[archie1971]

I'm pretty keen on Naval aviation too And I'd say that the USS Ranger (CV-4), like the USS Wasp (CV-7) are often largely forgotten about, probably overshadowed by the exploits of the larger USN fleet carriers in the Lexington, Yorktown & Essex classes.

Another often overlooked USN carrier class is the Independence class of fast fleet carrier, converted from cruiser hulls. I hope to change that from the IL2 point of view as I've been working on one in 3dsmax for some time...but more on that later

The plans you show of Ranger, while ok, are unfortunately not detailed enough for a good build. if you, or anyone can produce detailed plans I'd see if I could find an empty slipway to lay the keel on More detail the better, at very least including all sides and hull below waterline...

Aircraft Carriers ferrying aircraft, either to rear bases, hot spot's or for invasion purposes was a common practice during WW2 and not only limited to the US Navy, or even just Navies

Some of the better known cases are the Royal Navy convoys to supply Malta with aircraft to defend the besieged Island. They lost two carriers during these operations, HMS Arc Royal & HMS Eagle. They also enlisted the help of the US Navy with USS Wasp (CV-7) going on two convoy's.

Possibly the least known are the exploits of the 5 escort carriers ordered to be built for the Japanese Imperial Army, that's right Army not Navy From what I've recently read, they converted 3 merchant ships into small carriers to support landing operations by flying Army aircraft to new beachheads, not unlike the practise at Operation Torch, these ships could also carry landing craft. They had no provision for recovering aircraft. Only 2 saw active service (details mostly unknown), the Akitsu Maru & the Nigitsu Maru and both were sunk by submarines in 1944. The 3rd Kumano Maru saw no action and survived the war.
They also converted 2 tankers into escort carriers Yamashiro Maru & Chigusa Maru. Only Yamashiro Maru was commissioned, entering service on 27th Jan 1945. It apparently had 8 Ki-44 Shoki (Tojo) aircraft on board. Whatever service history it may have had was certainly short lived as Yamashiro Maru was sunk by US aircraft in Yokohama on 17th Feb 1945.
How this was to function in practice I have yet to find out...hard facts being hard to find.
It could be that the aircraft were deemed expendable, like the catapulted Hurricanes on British merchant vessels in the Atlantic. On the other hand, they might have had arrestor gear, who knows? But it would be nice to have a Ki-44 with a tailhook in IL2, or any kind of Ki-44 for that matter

Re; USS Enterprise, it has already be done, but was never released due to the Northrop Grumman thing. It's a real shame, as SaQSon, the guy who modelled it, certainly made a beautiful job. Easily worthy of taking the time & effort to post an old screen shot of

SaQSon's "Big E"

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much nice work ,I'd like near to me model so like