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From: phil@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Phil Gustafson)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Paddlewheel Aircraft carrier?
Message-ID: <1991Feb19.032931.18924@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 19 Feb 91 03:29:31 GMT
References: <1991Feb18.054551.11823@cbnews.att.com>
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From: phil@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Phil Gustafson)
In article <1991Feb18.054551.11823@cbnews.att.com> JEWELLLW@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU (Larry W. Jewell) writes:
>About twenty years ago I read about a side-wheeler ferry boat that had
>been covered with a flight deck and was being used to practice touch-
>and-go in the Sea of Cortez, during WWII.  I've lost the reference for
>this and would appreciate it if someone could direct me to a book or
>publication with the information about this bizarre critter.
>
>[mod.note: Roger Chesneau's _Aircraft Carriers of the World 1914-Present_
>(US Naval Institute Press) describes the USS Wolverine (IX-64), converted 
>from the Great Lakes paddlewheel steamer Seeandbee in 1942. - Bill ]


Norman Friedman's _U.S. Aircraft Carriers - An Illustrated Design History_
lists two: Wolverine was in service from 12 Aug 42 to 7 Nov 45 and _Sable_
(IX-81, ex- _Greater Buffalo_) from 8 Mar 43 to the same date.  There's a photo
of each, and the _Wolverine_ shot shows the unmodified _Greater Buffalo_ in the
background.  Both were converted in Buffalo.  I'd be surprised if either made
it to the Sea of Cortez.

The ships had no hangars, armament, or catapults -- they were basically just
flight decks to land on.  But in October of 1942, four of seven (or 6 1/2)
US carriers were sunk, and the rest couldn't be spared for training.


-- 
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