Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:59:02-4:00:50

The Royal Navy's unrealized cruiser-carrier option

A smaller Hermes or a higher treaty limit could support a programme of small carriers operating with cruiser groups.

Aircraft CarriersHawkins Class Heavy CruisersHMS HermesRoyal NavyWashington Naval Treaty
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Did the Royal Navy consider building cruiser-sized carriers from Hawkins-class-type hulls during the 1920s and 1930s?

Short answer

There were ideas for cruiser-sized carriers, and Hermes offered a starting point close to the 10,000-ton threshold. A higher cruiser limit could have supported small carriers alongside County-class cruisers.

Notes

HMS Hermes displaced about 11,000 tons standard, and British designers believed a related design could lose the thousand tons needed to reach the treaty threshold. A larger Hawkins design also provides a counterfactual route to a higher cruiser limit. With a 12,000-ton limit, Britain could have built Hermes-style carriers alongside its County-class cruisers. A suggested ratio of one small carrier to four cruisers would let the carrier supply aviation support and spare the cruisers the weight of their own aircraft facilities.