Tennessee-class
preliminary design dated 20-03-1916
Colorado-class
The design was made for a battleship to be built under the Fiscal Year 1917 and handed over to the US Navy Department. It was based on the design of the USS Tennessee (BB-43). The main difference was the main gun arrangement. In stead of 4x3-35,56cm/14” was chosen for 2x2&2x3-40,6cm/16” breech loading guns (fore and aft 1x2 and 1x3, with the twin turret super firing). Until then were 3-16” gun turrets not tested. The design was disapproved. It was one of the preliminary designs made for the Colorado-class.
The 32.600 tons Colorado-class consisted of the Colorado (BB-45), Maryland (BB-46), Washington (BB-47, never completed), West Virginia (BB-48), preceded by the Tennessee-class and succeeded by the South Dakota and North Carolina classes was built between 1917-1923. Main armament of 4x2-40,.6cm/16” guns.
Dimensions 600’ (waterline) x 97.5’ (waterline) x 31.0‘. The lectric machinery with 8 boiler rooms supplied around 17.000 ehp allowing a speed of 21 knots and with a speed of 10 knots a range of 10.000 nautical miles. Displacement of 33:200 tons: hull complete with hull fitting 16.294 tons, protection 8,770 tons, steam engineering 1.805 tons, reserve feed, 2/3 supply 180 tons, battery 1.881 tons, ammunition and 2/3 ordnance stores 1.536 tons, equipment and 2/3 equipment stores 465 tons, outfit and 2/3 stores 625 tons, oil fuel, 2/3 full supply 1.581 tons and a margin of 63 tons.
Except for the 16” guns were also 22-12,7cm/5” 51/cal quick firing guns and 4-53.5cm/21” submerged torpedo tubes provided. The armour consisted of a main side belt with an extreme width of 17’0”, a depth below the waterline pf 9’6” and a thickness of 8”-13½”. Barbettes protected by 4½“(light part)-13” (heavy part) thick armour. The gun turrets were protected by 5”(top)-9” (rear)-9-10” (sides)-16-18” (port) ,the conning tower by 6”(conning tower (light part)-8” (top)-16” (proper and tower tube heavy part) and the fire control tower by 16”.Uptake protection 9-13½”. Furthermore uptake protection and splinter deck.
Source
Spring Styles Book 1911-1925. Design S854-096. Naval History and Heritage Command.
