American battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59) 1939-

North Carolina-class

South Dakota-class

Iowa-class

Part of the South Dakota-class consisting of the South Dakota, Massachusetts, Indiana and Alabama, preceded by the North Carolina-class and succeeded by the Iowa-class. The design process for this class started in March 1937 with the design for 2 battleships accepted by the Secretary of the Navy on 23 June and a more definitive version on 4 January 1938. Building ordered on 15 December 1938, laid down by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation (Fore River Shipyard)< USA on 20 July 1939, launched by Francis Adams on 23 September 1941, commissioned on 12 May 1942, decommissioned on 27 March 1947, stricken on 1 June 1965 becoming a museum ship on 14 August 1965. Nicknamed Big Mamie.

General class technical details. Displacement 35.000 (standard)-44.519 (full load) tons and as dimensions 203 (waterline)-201 (overall) x 33 x 8,9 metres or 666’-680’ x 108’2” x 29’3”. The machinery consisted of steam turbines delivering 130.000 shp allowing a speed of 27 knots. With a speed of 15 knots was the range 15.000 nautical miles. Crew numbered 1.793 men (included 115 officers). The armour consisted of a 31cm/12.2” thick belt, a 15cm/5.8-6.1” thick deck, 28cm/11” bulkheads and the barbettes, turrets and conning tower protected by respectively 29cm/11.3”-44cm/17.3”, 46cm/18” faces) and 41cm/16”. The armament consisted of 3x3-41cm/16” 45 cal Mark 6 guns, 10x2-12,7cm/5” 39 cal dual purpose guns, 15x4-4cm/1.6” Bofors guns and 35-20cm/0.79” Oerlikon cannons. Could carry OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes.