Thank you!
Anyway it seems that at least Santee was re-gunned with Bofors before operation Torch.
I found that photo:
Go to
http://www.destroyerhistory.org/benson- ... ch457.htmlthen open the 1205 K Pdf near the description: "Stbd. bow, approaching Santee (CVE-29), Nov. 1942"
I guess that all four sisters were modified before Torch, having 4 twin Bofors.
Quote:
check the Squadron/Signal Escort Carriers book
Indeed that photo is quite clear. I must have had look at her before.
Looking at following photo, if the captions are correct, it seems that they were not upgraded to 8 twin Bofors before going to South Pacific.
The upper photo at page 18, show Suwannee with a big "7" on FD. She has only 4 positions for twin Bofors, but she had a bigger number of 20mm:
on port side: 9+3+2/3
on starboard side: 5/9+3+0/2
counting 2 on the bow, the total is between 24 and 30 x 20mm Oerlikon.
The upper photo at page 20 show Chenango "during early 1943, soon after being deployed in the Pacific for the invasion of the Gilbert Island".
The latter part of the phrase is not correct. Anyway, in this photo, Chenango doesn't have a sponson for Bofors on the aft side of the Flight deck, and it seems she has only one in the fore side.
The summary seems to be:
Sangamons completed conversion with 4 quad 1.1".
Sometime before Torch they had 4 twin 40mm Bofors.
The three that were rushed to South Pacific had only an increased number of 20mm.
Maybe only Santee that was nearer to East Coast yards had 8 twin Bofors (??).
The three Pacific units were upgraded before Gilberts in sept-oct 1943 with 7 twin and 2 quad (aft) 40mm Bofors.
More upgrades in 1945 (10 twin and 2 quad).
Bogue,
Card and
Core completed with 4 quad 1.1", but were very soon upgraded with 8 twin Bofors very early in 1943 or very late in 1942.
Copahee,
Nassau and
Altamaha were completed with 4 quad 1.1" as well.
All three were upgraded to 8 twin Bofors in May, August and November 1943 respectively.
CVE-20 to 25 (From
Barnes on) they were completed with 8 twin Bofors.
Some or all of the Bogues were upgraded to 9 or 10 twin Bofors from 1944.
Of course all comments and corrections are welcome.
Max