Calling all Essex-class (WWII configuration) fans

[RichardAigner]

4 questions re. the deck edge elevator (DEE):
1) were the vertical flight deck supports in the hangar doors operated manually (only when a plane was to pass from hangar to DEE or v.v) or automatically when the DEE was in the "down" position?
2) what was the standard under-way position of the deck edge elevator?
3) when was the deck edge elevator put in the "folded " position? Could it be folded when under way?
4) what color was the underside of the deck edge elevator? Painted to match the camouflage measure when in the "folded" position, or countershaded? (white? lightest camouflage color?)

[Tracy White]

v.v

?

1) For point one, I want to confirm that the "vertical supports" you reference in question are the ones that held the roller door tracks. If so, they weren't structural (not supports for anything other than the roller doors). As far as I have seen the tracks were chain operated (as were the doors) and were swung up and inboard when desired to be out of the way. I haven't come across any operating manual that has stated when and where, but there are a lot of photos of the tracks being up and out of the way regardless of position (example - elevator at flight deck while at anchorage). I've also not seen a "half and half" configuration but suppose it could happen.

2) Standard position would be up. Some modern burials at sea use the elevators, but all of the ones I have photos of for the Essex class in WWII have them using the hangar deck edge at the elevator (not to say that this wouldn't happen, it's just one of the ways I could think of for the ship to leave the elevator down for extended periods of time).

3) Folded was for passage in narrow corridor, such as some of the eastern coast waterways following construction and the Panama Canal.

4) Underside would generally match the camouflage, which would be 5-N for Measure 21 and 5-H / 5-O for Measures 12 and 22 but could be white for countershading but generally matched the side pattern it would cover (example: this photo on Hancock's Navsource page).

[RichardAigner]

Tracy White,
thank you so much for the clear and complete information!