CSS Midway (CVL-1943)
Back to Condfederate States List
The need for more aircraft carriers became acute in 1941-42 and led to the Confederate States Navy converting hulls of the Nicaragua class heavy cruisers into light carriers (CVL's). All superstructure was raised and a full 19 foot high hangar deck was inserted that covered about 470 feet of the main deck with the flight deck mounted above it. The flight deck was the full length of the ship with an enclosed bow to help with seakeeping at high speed.
Depending on the ships role the ships would either be filled with fighters for Combat Air Patrols round the fleet, or as an ASW carrier they would have more bomber types that could be used for Anti-submarine duties. This allowed the main carriers to concentrate solely on attack duties. The extra length of the ships when compared to the Escort carriers meant that all of the piston engined aircraft inventory could be flown from these ships.
| Displacement | 13,700 tons std 17,900 tons full load |
| Length | 652.5 ft |
| Breadth | 68 ft (hull) |
| Draught | 27 ft |
| Machinery | 4 shaft steam turbines 110,000shp |
| Speed | 33 knots |
| Range | 10,000 miles at 15 knots (3,000 nm at 28 knots) |
| Armour | 5" side, 2.5" deck |
| Armament | 28 x 40mm (2x4 10x2) 4 x 20mm (4x1) |
| Aircraft | 36 |
| Torpedoes | nil |
| Complement | 1020 (including aircrew) |
| Notes | CSS Midway |
