 La Fayette in 1951
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | La Fayette |
| Laid down | 11 April 1942 |
| Launched | 22 May 1943 |
| Identification | R96 |
| Fate | Sold for scrapping |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Independence-class aircraft carrier |
| Displacement | 11,000 |
| Length | 622.5 ft (189.7 m) |
| Beam |
|
| Draft | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Speed | 31 knots (57 km/h) |
| Complement | 1,569 officers and men |
| Armament | 26 × 40 mm guns |
| Aircraft carried | 45 aircraft |
La Fayette was an 11,000-ton Independence-class aircraft carrier that served the French Navy from 1951 to 1963. She was the first French vessel named after the 18th century general Marquis de Lafayette. She was initially USS Langley (CVL-27) serving the United States Navy from 1943 to 1947 before transferring to the French Navy.