Previous Message

Did the Midway-class carriers in their straight-deck configuration have a wood covering on the flight deck and, if so, in what pattern was it laid? I am well aware that the Midway class were the first US carriers with armoured flight decks. Essentially, all US carriers from Lexington to the Essex class had steel flight decks with wood sheathing on top, primarily for anti-skid purposes (I understand). Images from Ray Bean's Midway class set and other shots seem to show fore-and-aft planking on the flight deck, and he refers consistently in the section covering the ships' early careers to the use of blue flight deck stain (which implies wood since stain does not work on steel) but I've not located documentation of wood sheathing on their decks.