Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:19:15-2:19:37

Lexington's guns and an accelerated HMS Illustrious

A viewer asks whether the early Pacific war would expose the gun-armed American carriers to surface action and speed HMS Illustrious into service.

8-inch GunsAircraft CarriersArmoured CarriersHMS IllustriousIllustrious Class Aircraft CarriersLexington Class Aircraft CarriersNaval MobilisationUSS Lexington (CV-2)USS Saratoga (CV-3)
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Question

Would Lexington and Saratoga use their eight-inch guns, and could HMS Illustrious enter service early?

Short answer

Lexington and Saratoga would likely deploy with their guns available, while war would probably accelerate Illustrious without making her immediately ready.

Notes

Lexington and Saratoga would deploy with their eight-inch batteries still fitted, making surface use possible if a suitable action developed. Their eight-inch batteries reflect the hybrid character of large interwar carriers, which still carried cruiser-scale guns alongside aircraft. HMS Illustrious was not due to commission until 1940, but an active naval war would create pressure to accelerate completion. That acceleration would not make the armoured carrier available at once, yet it could shorten the interval before a more modern British design joined the campaign.