Republic of Texas

[emperor_andreas]

Great to see this thread updated! And with a carrier, no less! Excellent work on her thus far!

[Hood]

Looking very good.

[Novice]

Looks pretty good, and yes welcome back.
Gun at the stern looks more like a 40mm Bofors than a 5" gun IMHO, but I could be mistaken.

[Redhorse]

He probably means the one under the flight deck overhand. Most early CVEs had them.

[ezgo394]

Yeah, that's the one I was referring to. Actually, after prodding further, I realized that most CVEs only had one or two at the stern, but none at the bow.
I retract my earlier statement .

[Redhorse]

No worries. I still respect you.

[Redhorse]

December 1943:

Texas did not start any serious development of carrier aviation capability until after the war started. The Air Force and the Navy had been satisfied with the scout aircraft on the capital ships, but the problem of convoy escort remained. Shortly after the war began, the Air Force selected a handful of its best flight school graduates for additional training with the US Navy. These officers completed carrier qualifications and served with US Navy aviation squadrons through 1942. The Texas Navy also attached personnel to US aircraft carriers to build the knowledge base for carrier operations.

In 1943 the US Navy provided technical advice on converting merchant hulls to escort carriers, which the Texas Navy felt was industrially feasible with their available facilities. The first hull, a tanker, started conversion early that year, and the Air Force fielded its first future carrier squadrons with Grumman TBF Avengers. The Avengers were land based for many months at Ellington Field, conducting antisubmarine patrols off the Texas coast. The converted carrier was launched for sea trials in late summer. The first squadron of Texas Avengers landed on her deck just before she was commissioned.

It was the best Christmas ever for the Air Force and Navy.



Two more conversions followed in 1944. A fourth was completed in 1945, just after VE Day, and refitted with more extensive anti-aircraft armament for Pacific service.

[BB1987]

Looks great.

[ezgo394]

Agreed. A marvelous looking carrier!

[emperor_andreas]

Awesome!