Ten years had passed since the designing and laying down of the Furneaux class, and three years since the last one entered service. Much had been learned about the operation of large numbers of aircraft. The length of time it took to get them in the air and how much fuel they might have left at that point to go on operations with. These lessons also went into the design of the aircraft to operate from the big carriers. Fighters with enough range to escort the bombers to the target. Long range scouts that could also be used as dive bombers. Find the enemy. Then the bombers can sink the enemy. The main weapon against shipping is the torpedo. Even the torpedo is getting better with time and the improvements made to them. Ongoing evolutions of all the parts that go to make up the Attack Carrier Force.



The Lennon Class were even bigger than the Furneaux class. The first two were completed in 1939, then another three in 1940, and the last three in 1941. These eight ships arrived just at a point in time where the Allied forces were hard pressed and were not keeping up with replacing the early losses caused by unfortunate events.

One of the largest increases in size was the bridge structure. This was done to be able to house eight squadron ready rooms, air commander offices and control rooms, more and more radar rooms. With eight and a half squadrons aboard, just controlling those squadrons in the air was a major achievement in itself. The aircraft aboard the Lennon in 1940 was three squadrons of Albatross torpedo bombers, two squadrons of Vengeance dive bombers, two squadrons of Scorpion fighters, one squadron of Hornet fighters (first operational squadron) and last but not least six Whirlwind II long range fighter/scouts. The Whirlwind was being license built from the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation out of Australis.

 

Displacement	31,500 tons standard, 37,000 tons full load
Length	862 ft
Breadth	106 ft hull (120 ft over sponsons)
Draught	31 ft
Machinery	4 shaft, steam turbines, 150,000shp
Speed	31 knots
Range	12000 miles at 14 knots
Armour	3" side, 3" deck
Armament	As completed 20 x 4" (10x2) 56 x 40mm (12x2, 8x4)
Aircraft	102
Complement	2650/2700
Notes	Major Lennon - Captain Harrison - Drum Major Starr - Major General McCartney - Captain Nelson Colonel Palmer Brigadier Garfunkel Lifeguard Wilson

I am showing my age a bit in my choice of ship names here. The Fab Four come first, The Beatles.
Next is Rick Nelson who was huge in the US in the early 1960's.
Robert Palmer who unfortunately passed away too young, great musician.
Art Garfunkel, half of the duo with Paul Simon, Bridge over troubled water is one of his best vocals.
Brian Wilson, one of the Legendary Beach Boys, so many hits, I think they are up to Greatest Hits 4.

Music is something the world can share.