jade class aircraft carrier jade class comprised pair passenger ships intended converted auxiliary aircraft carriers nazi_germany kriegsmarine world war ships launched operated peace time outbreak war ships kriegsmarine transports plans drawn convert aircraft carriers ships identical similar size allow identical renamed jade respectively converted ships intended operate dive bombers fighters work jade started conversion project abandoned november returned service sunk western baltic actually began conversion process december passenger fittings removed time work halted february converted barracks ship seized great_britain end war remained use broken scrap conversion following loss battleship british aircraft carriers proved instrumental near sister ship carrier launched aircraft march kriegsmarine convinced necessity acquiring aircraft carriers work purpose built carrier halted april resumed march kriegsmarine decided convert number vessels auxiliary aircraft carriers passenger ships including selected conversion incomplete heavy cruiser built mid-1930s operated outbreak war kriegsmarine ships found insufficient stability converted aircraft carriers addition fixed ballast ballast consisted concrete armor layer concrete fitted sides hulls waterline conversion work renamed jade began project abandoned november design assigned reworked correct stability problems concrete armor discarded second outer skin substituted work began ship december ship passenger fittings removed time work halted february resignation admiral commander chief kriegsmarine previous month resigned protest adolf_hitler order surface ships decommissioned scrapped aftermath returned duties project abandoned sunk converted barracks ship spent remainder war following german defeat ship seized british june war prize commissioned troop transport sold pakistan operated broken scrap characteristics jade meters long waterline long overall long waterline overall ships designed draft load drew jade displaced metric tons long tons short tons displaced long tons short tons ships steel built hulls watertight compartments double jade officers enlisted men including luftwaffe personnel crew arrangements known specifically consisted approximately officers men jade powered pair geared steam turbines turbines drove bladed screw steam provided single ended high pressure boilers propulsion system consisted electric drive motors powered turbo generators electric motor drove bladed screw ships engines rated shaft horsepower speed knots mph service ships limited knots mph maximum range nautical miles knots converted ships armed anti aircraft guns heavy anti aircraft battery consisted guns twin mounts type originally designed earlier guns mounting stabilized capable enabled guns engage targets ceiling surface targets guns maximum range guns fired fixed ammunition weighing guns fire rounds illumination shells guns supplied total rounds ammunition close range anti aircraft weaponry consisted guns thirty guns gun single shot gun rate fire rounds minute maximum elevation gun ceiling supplied rounds ammunition gun magazine fed automatic weapon firing rounds minute round magazines supplied guns guns supplied rounds ammunition aircraft facilities consisted long wide flight deck aircraft handled single hangar long wide hangar roof protected hart steel armor sides thick ships air complement consisted fighters dive bombers fighters version model designated wings longer land based model allow shorter variant version modified catapult launches equipped arresting gear
Jade-class aircraft carrier