French Aircraft Carriers

French carrier aviation traces its origins to the Foudre, a highly original ship initially designed to carry torpedo boats into action but later converted into a seaplane carrier. During the First World War this was supplemented by a number of merchant ships requisitioned to support aircraft and the former sloop Bapaume became the first French ship to launch wheeled aircraft while underway.The Washington Treaty of 1922 prevented the completion of traditional capital ships, so France, like the ot