Allied Warships

Aircraft Carriers

Essex class

24 ships


The aircraft carrier USS Tarawa (CV 40) of the US Navy.

Technical information

TypeAircraft Carrier
Displacement27100 BRT 
Length872 / 888 feet 
Complement2631 men 
Armament12 x 5"/38AA DP guns (4x2,4x1).
32 x 40mm.
46 x 20mm.
82 Aircraft.  
Max speed33 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 4 shafts 
Power150000 
Notes on classThe first 11 of this class were ordered in 1940. Later ships of this class (Long hull group) were of improved design, had stronger flight decks and better sub-division. 


All ships of the Essex class


US Navy US Navy (more on US Navy)

USS Bennington (CV 20)
USS Bon Homme Richard (CV 31)
USS Boxer (CV 21)
USS Bunker Hill (CV 17)
USS Essex (CV 9)
USS Franklin (CV 13)
USS Hornet (ii) (CV 12)
USS Intrepid (CV 11)
USS Lexington (ii) (CV 16)
USS Wasp (ii) (CV 18)
USS Yorktown (ii) (CV 10)

Long hull group


US Navy US Navy (more on US Navy)

USS Iwo Jima (CV 46)
USS Phillipine Sea (CV 47)
USS Valley Forge (CV 45)
USS Antietam (CV 36)
USS Hancock (CV 19)
USS Kearsage (CV 33)
USS Lake Champlain (CV 39)
USS Leyte (CV 32)
USS Oriskany (CV 34)
USS Princeton(ii) (CV 37)
USS Randolph (CV 15)
USS Reprisal (CV 35)
USS Shangri La (CV 38)
USS Tarawa (CV 40)
USS Ticonderoga (CV 14)


24 Aircraft Carriers of the Essex class.

Strikeout means that ship was cancelled (not finished) - not counted in class figures.

See all Aircraft Carrier classes.


Books dealing with this subject include:



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