American battleship USS Alabama (BB-8) 1896-1924

Kearsage-class

Illinois-class

Maine-class

Part of the Illinois-class consisting of the Illinois, Alabama and Wisconsin. Preceded by the Kearsage-class and succeeded by the Maine-class. Laid down by William Cramp&Sons, Philadelphia, USA on 1 December 1896, launched on 18 May 1898, commissioned on 16 October 1900, extensively modernized 17 August 1909-begin 1912, decommissioned on 7 May 1920, handed over to the War Department on 15 September 1921, sunk while used by the Army Air Service on 27 September 1921 and sold to be broken up on 19 March 1924.

Displacement 11.751 (design)-12.450 (full load) tons and as dimensions 112 (waterline)-114,40 (over all) x 22,02 x 7,16 metres or 368-375.4 x 72.3 x 23.6 feet. The original heavy military masts were in 1909 replaced by cage masts. The machinery consisted of 2 triple expansion steam engines and 8 coal fuelled fire tube boilers supplying b=via 2 shafts 10.000 ihp allowing a speed of 16 (design) knots. Coal bunker capacity 1.280 tons allowing a range of 4.190 nautical miles with a speed of 10 knots. Crew numbered 536 (included 40 officers)-713 men. The Harvey armour consisted of a 10/4”-42cm/16.5” thick belt with the gun turrets, barbettes, casemates and conning tower protected by respectively 36cm/14”, 38cm/15”, 15cm/6” and 25cm/10” thick armour. The armament consisted of 2x2-33cm/13” /35 cal guns, 14-15,2cm/6” /40 cal guns, 16-5,7cm/2.2”/6pd guns, 6-3,7cm/1.5”/1pd guns and 4-46cm/18” torpedo tubes.