Lexington Class Battle Cruiser - Ships

Ships

Following adoption of the Washington Naval Treaty, construction on all the ships was stopped in February 1922. Two of the battlecruiser hulls were reordered as the Lexington-class aircraft carriers Lexington (CV-2) and Saratoga (CV-3) under the terms of the Treaty, while the other four ships were formally canceled in August 1923 and were scrapped on their building ways.

The Lexington class consisted of six ships, under construction at four locations:

• Lexington (CV-2, ex-CC-1) was laid down in Quincy, Massachusetts at the Fore River Shipyard on 1 January 1921. Became the aircraft carrier CV-2. Served as an aircraft carrier throughout her lifespan, sunk at the Battle of Coral Sea in 1942.
• Constellation (CC-2) was laid down in Newport News, Virginia by Newport News Shipbuilding on 18 August 1920. Construction was halted in February 1922 and canceled in August 1923, when the ship was only 22.7% complete, and was scrapped.
• Saratoga (CV-3, ex-CC-3) was laid down in Camden, New Jersey by New York Shipbuilding on 25 September 1920. She was converted to the aircraft carrier CV-3; because more progress had been made on her construction (35.4% versus 22.7%), she was converted instead of Constellation. Saratoga served as an aircraft carrier throughout her lifespan; she was expended in Operation Crossroads as a target ship in 1946.
• Ranger (CC-4) was originally named Lexington, but was renamed on 10 December 1917. The keel was laid in Newport News, Virginia, by Newport News Shipbuilding on 23 June 1921. Construction was halted in February 1922 and cancelled on 17 August 1923, and the unfinished hull, only 4% complete, was sold for scrap on 8 November 1923.
• Constitution (CC-5) was laid down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 25 September 1920. Her construction was suspended in February 1922 and formally cancelled in August 1923, when the ship was 13.4% complete. The hull was then scrapped on the building ways.
• United States (CC-6) was laid down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 25 September 1920. Construction was halted on 8 February 1922 when the ship was 12.1% complete, and she was sold for scrap on 25 October 1923.