La Fayette 1953
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comm | Fate |
| La Fayette (ex-Langley) | R96 | 443 | New York SB, Camden, USA | 11.4.1942 | 22.5.1943 | 31.8.1943 // 2.6./1951 | returned to USA 3.1963 |
| Bois Belleau (ex-Belleau Wood) | R97 | 431 | New York SB, Camden, USA | 11.8.1941 | 6.12.1942 | 31.3.1943 // 23.12.1953 | returned to USA 9.1960 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
10622 |
|
Displacement full, t |
14751 |
|
Length, m |
182.9 wl 189.7 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
21.8 wl 33.3 oa |
|
Draught, m |
7.39 full load |
|
No of shafts |
4 |
|
Machinery |
4 sets General Electric geared steam turbines, 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
100000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
31.6 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 2633 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 13000 (15) |
|
Armour, mm |
belt: 127 on 16mm plating, bulkheads: 127, main deck: 51 |
|
Armament |
R96: 9 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 5 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, 1 H-4B catapult, 30 aircraft (F6F-5 Hellcat fighters, SB2C-5 Helldiver diving bombers) R97: 2 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 10 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 1 H-4B catapult, 30 aircraft (F6F-5 Hellcat, F4U-7 Corsair fighters, SB2C-5 Helldiver diving bombers) |
| Sensors |
R96: SK-2, SG, SP radars R97: SK-2, SG, SPS-4 radars |
|
Complement |
1569 |
Aircraft facilities (fd - 3,773 m², ha - 1,313 m² / 6,957 m³): Flight deck: 169.2 x 22.3 m. Hangar: 78.6 x 16.7 x 5.3 m. There were 2 lifts in center line (12.7 t, 12.8 x 13.4 m). There was 1 H-4B catapult. Aircraft fuel stowage: 462 700 l.
| Year | fighters | torpedo/diving bombers |
| 1953, La Fayette | ~20 F6F-5 | ~10 SB2C-5 |
| 1956, La Fayette | ~20 F4U-7 | ~10 TBF |
Project history: Former USN Independence class light aircraft carriers.
Ship protection: Machinery was protected by 127mm belt, 127mm transverse bulkheads and 51mm main deck.
Modernizations: 1955, La Fayette: + SPS-6 radar
1955, Bois Belleau: + DRBV-22A radar
1959, La Fayette: + DRBI-10 radar
1960, La Fayette: - 5 x 2 - 20/70
Naval service: No significant events.
Bois Belleau 1957
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
© Ivan Gogin, 2015