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fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

CAPITAL SHIPS & MONITORS

VERMONT 1st class battleships (1907-1908)

Vermont 1910

No

Name

Yard No

Builder

Laid down

Launched

Comm

Fate

BB20

Vermont

120

Fore River, Quincy

21.5.1904

31.8.1905

4.3.1907

stricken 11.1923

BB21

Kansas

21

New York SB, Camden

10.2.1904

12.8.1905

18.4.1907

stricken 11.1923

BB22

Minnesota

46

Newport News

27.10.1903

8.4.1905

9.3.1907

stricken 11.1923

BB25

New Hampshire

29

New York SB, Camden

1.5.1905

30.6.1906

19.3.1908

stricken 11.1923

  

Displacement normal, t

16000

Displacement full, t

17666

Length, m

139.1

Breadth, m

23.4

Draught, m

7.47

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 VTE, 12 Babcock & Wilcox boilers

Power, h. p.

16500

Max speed, kts

18

Fuel, t

BB20: coal 2405

BB21: coal 2310

BB22: coal 2387

BB25: coal 2287

Endurance, nm(kts)

BB20 - 22: 6620(10)

BB25: 7590(10)

Armour, mm

BB20 - 22: Krupp and Harvey steel - belt: 229 - 178 (178 - 102 at ship ends), bulkheads: 178, deck: 76 - 38, barbettes: 254 - 152, main gun turrets: 305 - 203, secondary gun turrets: 165 - 51, casemates: 178 - 95, CT: 229

BB25: Krupp and Harvey steel - belt: 229 - 178 (178 - 102 at ship ends), bulkheads: 178, deck: 76 - 38, barbettes: 279 - 152, main gun turrets: 305 - 203, secondary gun turrets: 165 - 51, casemates: 178 - 95, CT: 229

Armament

BB20: 2 x 2 - 305/45 Mk V, 4 x 2 - 203/45 Mk VI, 12 x 1 - 178/44 Mk II, 20 x 1 - 76/50 Mk III/V/VI, 10 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss Mk I / Driggs-Schroeder Mk I, 2 x 1 - 37/40 Hotchkiss heavy Mk I/II/III / Driggs-Schroeder heavy Mk I, 4 - 533 TT (beam)

BB21, 22: 2 x 2 - 305/45 Mk V, 4 x 2 - 203/45 Mk VI, 12 x 1 - 178/44 Mk II, 20 x 1 - 76/50 Mk III/V/VI, 12 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss Mk I / Driggs-Schroeder Mk I, 2 x 1 - 37/40 Hotchkiss heavy Mk I/II/III / Driggs-Schroeder heavy Mk I, 4 - 533 TT (beam)

BB25: 2 x 2 - 305/45 Mk V, 4 x 2 - 203/45 Mk VI, 12 x 1 - 178/44 Mk II, 20 x 1 - 76/50 Mk III/V/VI, 2 x 1 - 37/40 Hotchkiss heavy Mk I/II/III / Driggs-Schroeder heavy Mk I, 4 - 533 TT (beam)

Complement

BB20 - 22: 880

BB25: 850

Project history: Authorized under the Acts of 3.3.1903 (first three) and 27.4.1904 (last one). The first three ships of this class were very similar to the Connecticut, from which they differed in details of armouring. In New Hampshire the 305mm mountings allowed loading at any angle of elevation, the arrangement of the 7in upper belt and bulkheads was slightly altered. Distinguished from earlier USN battleships by very good seaworthiness.

Ship protection, BB20-22: Main belt had 2.82m height (1.3m over and 1.52m under waterline). 58.5m long amidships part of belt was 229mm thick. 14.9m fore and aft parts of belt were 229mm at upper edge tapering to 178mm at lower edge. Ship ends were closed by 2.43m in height (0.91m over and 1.52m under wateline) 178-127mm, later 127mm and finally 102mm armour. Belt was connected with main gun barbettes by 152mm bulkheads. Upper belt between main barbettes had 152mm thickness. 38mm armoured deck over citadel had 76mm slopes and connected with lower edge of main belt. It was 76mm in flat part and had 76mm slopes at ship ends. Main gun turrets had 279mm faces, 229mm sides and rears and 64mm crowns. Secondary gun turrets had 165mm faces, 152mm sides and rears and 51mm crowns. 178mm guns were protected by 178mm casemate with 63-38mm transverse splinter bulkheads between guns. CT had 229mm sides and 51mm roof.

Ship protection, BB25: Main belt had 2.82m height (1.3m over and 1.52m under waterline). 58.5m long amidships part of belt was 229mm thick. Next 14.9m fore and aft parts of belt were 229mm at upper edge tapering to 178mm at lower edge. Ship ends were closed by 2.43m in height (0.91m over and 1.52m under wateline) 178-127mm, later 127mm and finally 102mm armour. Belt was connected with main gun barbettes by 178mm bulkheads. Upper belt between main barbettes had 152mm thickness. 38mm armoured deck over citadel had 76mm slopes and connected with lower edge of main belt. It was 76mm in flat part and had 76mm slopes at ship ends. Main gun turrets had 279mm faces, 229mm sides and rears and 64mm crowns, their barbettes had 279mm sides (190mm at inner side). Secondary gun turrets had 165mm faces, 152mm sides and rears and 51mm crowns. 178mm guns were protected by 178mm casemate with 63-38mm transverse splinter bulkheads between guns. CT had 229mm sides and 51mm roof.

Modernizations: 1909 - 1910, Vermont: - 10 x 1 - 47/40; cage masts were installed.

1909 - 1910, Kansas, Minnesota: - 12 x 1 - 47/40; cage masts were installed.

1919, all: - 12 x1 - 178/44 (may be temporarily), 8 x 1 - 76/50; + 2 x 1 - 76/52 Mk X

Naval service: Minnesota 29.9.1918 was badly damaged by a mine laid by German submarine U117 but has been repaired and again put into operation. All ships were stricken under the terms of Washington Treaty.

Kansas 1912

Minnesota  as built

New Hampshire

© Ivan Gogin, 2014