Saipan-class aircraft carrier

USS Saipan CVL-48

USS Wright CVL-49

The Saipan class aircraft carriers were a class of light carriers built for the United States Navy that served during World War II. They were based on the Baltimore class crusier hull, but were actually built from the keel up as aircraft carriers. Compared to their heavy cruiser half-sisters they were eight feet beamier (wider). The earlier Independence class light carriers were modified from Cleveland-class light cruisers then under construction.

They had very brief service lives as fleet carriers, serving respectively from 1948 to 1954 (Saipan) and 1947 to 1956 (Wright). As carriers, they were swiftly outdated by the deckspace-eating jet aircraft of the 1950s, and quickly rendered far too small in a military environment where the 900-foot (270 m)-long Essex class ships were increasingly seen as cramped and small. The two ships were seen as valuable hulls, however, with a large void space within the ship that could easily be translated to other use. They were converted for non-carrier duties in the late 50s, Saipan as the communications relay ship USS Arlington and Wright as a command ship.

General characteristics

• Displacement: 19,000 tons full load
• Length: 202.4 meters
• Beam: 23.4 meters
• Draught: 7.6 meters
• Height (Mast): 34.4 meters
• Crew (Officers/Men): 1,677
• Speed: 33 knots (61 km/h)
• Armament:
  • 5 quad, 11 dual 40 mm; 16 dual 20 mm AA
  • 48 aircraft

Ships

• Saipan (CVL-48) - later USS Arlington (AGMR-2)
• Wright (CVL-49) - later CC-2

Sources

• Statistics