Tuesday, 8 November 2016

Preliminary design for an American large cruiser dated 19 January 1940


This preliminary design CA2-A is of one of the several made in the development of the Alaska-class large cruisers.(1) It resembles a cruiser with a displacement of 25.600 tons and as dimensions 800’ (waterline) x 85,1 (waterline)-90.0 (maximum) x 26,8 feet. The designed horsepower was 150.000 shp allowing a speed of 33,5 knots. The main armament was to consist of 3x3-30,48cm/12” /50guns (2 fore, 1 aft) and as secondary armament 6x2-25,4cm/5” .38 guns and 4x4-2,79cm/1.1” guns. The anti-torpedo site protected consisted also of 4 infernal bulkheads.

Source
1939-1944 Spring Stiles Book S 511-7. Preliminary designs prepared by mostly civilians working at the Bureau of Construction and Repair (succeeded by the Bureau of Ships nowadays the Naval Sea Systems Command) under supervision of naval architects of the Navy Construction Corps. A major part of the drawings was presented to the General Board which advices the Secretary of the Navy

Note
1. The Alaska-class was to consist of 5 ships, officially classed as large cruisers but sometimes regarded as battle cruisers. The final displacement was 29.771 (standard)-34.254 (full load) tons and as dimensions 241.,25 (waterline)-246,43 (over all) x 28,0 x 8,26 (mean) metres or 791’6“-808‘6” x 91’9.375”.Only the Alaska (CB-1), Guam (CB-2) and Hawaii (CB-3)were laid down. The other three to be named Philippines, Puerto Rico and Samoa were already cancelled for their building begun. The building of the Hawaii stopped on 16 April 1947 and she was broken up.