Pennsylvania-class
An item reported that 4 shipyards sent tenders for the building of the American 31.4000 ton battleship USS Pennsylvania. All offered building costs were below the 7.420.000 US dollars as approved by the Congress. The lowest price was 7.396.000 US dollars, the other 3 tenders varied between the 454 and 530 US dollars/ton.(1)
Note
1. Part of the Pennsylvania-class consisting of the Pennsylvania and Arizona, preceded by the Nevada-class and succeeded by the New Mexico-class. To be built under the 1913 fiscal year was a design asked with 4x3-14” guns, 22-12,7cm/5” guns and a speed of 21 knots and a armour comparable with that of the Nevada-class. At least 10 preliminary designs were proposed of which the 7th was chosen and further worked out. Building ordered on 22 August 1912, laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News on 27 October 1913, launched on 16 March 1915, sponsored by Elizabeth Kolb, commissioned on 12 June 1916, modernized at the Philadelphia Navy Yard 1 June 1929-1931, used during Operation Crossroads nuclear bombs tests at Bikini in July 1946, towed to and decommissioned at Kwajalein Lagoon 29 August 1946, sunk off Kwajalein Atoll on 10 February 1948 and stricken on 19 February 1948.
