#USS Jupiter (AC-3)

[lonestarbattleship]

USS LANGLEY (CV-1) under reconstruction from the collier, USS JUPITER (AC-3), at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. She was the first US Navy ship built with turbo electric transmission propulsion. This system used steam to power a turbine connected to an electrical generator, to power the propeller motors and everything else on the ship. This allowed for greater fuel efficiency and had greater redundancies.

Note: boat storage yard ashore, and USS GEORGE E. BADGER (DD-196) in background.

Date: late 1921

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command: NH 93538

[sepiadays]

The ill-fated Proteus-class colliers. USS Proteus (AC-9) was the lead ship of her class. She disappeared in November 1941. USS Jupiter (AC-3) was converted to the aircraft carrier USS Langley (CV-1) in 1920 and later to a seaplane tender (AV-3) in 1937. She was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in February 1942. USS Cyclops (AC-4) disappeared in March 1918 after a mutiny. USS Nereus (AC-10) disappeared in December 1941.

A reasonable analysis suggests that years of hauling acidic coal compromised the structural integrity of these ships, causing sudden and catastrophic losses. More likely, they were cursed.

[lex-for-lexington]

How many aircraft carriers were originally intended to be battleships or something else?

Royal Navy 

HMS Argus (I49) was originally an ocean liner named Conte Rosso.

The Courageous-class (HMS Courageous, Furious and Glorious) were originally laid down as battlecruisers.

HMS Eagle was originally named Almirante Cochrane, until the Royal Navy purchased the half-complete super-dreadnaught from Chile in 1918.

There were also quite a lot of escort carriers converted from merchant vessels, oilers, etc.

US Navy

USS Langley (CV-1) was converted from the collier USS Jupiter (AC-3).

USS Lexington (CV-2) and Saratoga (CV-3) were originally laid down as battlecruisers. Redesigned as aircraft carriers in accordance with the Washington Naval Treaty.

The nine Independence-class light carriers were originally laid down as Cleveland-class light cruisers.

Again there were a lot of converted escort carriers.

Imperial Japanese Navy

Akagi and Kaga were converted from a battlecruiser and a battleship respectively, in accordance with the Washington Naval Treaty.

The two Chitose-class light carriers were converted from seaplane tenders.

Ryuho was originally a submarine tender named Taigei.

The two Zuiho-class light carriers were originally submarine tenders, designed to be converted into light carriers or oilers when needed.

Junyo was originally laid down as the passenger liner Kashiwara Maru, similarly Hiyo was originally passenger liner Izumo Maru. The Japanese Navy subsidized luxury liner construction projects (up to 60% of the building cost), and in exchange the ships were designed to be able to be converted into carriers should the need arise. 

Ibuki, though not completed before the end of the war, was converted from a heavy cruiser.

Escort carrier Shinyo was converted from the German ocean liner SS Scharnhorst.

Shinano, the biggest vessel on this list, was converted from a Yamato-class battleship, but was sunk by USS Archerfish (SS-311) before she was commissioned.

Again, a number of escort carriers were converted from passenger or cargo vessels. 

I’m not entirely sure this list is complete but it shouldn’t be too far off, I hope.

[thanoshistory]

USS Langley Aircraft Carrier: World War II

USS Langley Aircraft Carrier: World War II

USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) was the United States Navy’s first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter (AC-3), and also the US Navy’s first turbo-electric-powered ship.

Conversion of another collier was planned but canceled when the Washington Naval Treaty required the cancellation of the partially built Lexington-class battlecruisers Lexington and Saratoga, freeing up their…

[carriers-en-blog]

USS Langley (CV-1)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Langley. USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) was the United States Navy's first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter (AC-3), and also the US Navy's first turbo-electric-powered ship. Conversion of another collier was planned but canceled when the Washington Naval Treaty required the cancellation of the partially built Lexington-class battlecruisers Lexington and Saratoga, freeing up their hulls for conversion to the aircraft carriers Lexington and Saratoga. Langley was named after Samuel Pierpont Langley, an American aviation pioneer. Following another conversion, to a seaplane tender, Langley fought in World War II. On 27 February 1942, she was attacked by nine twin-engine Japanese bombers of the Japanese 21st and 23rd Naval Air Flotillas and so badly damaged that she had to be scuttled by her escorts. More details Android, Windows

[lonestarbattleship]

USS TEXAS (BB-35) taking on coal from USS JUPITER (AC-3) in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Note: JUPITER would later be converted to be the first US Aircraft Carrier, USS LANGLEY (CV-1).

source

Date: February 15, 1916