American battle ship USS Missouri (BB-63) 1941-

South Dakota-class

Iowa-class

Preliminary design Montana-class battleships dated 9 July 1940

Part of the Iowa-class consisting of the Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois and Kentucky preceded by the South Dakota-class and succeeded by the never realized Montana-class. The designing-process of a fast battleship started in 1938. Building ordered on 12 June 1940, laid down at the Brooklyn Navy Yard on 6 January 1941, launched by Mary Margaret Truman on 29 January 1944, commissioned on 11 June 1944, decommissioned on 26 February 1955, recommissioned on 10 May 1986, decommissioned on 31 March 1992, stricken on 12 January 1996 becoming a museum ship.

General technical class specifications. Displacement 45.000 (standard)-52.000 (mean war service)-57.000 (full load before the 1980s)-58.000 (full load after the 1980s) tons and as dimensions 262,5 (between perpendiculars)-270,43 (over all)x 32,97 x 11,33 metres or 861¼-887’3”x 108’2” x 37’2”. The machinery consisted of General Electric geared steam turbines and 8 water tube boilers delivering 212.000 shp. Speed 32,5-35,2 (light load) 3 knots. With a speed of 15 knots was the range 14.890 miles. Crew numbered 1.851-2.700 men. Original armament in 1943: 3x3-40,6cm/16” /50 cal Mark 7 guns, 20-12,7cm/5” /38 cal Mark 12 guns, 80-4cm /56 cal anti aircraft guns and 49-2cm /70 cal anti air craftguns. Armament in 1984: 3x3-40,6cm/16” /50 cal Mark 7 guns, 12-12,7cm/5” /38 cal Mark 12 guns, 32 BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles, 16 RGM084 Harpoon Anti-Ship missiles and 4-2cm /76 cal Phalanx CIWS. Armour consisted of a 30,73cm/12.1” thick belt, 28,7cm/11.3” thick bulkheads, 19,05cm/7.5” thick decks with the barbettes and turrets protected by respectively 29,46cm/11.6”-43,94cm/17.3” and 50cm/19.7”.