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fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

TORPEDO SHIPS

BENHAM destroyers (1939)

Rowan 1942

Lang 1945

No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
DD397 Benham 138 Federal, Kearny 6/1936 16.4.1938 2/1939 sunk 15.11.1942
DD398 Ellet 139 Federal, Kearny 12/1936 11.6.1938 2/1939 stricken 11.1945
DD399 Lang 140 Federal, Kearny 4/1937 27.8.1938 3/1939 stricken 11.1945
DD402 Mayrant   Boston N Yd, Charlestown 4/1937 14.5.1938 9/1939 target in nuclear tests 7.1946, scuttled 4.4.1948
DD403 Trippe   Boston N Yd, Charlestown 4/1937 14.5.1938 11/1939 target in nuclear tests 7.1946, sunk as target 3.2.1948
DD404 Rhind   Philadelphia N Yd 9/1937 28.7.1938 11/1939 target in nuclear tests 7.1946, scuttled 22.3.1948
DD405 Rowan   Norfolk N Yd, Portsmouth 6/1937 5.5.1938 9/1939 sunk 10.9.1943
DD406 Stack   Norfolk N Yd, Portsmouth 6/1937 5.5.1938 11/1939 target in nuclear tests 7.1946, sunk as target 24.4.1948
DD407 Sterett   Charleston N Yd 12/1936 27.10.1938 8/1939 stricken 2.1947
DD408 Wilson   Puget Sound N Yd, Bremerton 3/1937 12.4.1939 7/1939 target in nuclear tests 7.1946, scuttled 8.3.1948
  

Displacement standard, t

1657

Displacement full, t

2250

Length, m

101.8 wl 103.9 oa

Breadth, m

10.8

Draught, m

3.91 full load

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 sets Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 3 Babcock & Wilcox boilers

Power, h. p.

50000

Max speed, kts

38.5

Fuel, t

oil 194 - 484

Endurance, nm(kts) 6500 (12)

Armament

4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 4 x 1 - 12.7/90, 4 x 4 - 533 TT, 2 DCR (10)

Electronic equipment

QCE sonar

Complement 184

   

Project history: Benham class destroyers were built under the FY1935 program and as a whole repeated Bagley class, but with improved machinery with changed structure, with three bigger boilers. Machinery power has been raised to 50000hp for achievement of 38.5kts speed, as on Gridley class. Thanks to presence of only three smoke pipes trunked to a funnel, its size was less, in comparison with previous class. Placing of all main guns on ring based mounts was the unique armament difference in comparison with predecessors, however completely enclosed the fwd mounts were only. Though nominally Benham class concerned to a series of so-called 1500t destroyers (Mahan, Bagley and Gridley classes), their actual standard displacement was significant more than official 1500t.

Modernizations: 1941, Lang, Mayrant, Trippe, Rhind, Rowan, Stack, Sterett, Wilson: - 2 x 4 - 533 TT; + 3 x 1 - 12.7/90, 4 DCT (46 DC at all)

early 1942, Benham, Ellet: - 4 x 1 - 12.7/90, 2 x 4 - 533 TT; + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, 4 DCT (44 DC at all)

early 1942, Lang, Mayrant, Trippe, Rhind, Rowan, Stack, Sterett, Wilson: - 7 x 1 - 12.7/90; + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4

1942 - 1944, almost all survived: + SC, SG, Mk 12.22 radars

8.1942 - early 1943, all survived: - 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2

summer 1945, Lang, Sterett, Wilson: - 4 x 1 - 20/70, 2 x 4 - 533 TT; + 2 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 4

 

1.1946, DD402-404, 406: 4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 2 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (46), SC, SG, Mk 12.22 radars, QCE sonar

DD407, 408: 4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 4 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (46), SC, SG, Mk 12.22 radars, QCE sonar

 

Naval service: Benham 14.11.1942 in battle at Guadalcanal was torpedoed by Japanese destroyer and sunk next day. Rowan 11.9.1943 was sunk off Salerno by German MTBs of 7th flotilla.

Mayrant 26.7.1943 was badly damaged by German aircraft. Sterett 13.11.1942 was badly damaged by Japanese ships in battle at Guadalcanal and was under repair till February, 1943; 9.4.1945 she was again badly damaged by kamikaze off Okinawa. Wilson 15.4.1945 was damaged off Okinawa by kamikaze.

Trippe, Rhind, Stack, Wilson and Mayrant participated in nuclear tests in July, 1946 off Bikini. They are sunk as targets in 1948 at new weapons tests.

Stack 1944

© Ivan Gogin, 2014