Anatomy of Essex-class Carriers

Anatomy of Essex-class Carriers. . The massive structure above the flight deck is called the island. The island contains the main command and navigation positions, sea cabins for top commanders, radar and radio shacks, weather station, flight deck control office, chart room, pilot house, ready ammunition lockers and boiler uptakes. As world war two progressed, more radar equipment was added to the tripod mast. Carriers needed radars to perform a variety of tasks: long range searches warned of air attack; fighter direction vectored combat air patrol elements to inbound attackers; and beacons guided returning aircraft and identified friend from foe. , The flight deck contained a number of innovations including catapults operated by a combination of hydraulics and air pressure. Catapults became necessary when an entire strike force was spotted on the deck prior to take-off. Arresting cables, which snagged an aircraft's tail hook, worked as a breaking mechanism. Two elevators on the centerline and one on the deck edge lifted planes between the hanger and flight decks. The elevators could lift 7-8 tons and make a round trip (including loading and unloading) in 45 seconds. Flight decks were made of 0.2-inch steel covered with 3-inch teak planking. , Below the flight deck were the gallery and hanger decks. The gallery deck contained spaces with access to the flight deck: officer state rooms and pilot ready rooms. The combat information center was on the gallery deck in early Essex-class models. Aircraft were stored, readied for flight, and repaired on the hanger deck. It also contained maintenance spaces and officer state rooms. Large spare parts, like wings, often were stored suspended from the overhead. , The second, third and fourth decks below the hangar deck consisted of officers wardroom and cabins, crews quarters and mess, various offices and shops, and aviation and ship stores. Beneath the armored fourth deck, the engines and boilers took up most available space. Ammunition and fuel were also stored below the fourth deck. The ship's machinery comprised two units with two boiler rooms, each containing two boilers. Each engine room had two turbines, with a pair of boilers providing steam for each of the four propellers. Generators delivered electrical power while diesel generators operated during emergencies. Three distillation plants provided fresh water for the boilers and crew. Pumps were available for washing decks, fighting fires and emptying flooded compartments. , The Essex-class carriers were lightly armed. Their weapons were for antiaircraft defense and comprised 5-inch/.38 caliber guns, Bofors 40mm guns, 20mm Oerlikon cannons, and Army quad-.50 caliber machine guns.