Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:09:04-2:09:44

Invincible followed the cruiser-carrier lineage

The Invincible class is presented as a descendant of the cruiser-carrier concept rather than simply a reborn escort carrier.

Cruiser CarriersHMS UnicornInvincible Class Aircraft CarriersNaval Aviation
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Question

Could the Invincible class be considered a rebirth of the escort carrier concept?

Short answer

More accurately, it revived the broader cruiser-carrier concept, of which the escort carrier was only the cheapest stripped-down form.

Notes

The broader cruiser-carrier idea was more expansive than its cheapest escort-carrier expression. British prewar thinking sought a ship with enough aviation capacity to support cruiser operations and the forward fleet. That family of ideas includes HMS Unicorn and the light fleet carriers before continuing toward Invincible.