The US Navy first requested Battlecruisers
in 1913, but money was not apropriated until
1916.
The original design called for a 35000 ton
ship with 14" guns and 35 knot speed.
However, 16-inch guns were desided on, so
the ships were redesigned several times between
1916 and 1918. Construction was delayed by
the US entry into WW1.
After the war, the ships were redesigned
yet again to incorperate the lessons learned
from the battles of WW1. A new design, with
much more armor than the first two designs,
was completed in 1920. Construction started
immediatly on six of these ships.
As a result of the Washington Treaty, the
US did not complete any of these vessels
as battlecruisers.Two were completed in 1927
as aircraft carriers, and the other 4 were
broken up on the slipway.
| Lexington: Laid down 8 Jan 1921 Launched 3 Oct 1925 Commissioned 14 Dec 1927 |
Saratoga: Laid down 5 Sept 1920 Launched 7 Apr 1925 Commissioned 16 Nov 1927 |
Constellation Ranger Constitution United States: Broken up before completion |
|
| Builders: Lexington- Fore River, Saratoga- New York Ship Building Constellation- Newport News |
Ranger- Newport News Constitution- Philadelphia Navy Yard United States- Philadelphia Navy Yard |
Complement 1,290 Design 2,122 as carriers |
|
| The information that follows is for the 1918
design for the battlecruisers, not for the ships completed as carriers |
|||
| Displacement 35,000 tons standard 43,500 tons max |
Dimensions 850'@WL x 104'5" |
Draught 32.5'at full load |
|
| Main guns 8 x 16/50" (4 x 2) |
Secondary guns 16 x 6/43" (16 x 1) |
AA Guns 4 x 3/50" 4 x .50 MG |
Torpedo tubes 8 x 21" above water |
| Armour Belt 3" - 7" |
Turret Armor 11" face, 5" roof, 6"sides |
Deck Armor 1.6" + 3.5" |
Conning Tower Armor 12" |
| Boilers 16 x 295 psi by Yarrow or White-Forster |
Turbines 4 x GE turbo-electric drive turbines |
Power output 180,000 shp |
Shafts 4 |
| Speed 33 kts |
Range unknown |
Fuel oil capacity unknown |
|
Fates:
Lexington- completed as carrier
Served as a front line carrier until until
being sunk at the Battle of Coral Sea.
On May 8, 1942, she was heavily damaged by
at least two torpedoes and two bombs, and
was scuttled
Saratoga- completed as carrier
Served with distinction until the end of
WWII.
She was expended as a target in the atomic
bomb tests at Bikini Atoll on July 25, 1946
Constellation- broken up when 22.7% complete
Ranger- broken up when 4% complete
Constitution-broken up when 13.4% complete
United States- broken up when 12% complete
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