Essex class
The Essex class was a class of fleet aircraft carriers the United States Navy. Along with the ships of the Ticonderoga-class, whose hulls were longer by a few meters, 17 aircraft carriers were completed by the end of World War II, 7 others followed until 1950. Essex class is the most numerous series of capital ships ever produce in the 20th Century.
After the older carriers of the U.S. Navy had initially led the struggle against the Japanese advance in the Pacific and stopped the modern carriers of the Essex class took over the part in big oofensive from the end of 1943. No vessels of the Essex class was lost, either by enemy action or by accidents. After the Second World War, most of this class aircraft carrier were modernized and served some well into the 80s in the fleet.
The Essex class in Forgotten Hope Secret Weapon includes carriers USS Yorktown (CV-10), USS Hornet (CV-12) and USS Bunker Hill (CV-17). Not to be confused with the also presented in the mod USS Yorktown (CV-5) from the Yorktown class.
The armanent of the Essex-class matches the original quite well, but lacks a few 12.7-mm guns and all 20-mm Oerlikon guns. Overall, the carriers are better armed than the Yorktown-class and fully crewed aircraft difficult to attack. Targeting enemy ships is helpless, as the 12.7-mm guns can only fire anti-aircraft shells.
The captain of the ship can turn by pressing the ↑ key to the camera in the "crow's nest" of the ship, which gives it a very good overview. Unlike the Japanese aircraft carriers American carriers has not only the captain, but also each weapon station has a radar, which is designed to simulate the improved fire control of the Americans.
A special feature that originated in Forgotten Hope, is the elevator, that can be related to the aircraft from the hangar to the deck. The use of the elevator is relatively complicated, so it is rarely used.
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)
| USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) | |
|---|---|
| |
| General information | |
| Place of origin | USA |
| Category | Aircraft Carrier |
| Class | Essex class |
| Sister ships | Yorktown Intrepid Hornet Wasp |
| Used by | USA |
| Speed | 33 knots (61 km/h) |
| Crew in‑game | 6 |
| Special abilities | Aircraft elevator |
| Seat 1 | |
| Primary weapon | 4x 12.2 cm Mark 12 guns |
| Seat 2 | |
| Primary weapon | 4x 40mm M1936 Bofors quadruple (MK 12) |
| Seat 3 | |
| Primary weapon | 4x 40mm M1936 Bofors quadruple (MK 12) |
| Seat 4 | |
| Primary weapon | 4x 40mm M1936 Bofors quadruple (MK 12) |
| Seat 5 | |
| Primary weapon | 4x 40mm M1936 Bofors quadruple (MK 12) |
| Seat 6 | |
| Primary weapon | 4x 12.2 cm Mark 12 guns |
| [[File:{{{History Picture}}}|300px]] | |
The ship, the second US Navy ship to bear the name, was named for the Battle of Bunker Hill. Bunker Hill was commissioned in May 1943, and served in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning eleven battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation. She was badly damaged in May 1945 by Japanese kamikaze attacks, with the loss of hundreds of her crew, becoming one of the most heavily damaged carriers to survive the war.
After the attack she returned to the U.S. mainland for repairs and was decommissioned in 1947. While in reserve she was reclassified as an attack carrier (CVA), then an antisubmarine carrier (CVS), and finally an Auxiliary Aircraft Landing Training Ship (AVT), but was never modernized and never saw active service again. Bunker Hill and Franklin were the only Essex-class ships never recommissioned after World War II.
Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in 1966, she served as an electronics test platform for many years in San Diego bay, and was sold for scrap in 1973. An effort to save her as a museum ship in 1972 was unsuccessful.
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