Lexington-class Fleet Carriers

World War I was over. The War to End All Wars had been concluded and disarmament was the rule of the day. Across the globe, nations were demobilising their troops, scrapping old and excess equipment, and making treaties so that the nightmare could never happen again.

One of these treaties was the Washington Naval Treaty of 1921. In it, the victorious nations set limits on their own naval power - and imposed stricter limits on their former foes. A provision of this treaty allowed the Allied powers each to convert two existing or under-construction capital ships to aircraft carriers.

In the United States, a new class of heavy battlecruisers had been under construction at the end of the war, and were scheduled for scrapping. Two of these incomplete hulls, Lexington and Saratoga, were selected for conversion to aircraft carriers. Almost the size of the battleships of the day, they were redesigned and rebuilt, becoming the largest carriers of their generation.

Construction Data (Lexington-class Battle Cruisers)

Construction Data (Lexington-class Aircraft Carriers)

Ships in Class

CV-2 USS Lexington

CV-3 USS Saratoga

Sources
1. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships - U. S. Naval Historical Center - CV-2 USS Lexington 2. United States Naval Historical Center: Online Library of Selected Images - Lexington Class (CC-1 through CC-6) 1917-1919 Building Programs. Construction cancelled in 1923	Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (Online) at Haze Gray and Underway - CV-2 USS Lexington United States Naval Historical Center: Online Library of Selected Images - USS Constitution (CC-5), 1918 Program -- construction cancelled in 1923

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