USS Ranger CV-4 From World of Warships

[Netpackrat]

Nice cutaway graphic, but Ranger was a dog. An experiment that didn't work out.

USN was (IIRC from what I've read) never happy with her, thought she was too small, too slow, too fragile, to be used as a fleet carrier. I believe she spent the war as an aircraft transport, and Atlantic convoy escort.

She also participated in the invasion of North Africa.

[Jered]

There's a thread on Wargaming, and you can apply for the closed alpha if you want.

[Greg]

Nice cutaway graphic, but Ranger was a dog. An experiment that didn't work out.

USN was (IIRC from what I've read) never happy with her, thought she was too small, too slow, too fragile, to be used as a fleet carrier. I believe she spent the war as an aircraft transport, and Atlantic convoy escort.

She also participated in the invasion of North Africa.

I had to double check- in Torch she was teamed up with a group of 4 escort carriers, doing the same job- escort the invasion convoys, provide general support (CAP, ASW patrol, some CAS) after the landings, and ferry some aircraft to give a start to land based air.

I think the one time she was used like a real fleet carrier was a raid on shipping in Norwegian waters. Otherwise she was used like an unusually large escort carrier.

Don't get me wrong, she was a very *important* ship... She was our first purpose-built carrier, after all. She was a major stepping stone and we learned a lot from her. Without Ranger we didn't get Yorktown and her sisters, who led to Essex.

It's just that with Ranger they hadn't figured it out yet, so she just wasn't all that good.

[randy]

It's just that with Ranger they hadn't figured it out yet, so she just wasn't all that good.

i.e. the Beta version

[Vonz90]

Biggest problem for the Ranger was that they were very worried about keeping her stable for landing aircraft but it ended up that she was really too stable. This led to a very stiff righting angle when she rolled - which resulted in a very short roll period (meaning she did not roll far but she rolled fast). That is why she sucked, she really was not capable of air ops in any kind of seas.

[MiddleAgedKen]

Ranger was designed to consume "leftover tonnage" from the Lexington and Saratoga conversions, wasn't she? My Conway's is down the hill at the moment, or I'd check myself.

[Greg]

Ranger was designed to consume "leftover tonnage" from the Lexington and Saratoga conversions, wasn't she? My Conway's is down the hill at the moment, or I'd check myself.

I remember that Wasp was built to use up tonnage left over after building Yorktown, Enterprise and Hornet. Don't remember what the arrangement was with Ranger.

[MiddleAgedKen]

I think you're right, Greg. Ranger was the first carrier we designed from the keel up. Learning happened.

[slowpoke]

It would be fun if World of Warships added USS Wolverine and USS Sable as other carriers, maybe premium ones.

[Greg]

I think you're right, Greg. Ranger was the first carrier we designed from the keel up. Learning happened.

There were different treaties at different times. We could both be right, but I don't remember.