attacked enemy warships, transports, merchant ships, and land installations. Fighters accompanied bombers on attack missions, protecting them during interceptions by enemy fighters.