Aircraft Carriers Facts
for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting information, history and
facts on Aircraft Carriers for kids.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts for kids
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 1: Aircraft carriers
evolved from large naval ships or cruise liners, which
were fitted with landing strips built on their decks.
The first true aircraft carriers were developed by the
Japanese in the 1920's. It should be remembered that
aircraft design was still in its infancy - the
Wright Brothers had only recently achieved the first
powered and controlled flight of an airplane in 1903.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts -
2: The Japanese
continued to be the leading innovators, designers and
constructors up to WW2, with the best trained and most
efficient maintenance teams.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 3: The first American fleet
carriers, the USS Lexington and Saratoga, did not join the navy
service until 1928 due to arms limitations following WW1
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 4: The invention of aircraft
carriers changed the way naval battles were fought forever. Aircraft
carriers allowed a naval force to launch warplanes from the sea
without having to depend on land bases for staging aircraft
operations.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts -
5: The size of the
ships were massive and carried almost 3,000 crewmembers.
The largest WW2 aircraft carriers were capable of
launching over 100 aircraft and measured up to 800 feet
(245 meters) long and 100 feet (30 meters) wide.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts -
6: The warships were
"runways at sea" with a large flat area on the top deck
that acted as the runway and landing strip for the
airplanes. Many of the planes were stored below the top
deck to keep the top deck clear for take-offs and
landings. An elevator was used to bring up the stored
planes to the top deck.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 7: By the time WW2 broke out
aircraft carriers were all purpose-built warships that generally
carried three different types of warplanes - the Dive Bomber, the
Torpedo Bomber and the fighter planes.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 8: Dive bombers carried bombs
that would be dropped on top of a ship or target. They would fly up
high and then made a steep dive straight down on their target, drop
their bombs and then pull out of the dive.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 9: Torpedo bombers carried a single torpedo that
would be dropped into the water and propelled itself to try and sink
an enemy warship.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts -
10: The fighter planes
protected the carrier from attacking bombers,
intercepted enemy search planes and escorted the dive
bombers and torpedo bombers on strike missions. Fighters
included the F4F Grumman Wildcat, F6F Grumman Hellcat
and the F4U Vought Corsair
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 11: How did the planes take off?
The planes had only a short distance for take-off from the top deck
and needed a device to help to achieve the speed needed for the
plane to take off. An aircraft catapult was the device used to
launch aircraft from ships as a form of assisted take off.
Pressurized steam powered the catapult at high speed along the top
deck's catapult track towards the bow of the carrier so the plane
could take off.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts -
12: How did the planes
land? Landing on an aircraft carrier was extremely
hazardous. Each plane would have a tailhook installed at
the end of the plane. When landing, the tail hook would
catch on to a wire on the ship's landing strip which
helped the plane to slow down and land on the short
runway without running right off the end.
Continued...
Aircraft Carriers
Facts for kids
Facts
about the Aircraft Carriers Facts for kids: WW2
The following fact
sheet continues with interesting information, history and facts
on Aircraft Carriers for kids.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts for kids: WW2
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 13: In
1940 Japan had 10 aircraft
carriers in the Pacific compared to the US who had
three. (Note: Germany and Italy had no carriers to
fight with)
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 14: WW2: In the
infamous attack on
Pearl Harbor the Japanese navy sent six aircraft
carriers, with 423 warplanes, 3,400 miles across the
northern Pacific without discovery to their final
destination 230 miles north of Hawaii.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 15: WW2: The invention
of this type of warship made cities that were once
considered safe, vulnerable to attacks from the air. The
US response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor was the
Doolittle Raid when the
US launched B-25 bombers from the deck of the USS Hornet
aircraft carrier in a daring, surprise attack against
Tokyo on April 18, 1942.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 16:
WW2: The Battle of the
Coral Sea (May 4-8, 1942) was the first aircraft
carrier battle ever fought. At no point in the battle
did the ships sight, make contact or fire at each other
- all attacks were carried out by airplanes.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts -
17: WW2 The
Battle of Midway
was a decisive victory and turning point for the US.
During the battle four important Japanese
carriers, the Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu, were
destroyed enabling America to halt the Japanese advance
in the Pacific
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 18: WW2: The
Battle of the Philippine Sea
(June 19–20, 1944), known as "the greatest carrier
battle of the war", was the largest naval battle of WW2
which eliminated the Japanese Navy's ability to conduct
large-scale carrier actions.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts - 18: Currently, 9
countries possess aircraft carriers, although the United
States and Great Britain are the only naval forces that
rely heavily on them. The US Navy currently has 12
aircraft carriers and the British Royal Navy has three.
Aircraft Carriers
Facts for kids: WW2
Aircraft Carriers Facts for kids - President Franklin Roosevelt Video
The article on the
Aircraft Carriers Facts provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Franklin Roosevelt video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 32nd American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945.
Aircraft Carriers Facts: WW2
●
Interesting Facts about Aircraft Carriers for kids and schools
●
WW2
Aircraft Carriers Facts for kids
●
WW2
Aircraft Carriers Facts with important dates and key
events
●
Franklin Roosevelt
Presidency during WW2
●
Fast, fun, Aircraft Carriers Facts for kids
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Franklin Roosevelt
● Franklin Roosevelt Presidency and
WW2 air craft Carriers Facts for schools,
homework, kids and children |