Aircraft : As completed Intrepid's air complement was 36-F6F fighters, 36-SBD dive bombers and 18-TBF/TBM torpedo bombers.  As the war progressed the number of a/c carried was gradually increased and the distribution of types changed to meet the requirements of the Pacific War.  After her March-June 1944 refit she carried a preponderance of the new F4U Corsair fighter bombers-65 out of a total air complement of 98.  The remainder consisted of  8-F6F fighters, 10-TBMs, and 15-SB2C dive bombers.  By early 1945 this number had been further increased to 102 a/c (66-F4U, 6-F6F, 15-SB2C and 15-TBM).

Grumman F6F-3 'Hellcat': Type: Single Seat Fighter; Entered Service: 1943; Wingspan: 42'10" (16'1" folded); Wing Area: 334 sqft; Length: 33'7"; Weight: 9042 lbs, 11,380 lbs (normal load); Speed: 335 mph (sea level), 375 mph at 17,300'; Engine: 2000 hp, 18 cyl, Pratt and Whitney R2800-10; Fuel Cap: 144 gal; Range: 1090 miles (normal) at 160 mph, 1590 miles with 125 gal drop tank; Ceiling: 38,400'; Armament: 6-.50 cal MG (400 rpg) plus alternative loads of 2x1000 lb bombs or 6x5" rockets.

Douglas SBD-5 'Dauntless' : Type: 2 Seat Dive Bomber; Entered Service; 1941 (carried by Intrepid 1943-44); Wingspan: 41' 6 3/8"; Wing Area: 326 sqft; Length: 32' 6"; Weight: 6675 lbs, 9530 lbs (normal load); Speed: 229 mph at sea level, 253 mph at 16,600'; Engine: 1200 hp, 9 cyl, Wright R1820-60; Fuel Cap: 260 gal (plus 2x58 gal drop tanks); Range: 1300 miles at 144 mph; Ceiling: 26,500'; Armament: 2-.50 cal MG(360 rpg), 2-.30 cal MG (2000 rpg); 1x1600 lbs, 1000 lbs or 500 obs bomb/or 2x325 lbs bombs or 1 to 3 depth charges.

Grumman TBF-1/TBM-1 & -3 'Avenger' : Type: 3 Seat Torpedo bomber; Entered Service: 1942 (TBM-3 1944) carried by Intrepid Throughout war service); Wingspan: 54' 2"; Wing area: 490 sqft; Length: 40'; Weight: 10,600 lbs, 16,300 lbs (loaded); TBM-3-10,700/16,400 lbs; Speed: 247 mph at sea level, 259 mph at 11,200'; TBM-3-262 mph at 16,600'; Engine: 1850 hp Wright R2600-8; TBM-3-1900 hp Wright R2600-20; Fuel Cap.: 335 gal (plus 2-100 gal drop tanks); Range: 1020 (TBM-3-1000) miles (loaded) at 125 mph; Ceiling: 23,000' (TBM-3-25,000'); Armament: 3-.50 cal MG, 1-.30 cal MG, 8-60 lb rockets, 1x22" torpedo or 1x2000 or 1600 lb bomb or 2x1000 lb bombs or 4x500 lb bombs or 12-100 lb bombs; Note: Early model TBF -1/TBM-1(TBF built by Grumman, TBM by General Motors) superseded by TBM-3 in later years of war.

Chance Vought F4U-1/F4U-4 'Corsair' : Type: Single seat fighter bomber; Entered Service: 1942 (carried by Intrepid 1944-45); Wingspan: 40' 11"; F4U-4-39' 8"; Wing area: 314 sqft; F4U-4-305 sqft; Length: 33' 4"; F4U-4-33' 8"; Weight: 8694 lb, 12,039 lb (normal load); F4U-4-9,205/12,420 lb; Speed: 328 mph at sea level, 425 mph at 20,000'; F4U-4 381 mph at sea level, 446 mph at 26,200'; Engine: 2250 hp, 18 cyl Pratt and Witney R2800-8W; F4U-4-2450 hp, R2800-18W; Range: 1015 miles (normal) at 185 mph; Ceiling: 37,000', F4U-4-41,500';

Armament: 6x.50 cal MG (400 rpg), 2x1000 lb bombs or 8x5" rockets.

Curtiss SB2C 'Helldiver' : Type: 2 seat dive bomber; Entered Service: 1942 (carried by Intrepid 1944-45); Wingspan: 49' 8 5/5"; Wing area: 422 sqft; Length: 36' 9"; Weight: 10,114 lb, 13,674 lb (normal load); Speed: 265 mph at sea level, 281 mph at 12,400'; Engine: 1700 hp, 14 cyl Wright R2600-8; Fuel Cap.: 320 gal; Range: 110 miles at 158 mph; Ceiling: 24,200'; Armament: 2-20 mm MG (400 rpg), 2-.30 cal MG (1000 rpg), 1x2000 lb or 1600 lb bombs, or 2x1000 lb or 500 lb bombs or 1 torpedo or 1 to 2 depth charges (plus 2x200 ob bombs or 2 depth charges under wing).

As completed Intrepid carried an athwartships hangar deck catapult, at the expense of 1 of the 2 flight deck catapults originally specified in the design.  Intended to provide direct launch from the hangar it proved less than useful in service and was removed in her 1st major refit, a 2nd flight deck catapult being substituted.  The cross deck catapult was fitted within a raised structure, as a slot could not be cut in the strength deck and was doubled -1 track to port and 1 to strbrd - for launching in either direction.  To gain the required length a hinged extension was fitted to the outer end of each track.

Another feature quickly abandoned was the provision of arrester wires frwd and crash barriers aft to enable a/c to land over the bow with the ship going full astern. Again the additional equipment was removed during Intrepid's 1st major refit, together with a 2nd signal platform (for the LSO) fitted on the strbrd side frwd.

On the other hand the remaining a/c equipment, with the exception of the gasoline system which proved vulnerable to ignition, functioned exceptionally well which, combined with sturdy a/c and excellent training, gave the US Task Force carriers an enviable reputation for rapid launce, recovery and general a/c handling.  This was in part helped by 2 innovations in the Essex class: the deck edge elevator which, being beyond the main landing path, could be used when the flight deck was in operation with little risk of accident; and the increased area of flight deck resulting from the greater size of the ship and adoption of an overhang on the port side (which maintained the full width of the flight dick abreast the island).