Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:48:18-1:49:28

Why G3 carrier conversions would be conversions in name only

With only early material and machinery commitments in place, a treaty-authorized G3 conversion could become an almost purpose-built British counterpart to Lexington and Saratoga.

Aircraft CarriersG3 Class BattlecruisersLexington Class BattlecruisersRoyal NavyWashington Naval Treaty
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Question

Could the G3 or N3 designs have been converted into aircraft carriers?

Short answer

The G3s could; their early construction state allowed an almost purpose-built carrier, while the N3s had not progressed enough to offer the same route.

Notes

The G3s had progressed far enough for a carrier conversion to be plausible, unlike the later N3 battleships. Yet their construction was still so early that designers would not be trapped by a completed battleship hull. Existing keel work and ordered machinery could satisfy the legal fiction of conversion while allowing a nearly purpose-built flight-deck arrangement. The resulting ships are expected to compare favorably with Lexington and Saratoga rather than inherit the compromises of a late conversion.