American light cruiser USS Trenton (CL-11) 1920-1946

Omaha-class

USS Omaha

Building approved on 1 July 1918, contract signed on 24 January 1919, laid down by William Cramp&Sons, Philadelphia, USA on 18 August 1920, launched by Miss Katherine E. Donnelly on 16 April 1923, commissioned on 19 April 1924, decommissioned on 20 December 1945, stricken on 21 January 1946, handed over to the Patapsco Scrap Company, Bethlem, Pennsylvania, USA to be broken up on 29 December 1946 which was executed at Baltimore, USA in 1947. Call sign NISR.

Part of the Omaha-class light cruisers consisting of the Omaha (CL-4). Milwaukee (CL-5). Cincinnati (CL-6), Raleigh (CL-7). Detroit (CL-8), Richmond (CL-9). Concord (CL-10), Trenton (CL-11), Marblehead (CL-11) and Memphis (CL-13), preceded by the Chester-class and succeeded by the Brooklyn-class. The Omaha-class was the American answer on the British Centaur-class which was in fact a subclass of the C-class cruisers. Despite the fact that both countries were not in war, both were rivals in controlling the Atlantic Ocean. Designed as a scout cruiser used in the interbellum as flagships for anti destroyer fleet flotillas. The Omaha-class was despite their seagoing qualities not an overall success. There was a modified design made with a rearranged gun armament which was to consisted of 4x2-15,2cm/6” guns (2 turrets fore and 2 aft). Further more was one design in which the cruiser was in fact converted into a monitor with as main armament 2x1-35,56cm/14” guns and one design with a main armament of 2x2-20,3cm/8” guns. This last design was used by designing the Pensacola-class heavy cruisers.

General technical class specification.
With a displacement of 7.160 tons and as dimensions 169,62 x 16,87 x 6,10 metres or 556’6” x 55’4”x 20’0”. The 4 Parsons steam turbines and 12 Yarrow boilers supplied 90.000 shp allowing a speed of 35 knots. With a speed of 10 knots was the range 9.000 nautical miles. The crew numbered 360 men. The armour consisted of a 3,8cm/1.5” thick deck, a 7,6cm/3” thick belt, 3,8cm/1.5“-7,6cm/3“ thick bulkheads with the conning tower protected by 3,8cm/1.5‘. The armament consisted of 8x1&2x2-15,2cm/6” 53 cal guns, 4-7,6cm/3” /50 cal guns and 2x3&4x2-53,3cm/21” torpedo tubes. Originally also 224 mines. Two floatplanes for which amidships 2 catapults and a crane were available. In 1945 consisted the armament of 6x1&2x2-15,2cm/6” 53 cal guns, 8-7,6cm/3” 50 cal anti aircraft guns, 6x3-53,3cm/21” torpedo tubes, 3x2-4cm/6” Bofors guns and 12x1-2cm/0.79” Oerlikon cannons.