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The experimental aircraft carriers Normandie and Languedoc have given the Marine Nationale good experience
in the operation of aircraft carriers since their completion. However, they are slow for carrier operations, have insufficient
range for the requirements of the French fleet, and carry what the French Navy Staff consider an inadequate antiaircraft battery.
Finally, they consume almost 75 percent of France's allowed aircraft carrier tonnage to provide a total of 80 carrier aircraft.
The first stage in replacing the Normandie class aircraft carriers was the construction of MN Clemenceau, which will
be completed at the end of 1924. The second stage will be the construction of MN Gambetta, which will begin in January, 1925.
Upon MN Clemenceau finishing sea trials, MN Normandie will be removed from service. Upon MN Gambetta finishing sea trials,
MN Languedoc will be removed from service:
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MN Leon Gambetta, French Aircraft carrier, laid down 1925
Displacement:
13,020 t light; 13,385 t standard; 15,252 t normal; 16,744 t full load
Dimensions:
Length overall / water x beam x draught
695.54 ft / 695.54 ft x 75.46 ft x 20.34 ft (normal load)
212.00 m / 212.00
m x 23.00 m x 6.20 m
Armament:
8 - 4.72" / 120 mm guns (4x2 guns), 52.72lbs / 23.92kg shells, 1925 Model
Breech
loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 2.95"
/ 75.0 mm guns in single mounts, 12.87lbs / 5.84kg shells, 1925 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side,
all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
16 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (8x2 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.89kg shells, 1925 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 505 lbs / 229
kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 200
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 1.97"
/ 50 mm 357.15 ft / 108.86 m 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 79 % of normal length
- Gun
armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.98" / 25 mm -
2nd: 0.98" / 25 mm
- -
3rd: 0.98" / 25 mm - -
- Armour deck: 1.97" / 50 mm, Conning tower: 1.97" / 50 mm
Machinery:
Oil
fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 71,422 shp / 53,281 Kw = 30.00 kts
Range 11,100nm at 15.00
kts (Bunkerage = 3,359 tons)
Aviation:
60 Aircraft, 2 Elevators
Complement:
686 - 892
Cost:
£2.727 million / $10.909 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 63 tons, 0.4 %
Armour: 1,693 tons, 11.1 %
- Belts: 302 tons, 2.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 41 tons,
0.3 %
- Armour Deck: 1,324 tons, 8.7 %
- Conning Tower: 26 tons, 0.2 %
Machinery: 2,319 tons, 15.2 %
Hull,
fittings & equipment: 5,345 tons, 35.0 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,231 tons, 14.6 %
Miscellaneous weights:
3,600 tons, 23.6 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits
needed to sink ship):
26,222 lbs / 11,894 Kg = 497.3 x 4.7 " / 120 mm shells or 2.7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable
if below 1.00): 1.16
Metacentric height 4.3 ft / 1.3 m
Roll period: 15.2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform
(Average = 50 %): 71 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.07
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.50
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
Block coefficient: 0.500
Length to Beam
Ratio: 9.22 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 30.29 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 49 %
Trim (Max
stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 47
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00
ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
-
Forecastle (20 %): 22.64 ft / 6.90 m
- Mid (50 %): 22.64 ft / 6.90 m (22.31 ft / 6.80 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck
(15 %): 22.31 ft / 6.80 m
- Stern: 22.31 ft / 6.80 m
- Average freeboard: 22.50 ft / 6.86 m
Ship tends to be wet
forward
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 79.0 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 226.8 %
Waterplane Area: 36,365 Square feet or 3,378 Square
metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 146 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 101 lbs/sq ft or
496 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.98
- Longitudinal: 1.12
- Overall: 1.00
Hull
space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship
has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather
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