Maine-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Virginia-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
USS Rhode Islands, Virginia-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Connecticut-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
The Virginia-class preceded by the Maine-class succeeded by the Connecticut-class consisted of the Virginia, Nebraska, Georgia, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Their armament consisted of 4-30.5cm/12” cal 40 guns, 8-20.3cm/8” cal 45 guns, 12-15.2cm/6” ca; 50 Mark 6 guns, 12-7.6cm/3” cal 50 guns, 12-3pd guns and 4-53.3cm/21” torpedo tubes. Displacement 15,188 (normal)-16,252 tons (full load) tons. The Bureau of Ordnance came with three alternatives for the armament of what then was called the 13,500 ton New Jersey-class with the weight of the armament based on the design of the USS Maine. This was weight armament+2/3 ammunition totally 1,100 tons or 8.8% of the trial displacement of 12,500 tons.
Main battery consisted of 2x2-12” guns, 4-8” guns in superposed turrets, 8x1-6” guns broadside=16 guns and 2 submerged torpedo tubes.
Secondary battery consisted of 12-14 pdrs, 12-3pdrs, 6-1 pdrs, 2-3” field guns, 2 Gatlings, 6 Colts cal. 30=40 guns.
Armament+2/3 ammunition 951 tons-7.03% of 13,500 tons.
This design was considered to be the most powerful and if the gunnery trials of the USS Kearsage (1) were satisfactory most likely to be adopted. When the superposed turrets were abandoned, was design No.2 with the 7” replaced by the 8” a good alternative.It was really an improved USS Kearsage with 2 knots more speed, a lofty spar deck and the substition of 8-6” guns, 12-3” guns and 12-3pdrs for 15-5” guns and 20-6pdrs.
Note
1. Part of Kearsage-class preceded by USS Iowa succeeded by Illinois-class, laid down by Newport News SB&D on 30 June 1896, launched on 24 March 1898, commissioned on 20 February 1900, converted into a crane ship and finally broken up in 1920/ Was designed for coastal defence.
Sources
Reilly Jr., John C. and Robert L. Scheina. American battleships 1886-1923. Predreadnought design and construction. London, 1980.
Scientific American colume 82, 20 January 1900, p.41
No comments:
Post a Comment