Original appearance
Impression of her with the never realized flight deck
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 1 July 1939, laid down at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 16 September 1940, launched by Carolyn Edison on 7 December 1942, commissioned on 23 May 1943, decommissioned on 30 June 1948, recommissioned on 21 November 1950, decommissioned on 21 August 1956, recommissioned on 6 April 1968, decommissioned on 17 December 1969. She was recommissioned on 28 December 1982 at Long Beach, California, USA with the intention of a thoroughly modernisation. This is however never executed. The aft gun turret (No. 3) was to be replaced by a flight deck suitable for VTOL/VISTOL aircraft. A intention never executed. Her armament was furthermore increased an dadar and fire controls upgraded. Again decommissioned on 8 February 1991, stricken on 4 January 1999 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. Original armament in 1943: 3x3-40,6cm/16” /50 cal Mark 7 guns, 20-12,7cm/5” /38 cal Mark 12 guns, 80-4cm /56cal anti aircraft guns and 49-2cm /70 cal anti aircraft guns. Armament in 1982: 3x3-40,6cm/16”/50 cal Mark 7 guns and 12-12,7cm/5” /38 cal Mark 12 guns. Armament in 1968: 3x3-40,6cm/16” /50 cal Mark 7 guns, 20-12,7cm/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”.
