LR Spreagtha (IAC 3)
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | LB Spreagtha |
| Operators: |
 Royal Ossorian Navy |
| Preceded by: | LB Nuálach |
| Succeeded by: | LB Cíocrach |
| In commission: | 1920 - 1940 |
| Planned: | 1 |
| Completed: | 1 |
| Lost: | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Aircraft carrier |
| Displacement: | 22,200 t standard |
| Length: | 204 meters |
| Beam: | 35 meters |
| Draught: | 8 meters |
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: | 24 kts |
| Range: | 6,000 nm at 12 kts |
| Complement: | 791 |
| Armament: |
|
| Armor: |
|
| Aircraft carried: | 25 |
LB Spreagtha was an early aircraft carrier of the Royal Ossorian Navy. Ordered as part of the wartime construction orders during the Fourth Arzell War as a battleship, construction was halted due to the end of hostilities in 1913. In early 1916, after spending over three years in the slipway as an incomplete hulk, she was selected for conversion into an aircraft carrier, with the work being completed in 1920. Spreagtha participated in comparative trials alongside the carriers Úrnua and Nuálach to determine the optimum layout for aircraft carriers going forward, helping to influence RON design trends for the new type through the modern day.
Design
General characteristics
Spreagtha had an overall length of 204 m, a beam of 35 m, and a draught of 8 m. She displaced 22,200 t at standard load. Each of the ship's four sets of geared steam turbines drove one 3-bladed propeller and were powered by 32 small-tube boilers and were rated at 52,100 shaft horsepower. This gave Spreagtha a speed of approximately 24 knots, but due to the ship's long period laying incomplete, operating at this level was found to cause leaks in various parts of the engine configuration, not all of which were from the same set of parts or manufacturers. This limited the ship to a maximum operational top speed of about 23 knots in service. She had a range of 6,000 nautical miles at 12 knots.
Flight deck and hangar
The ship's flight deck was 199 m long and her hangar was 122 m long and 10 m wide. Its minimum height was 6.2 m, and it was equipped with four steel fire curtains to isolate any fires in the hangar. The forward lift was 14 m × 14.3 m and the aft lift was 14 m × 10 m). A large crane with an 18 m radius was positioned behind the island. The ship's aircraft capacity was 25 aircraft standard. The ship's crew totaled 41 officers and 750 men, exclusive of the air group.
Armament
For self-defense against enemy warships, Spreagtha had eight 150 mm casemate guns, four on each side of the ship, and with each gun being allocated 200 rounds. For air defense, she was fitted with six 100 mm AA guns arrayed around the islands' superstructure, with each gun being provided with 150 rounds.
Ships
| Ship | Translation | Hull Number | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spreagtha | "Inspired" | IAC 3 | HRM Dockyard, Cléire | 1912 | 1917 | 1920 | Sunk |