Greatest Aircraft Carrier of WWII?

Question

What do you belive is the greatest Aircraft carrier of WWII? you can have more than one and can be from diffrent countries. I will accept Heavy, Light, and Escort Carriers.

The US had Three of the seven begining carrier that lived through the war.
USS Saratoga
USS Ranger
USS Enterprise

Answer 1

This obviously involves a very subjective answer, but some answers can still follow objective guidelines..........given that, then I can easily state that USS Enterprise (CV-6) is the "greatest" aircraft carrier of WWII. It earned more battle stars than any other carrier (20 of a possible 22), and the only carrier vs. carrier action it wasn't involved in was the Battle of the Coral Sea (and she missed that because she was returning from the Doolittle Raid with USS Hornet). She received varying degrees of battle damage on numerous occasions, and at one time was the ONLY USN carrier available in the Pacific. No other carrier served as long, in as many battles, took as much damage, with as much distinction as the Enterprise.

A note to clarify Wedge_Antilles_72's answer:

The USN started the war with 7 carriers (CV-1 Langley having been redesignated as an aircraft transport)

CV-2 Lexington
CV-3 Saratoga
CV-4 Ranger
CV-5 Yorktown
CV-6 Enterprise
CV-7 Wasp
CV-8 Hornet

Of those 7, the Enterprise, Saratoga, and Ranger all survived the war.

Answer 2

Hmm, Well from the USN I would have to pick the Enterprise. Its may not have been the best design (the Essex was better) but simply for everything it went though. Earning 20 out of 22 battlestars for the Pacific threater. I cannot think of another carrier (in any navy) that fought as much as the 'Big E'.

Japan, I would have to go with the Zuikaku. She and her sister the Shokaku were probably the best designed Japanese carriers ever. She also had one of the more active careers of Japanese carriers. If she had been present during Midway it might have been enough to tilt the tide of battle as well but instead she was back having her air squads rebuilt after Coral Sea.

Britian: The Ark Royal. Probably one of the most successful designs of British carriers for WW2. An adequate air squad compared to other British ships. I consider the Illustrious design a step back instead of forward. The Ark Royal also had a destinguished career and was only sunk partly because of an inneffective crew. (side note about sinking, she also had on board Oscar the cat from the Bismarck, who afterwards was sent to Belfast and not allowed on another ship. He had been on board the Bismarck, Cossack and Ark Royal all of which sank)

To pick a favorite is hard, my personal favorite is the Zuikaku but I like Japanese warships of WW2.

Answer 3

I'd have to go with Enterprise, because of the 6 carriers (Enterprise, Wasp, Hornet, Lexington, Yorktown,Saratoga) the US had at the start of the war it was the only one still floating at the end. Shame it was cut up for scrap after the war though.

Answer 4

USS Benjamin Franklin "Big Ben". Not the BEST as such but it was the aircraft carrier that refused to die!

Answer 5

Well, in no particular order, I'd pick Yorktown, Wasp, and Hornet.

Answer 6

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