Lexington-Class Aircraft Carriers 1927-46: The US Navy's first fleet carriers (New Vanguard)

This fully illustrated study explores the history of the Lexington class, the US Navy’s first fleet carriers, from their battlecruiser origins to their service in World War II. The Lexington class began life as two of the six battlecruisers ordered for the US Navy in 1916.Laid down in 1920-21, they would have been the most powerful battlecruisers ever, if the Washington Naval Treaty had not scrapped the world’s newest capital ships.However, as a handful of hulls were permitted to become aircraft carriers, Lexington and Saratoga were spared for conversion.Naval historian Mark Lardas explains how the resulting design was unprecedented.When built they were the largest carriers in existence - the US Navy would not have bigger carriers until the 1945 Midway class.They were fast, they carried larger air groups than any other carrier of their time, and they pioneered a flight deck design that became standard in all future carriers.During the 1930s, they were at the heart of the fleet exercise