Timeline For Aircraft Carrier Service - Between The Wars

Between The Wars

1919

• 11 July — USS Jupiter authorised to be converted to a carrier.
• 11 September — HMS Hermes launched.
• 16 December — Hōshō laid down, possibly as the tanker Hiryu.

1920

• 24 March — USS Jupiter decommissioned for conversion to a carrier.
• 21 April — USS Jupiter renamed USS Langley.
• 1 November — U.S. Navy sinks USS Indiana during an exercise testing aerial bombardment.
• 6 December — Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi laid down.

1921

• 13 November — Hōshō launched.

1922

• 6 February — Washington Naval Treaty limiting naval forces signed.
• HMS Furious flush-deck conversion begun.
• 20 March — USS Langley commissioned.
• 1 July — Battlecruisers USS Lexington and USS Saratoga reclassified to be completed as carriers.
• 27 December — Hōshō commissioned.

1923

• July – HMS Hermes commissioned
• August – Conversion of the French Normandie-class battleship Béarn to an aircraft carrier started.
• Kaga carrier conversion begun.

1924

• 26 February — HMS Eagle commissioned.
• June — Light cruiser HMS Courageous carrier conversion started.

1925

• Light cruiser HMS Glorious carrier conversion started.
• 7 April — USS Saratoga launched.
• 22 April — Akagi launched.
• 1 July — First night deck landing made by F/Lt Boyce flying a Blackburn Dart onto HMS Furious
• September — HMS Furious re-enters service with flush flight deck.
• 3 October — USS Lexington launched.

1926

• 6 May — First night deck landing, aboard HMS Furious.

1927

• 25 March — Akagi commissioned
• May — Béarn commissioned.
• 16 November — USS Saratoga commissioned.
• 14 December — USS Lexington commissioned.

1928

• 5 May — HMS Courageous commissioned as a carrier; first carrier to be fitted with transverse arrestor gear (friction-based).
• 31 March — Kaga commissioned.

1929

• 26 November — Ryūjō laid down.

1930

• 10 March — HMS Glorious recommissioned as an aircraft carrier.
• March — HMS Argus placed in reserve.

1931

• 2 January — First carrier fitted with hydraulic arresting gear, HMS Courageous.
• 2 April — Ryūjō launched.
• 26 September – USS Ranger laid down.

1933

• 25 February — USS Ranger launched.
• 9 May — Ryūjō commissioned.

1934

• 21 May — USS Yorktown laid down.
• 4 June — USS Ranger commissioned.
• 16 July — USS Enterprise laid down.
• 20 November — Sōryū laid down.

1935

• 9 September – First landing of a rotary winged aircraft aboard a carrier – a Cierva autogyro onto HMS Furious
• 16 September — HMS Ark Royal laid down.
• 21 December — Sōryū launched.

1936

• 15 January — Japan exits the Washington Naval Treaty.
• 1 April — USS Wasp laid down.
• 4 April — USS Yorktown launched.
• 8 July — Hiryū laid down.
• 3 October — USS Enterprise launched.
• 25 October — USS Langley taken in hand for conversion to a seaplane tender.
• 28 December — Flugzeugträger A (Graf Zeppelin) laid down.

1937

• 29 January — Sōryū commissioned.
• 26 February — USS Langley recommissioned as a seaplane tender.
• 13 April — HMS Ark Royal launched.
• 27 April — HMS Illustrious laid down.
• 4 May — HMS Victorious laid down.
• 17 June — HMS Formidable laid down.
• 30 September — USS Yorktown commissioned.
• 10 November — HMS Indomitable laid down.
• 16 November — Hiryū launched.
• 12 December — Shōkaku laid down.

1938

• Takasaki carrier conversion started.
• Flugzeugträger B laid down.
• 12 May — USS Enterprise commissioned.
• 25 May — Zuikaku laid down.
• 8 December — Graf Zeppelin launched.
• 16 December — HMS Ark Royal commissioned; first carrier with deck armour.

1939

• 21 February — HMS Implacable laid down.
• 4 April — USS Wasp launched.
• 5 April — HMS Illustrious launched.
• 1 June — Shōkaku launched.
• 26 June — HMS Unicorn laid down.
• 5 July — Hiryū commissioned.
• 17 August — HMS Formidable launched.