Omaha-class
Building ordered on 29 August 1916, contracted on 21 August 1917, supplementary contract signed on 12 June 1919, laid down by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, USA on 16 August 1920, launched by Miss Jennie Proctor on 25 October 1922, completed on 1 August 1921, commissioned on 6 February 1924, decommissioned on 2 November 1945, stricken on 28 November 1946 and sold at Philadelphia, USA to be broken up on 27 February 1946. Call sign NIRT.
Part of the Omaha-class light cruisers consisting of the Omaha (CL-4). Milwaukee (CL-5). Cincinnati (CL-6), Raleigh (CL-7). Detroit (CL-8), Richmond (CL-9). Concord (CL-10), Trenton (CL-11), Marblehead (CL-11) and Memphis (CL-13), preceded by the Chester-class and succeeded by the Brooklyn-class. The Omaha-class was the American answer on the British Centaur-class which was in fact a subclass of the C-class cruisers. Despite the fact that both countries were not in war, both were rivals in controlling the Atlantic Ocean. Designed as a scout cruiser used in the interbellum as flagships for anti destroyer fleet flotillas. The Omaha-class was despite their seagoing qualities not an overall success. There was a modified design made with a rearranged gun armament which was to consisted of 4x2-15,2cm/6” guns (2 turrets fore and 2 aft). Further more was one design in which the cruiser was in fact converted into a monitor with as main armament 2x1-35,56cm/14” guns and one design with a main armament of 2x2-20,3cm/8” guns. This last design was used by designing the Pensacola-class heavy cruisers.
General technical class specification.
With a displacement of 7.13 (standard)-9.661 (loaded) tons and as dimensions 169,62 x 16,87 x 6,10 metres or 556’6” x 55’4”x 20’0”. The 4 Curtiss steam turbines and 12 Yarrow boilers supplied 90.000 shp allowing a speed of 35 knots. With a speed of 10 knots was the range 8.460 (designed was 10.000) nautical miles. The crew numbered 360 men. The armour consisted of a 3,8cm/1.5” thick deck, a 7,6cm/3” thick belt, 3,8cm/1.5“-7,6cm/3“ thick bulkheads with the conning tower protected by 3,8cm/1.5‘. The armament consisted of 8x1&2x2-15,2cm/6” 53 cal guns, 4-7,6cm/3” /50 cal guns and 2x3&4x2-53,3cm/21” torpedo tubes. Originally also 224 mines. Two floatplanes for which amidships 2 catapults and a crane were available.
