Aircraft carrier deck material?

[Kazuaki Shimazaki II]

Originally Posted by clive bradbury

Yes, the US Navy were quite envious of the RN steel decks, especially once kamikazes were about.

The RN oted for steel from the start because British carriers were expected to operate within the range of enemy land-based bombers e.g. the Med. This policy paid off when they moved to the Pacific as well.

Another point of view would be here:
http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-030.htm

[Oberon]

Lustys steel deck didn't do her much good when the Stukas came knocking. She spent the next year out of commission, first in Malta, then after being bombed again, then in Alexandria and then in the States. I think one Stukas bomb demolished the deck and then another went through the hole and exploded on the hangar deck below.

IIRC there were also steel 'curtains' on the hangar deck which were supposed to stop burning debris from being showered around the deck but when the bomb exploded it just turned the curtains into flying shards of metal which decapitated at least one crew member.

[bookworm_020]

Originally Posted by Oberon

IIRC there were also steel 'curtains' on the hangar deck which were supposed to stop burning debris from being showered around the deck but when the bomb exploded it just turned the curtains into flying shards of metal which decapitated at least one crew member.

They removed the steel curtains after this happened and replaced them with fire screens that wouldn't have this issue

[tater]

Originally Posted by Kazuaki Shimazaki II

Another point of view would be here:
http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-030.htm

Yep. People also forget that USN doctrine had the planes on deck most of the time. Yeah, it was a PITA to constantly respot them, but the RN and IJN readied and warmed up their planes down in the hanger, and that didn't work out too well at Midway, did it?