Preliminary design for the American Pennsylvania-class battleships (BB38&39) dated 16 March 1912

Nevada-class

Preliminary-design Pennsylvania-class

Pennsylvania-class

USS Mew Mexico before the Second World War

Battleships to be built under the Fiscal Year 1913. Based on a design of the preceding Nevada-class battleships but which was however never presented to the Navy’s General Board. In contrary to other preliminary designs. The distance between the forward and after pairs of gun turrets was to be made as small as possible. In contrary to the other preliminary designs for this class was chosen for twin gun turrets instead of triple gun turrets. The result was that with the same number of gun turrets the numbers of main guns was decreased. To compensate this loss were 15” guns to be mounted.(1)

Dimensions 605 (water line) x 95,9 (outside plating) x 28,5 (mean) feet and a displacement of 31.000 tons. Block coefficient 0,655, longitudinal 0,667, midship section coefficient 0,982. Armament 4x2-14” guns, 22-5” quick firing guns and 4 submerged torpedo tubes. The reciprocating machinery and 16 boilers supplied 28.300 ihp allowing a speed of 20,5 knots and with a speed of 10 knots a range of 8.000 nautical miles. The armament consisted of a main side belt with as extreme width 17’.4 5/8”, depth below waterline 8’6” and a thickness of 15”, 15”-9”, barbettes 4½” (light part)-14” (heavy part), turrets 5” (roof)-9” rear)-9/10” (sides)-18” (port), conning tower proper 16” just like the fire control, conning tower tube 6” (light)-16” (heavy), uptake protection 13”, protective deck total 120#(100# S.T.S. over 20# middle), splinter deck total thickness 80#slopes and 60# flats. Percentage waterline protection 0.838. Normal displacement of 31.000 tons: hull complete 12.960 tons, hull fittings 1.263 tons, protection 9.100 tons, steam engineering 2.167 tons, Res. feed 2/3 supply 188 tons, battery 1.280 tons, ammunition &2/3 ordinance stores 1.110 tons, equipment&2/3 equipment stores ad outfit&2/3 stores 1.025 tons, oil fuel 2/3 supply 1.442 tons and 465 tons margin.

Source 
The so-called Spring Styles Book 1 (March 1911-September 1925). Naval History and Heritage Command. Lot S-584-016. 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. Scheme ‘L”.

Note
1. Pennsylvania-class consisted of the Pennsylvania and Arizona, preceded by the Nevada-class and succeeded by the New Mexico-class. Figures for the USS Pennsylvania.Displacement 28.626 (standard)-32.429 (deep load) tons and as dimensions 182,9-185,3 x 29,72 (waterline x 9,9 (deep load) metres or 600-608 x 97.6 x 29.3 feet. The 4 Curtiss ungeared and Westhinghouse geared steam turbines and 12 Babcock&Wilcox (later 1 Bureau Express and 4 White-Forster boilers) water tube boilers supplied 31.500 shp via 4 screws allowing a speed of 21,38 knots and a range of 6.070 nautical miles with a speed of 12 knots. Crew numbered 915-1.358 men. The armour consisted of a 20,3-34,3cm/8-13.8” thick belt, 3,8-7,6cm/1.5-3” thick decks. 20,3-33cm/8-13” thick bulkheads and the barbettes, gun turrets and conning tower protected by 20,3-33cm/8-13”, 12,7-45,7cm/5-18” and 40m6cm/16”. The armament consisted of 4x3-35,6cm/14” /45 guns, 22012,7cm/5” /51 guns, 4-7,6cm/3” /50 anti aircraft guns and 2-53,3cm/21” torpedo tubes.