Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:34:49-2:35:46

Larger carrier allowances reshape Lexington and Yorktown

A 30,000-ton carrier rule could still permit much larger converted Lexingtons while pushing the later Yorktown question toward a new design.

Aircraft CarriersLexington Class Aircraft CarriersNaval TreatiesYorktown Class Aircraft Carriers
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Question

With a 30,000-ton carrier allowance, would Yorktown become a modified Lexington or an entirely new design?

Short answer

Yorktown's form remains open, but a special allowance could push the Lexington conversions toward 40,000 tons and change the baseline for the next purpose-built design.

Notes

Yorktown's form remains open because the nominal limit for purpose-built carriers differs from special conversion allowances. Historical conversions could exceed the ordinary ceiling, so adding a similar margin to a 30,000-ton rule might produce Lexingtons near 40,000 tons. Limiting their guns to 6 inches would leave more weight for aviation. Those larger conversions would give the United States a different experimental baseline for its later purpose-built carriers.