American battleship USS New Jersey (BB-16) 1902-1923

Maine-class

Virginia-class

Connecticut-class

Virginia-class consisting of the New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia, Georgia and Nebraska. Preceded by the Maine-class and succeeded by the Connecticut-class. After the Spanish-American War became clear that if the US Navy wanted to operate abroad larger battleships were needed. Starting with designs based on the Maine-class design increased the displacement more and more in the developing process.

Laid down at the Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, USA on 3 May 1902, launched on 10 November 1904, commissioned on 12 May 1906, decommissioned on 6 August 1920, stricken on 12 July 1922 and sunk as while used as a target by bombers off Diamonds Shoals, North Carolina, USA on 5 September 1923.

General technical specifications of this class. With a displacement of 15.188 (design)-16.352 (full load) tons and as dimensions 133 (waterline)-134,49 (over all)  x 23,24 x 7 metres or 441.3 x 76.32 x 23.9 feet. The machinery consisted of 2 vertical triple expansion reciprocating steam engines and 12 coal-fired Babcock&Wilcox boilers supplying 19.000 ihp allowing a speed if 19 knots. The crew numbered 812 men (included 40 officers). The two heavy military masts included fighting topes were in 1909 replaced by cage masts. The armour consisted of a 15,2cm/6”-27,9cm/11” thick belt and with the barbettes, gun turrets and conning tower protected by respectively 25,4cm/10”, 30,5cm/12” and 22,9cm/9” thick armour. The armament consisted of 2x2-30,5cm/12” /40cal guns, 4x2-20,3cm/8” /45cal guns, 12-15,2cm/6” /50 Mark 6 guns, 12-7,6cm/3” /50 ca guns, 12-3pd guns and 4-53,3cm/21” torpedo tubes.