Suáilce-class aircraft carrier
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Suáilce-class |
| Operators: |
 Royal Ossorian Navy |
| Preceded by: | Misniúil-class |
| Succeeded by: | Doshásta-class |
| In commission: | 1940 - 1950 |
| Planned: | 16 |
| Completed: | 16 |
| Lost: | 6 |
| Retired: | 8 |
| Preserved: | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Aircraft carrier |
| Displacement: | 15,000 t standard |
| Length: | 212 meters |
| Beam: | 24 meters |
| Draught: | 6 meters |
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: | 26 kts |
| Range: | 12,000 nm at 13 kts |
| Complement: | 1,050 |
| Armament: | 40 × 40 mm/55 caliber anti-aircraft guns (10×4) |
| Armor: | Bulkhead: 100 mm |
| Aircraft carried: | 48 |
The Suáilce-class was a class of sixteen aircraft carriers built for Royal Ossorian Navy starting in 1937. The class comprised of the ships Suáilce, Forasta, Fosadh, Gart, Eslabra, Cómhalartacht, Fíalainech, Sessach, Cuibsech, Ionraic, Cosúil, Étir, Soithnge, Fíréán, Trócaire, and Lessach. The class was ordered at the start of the Great Eracuran War as part of an emergency fleet expansion in the years running up to the Ossorian entry into the war. The class, which were essentially scaled-down versions of the Misniúil-class, were classified as 'light fleet carriers' due to them lacking armor and other features in order to speed their construction.
Design
General characteristics
The Suáilce-class ships had an overall length of 212 m, a beam of 24 m, and a draught of 6 m. She displaced 15,000 t at standard load. Each of the ship's two geared steam turbines drove one 3-bladed propeller and were powered by 4 three-tube boilers and were rated at 40,000 shaft horsepower. This gave the Suáilce-class a speed of approximately 26 knots. She had a range of approximately 12,000 nautical miles at 13 knots.
Flight deck and hangar
The Suáilce-class ships had a flight deck which was 210 m long. The class was fitted with a single-story enclosed hangar and was outfitted with arrestor gear and a compressed steam catapult. Two elevators allowed aircraft to be transferred between the hangar and the flight deck. The ships' aircraft capacity was 48 aircraft divided into four squadrons. The ships' crew totaled 1,050 officers and ratings.
Armament
The Suáilce-class ships were fitted with with an anti-aircraft battery of 40 40 mm anti-aircraft guns in quadruple mounts positioned around the perimeter of the flight deck. Due to the circumstances which saw their construction, the Suáilce-class was the first class of Ossorian aircraft carrier for which the air group was truly the ships' primary armament, with all of the ship-mounted weapons intended for close-range anti-aircraft defense.
Ships
| Ship | Translation | Hull number | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suáilce | "Virtue" | IAF 21 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | |
| Forasta | "Sensiblity" | IAF 22 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | |
| Fosadh | "Firmness" | IAF 23 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | |
| Gart | "Hospitality" | IAF 24 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | |
| Eslabra | "Generosity" | IAF 25 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | |
| Cómhalartacht | "Reciprocity" | IAF 26 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | |
| Fíalainech | "Nobility" | IAF 27 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | |
| Sessach | "Strength" | IAF 28 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | |
| Cuibsech | "Responsibility" | IAF 29 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | |
| Ionraic | "Honesty" | IAF 30 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | |
| Cosúil | "Fairness" | IAF 31 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | |
| Étir | "Capability" | IAF 32 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | |
| Soithnge | "Eloquence" | IAF 33 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | |
| Fíréán | "Justice" | IAF 34 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | |
| Trócaire | "Mercy" | IAF 35 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | |
| Lessach | "Beneficence" | IAF 36 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |