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fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

CRUISERS

CHESTER scout cruisers (1908)

Chester 1908

Birmingham 1918

No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
CS1, 7.1920- CL1 Chester, 7.1928- York 46 Bath Iron Wks 25.9.1905 26.6.1907 25.4.1908 sold 5.1930
CS2, 7.1920- CL2 Birmingham 132 Fore River, Quincy 14.8.1905 29.5.1907 11.4.1908 sold 5.1930
CS3, 7.1920- CL3 Salem 133 Fore River, Quincy 28.8.1905 27.7.1907 1.8.1908 stricken 11.1929
  

Displacement standard, t

3750

Displacement full, t

4687

Length, m

129.0

Breadth, m

14.3

Draught, m

5.10 mean

No of shafts

CS1: 4

CS2, 3: 2

Machinery

CS1: 4 Parsons steam turbines, 12 Normand boilers

CS2: 2 VTE, 12 Fore River boilers

CS3: 2 Curtis steam turbines, 12 Fore River boilers

Power, h. p.

16000

Max speed, kts

CS1, 3: 24

CS2: 22.4

Fuel, t

CS1, 3: coal 1400

CS2: coal 1375

Endurance, nm(kts)

CS1: 3850(18.6)

CS2: 4150(18.6)

CS3: 3300 (18.6)

Armour, mm

belt: 51 - 38, deck: up to 25

Armament

2 x 1 - 127/50 Mk VI, 6 x 1 - 76/50 Mk III/V/VI, 2 - 533 TT (beam)

Complement

359

Project history: Authorized under the Act of 27.4.1904. 'Scout-cruisers' with high freeboard forward. Chester and Salem were the first turbine-engined ships in the USN. The armament was very light, the 127mm guns being on the forecastle deck forward and upper deck aft, and the 76mm to port and starboard on, the upper deck, the foremost being in sponsons under the forecastle. Salem was the worst of the three with the highest coal consumption, and in April 1917-March 1918 she was re-engined with GE geared turbines of 20000shp.

Ship protection: Main belt protected only machinery and was 51mm thick. Separate 38mm belt protected steering gear. Deck had maximal 25mm thickness. Guns were placed on open mounts.

Modernizations: 1917 - 1918, all: - 2 x 1 - 127/50, 4 x 1 - 76/50, 2 - 533 TT (sub); + 4 x 1 - 127/51 Mk VIII, 1 x 1 - 76/52 Mk X, 2 x 1 - 533 TT

3/1918, Salem: Curtis steam turbines were replaced by General Electric geared steam turbines. Engine power were increased to 20000hp.

Naval service: Final decommissioning dates were for Chester 10.6.1921, Birmingham 1.12.1923, Salem 16.8.1921.

Chester

© Ivan Gogin, 2014