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fighting ships of the world

UNITED STATES NAVY (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA)

TORPEDO SHIPS

SIMS destroyers (1939-1940)

O`Brien 1942

No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
DD409 Sims 170 Bath Iron Wks 7/1937 8.4.1938 8/1939 sunk 7.5.1942
DD410 Hughes 171 Bath Iron Wks 9/1937 17.6.1939 9/1939 nuclear tests 7.1946, sunk as target 16.10.1948
DD411 Anderson 147 Federal, Kearny 11/1937 4.2.1939 5/1939 sunk during nuclear tests 1.7.1946
DD412 Hammann 148 Federal, Kearny 1/1938 4.2.1939 8/1939 sunk 6.6.1942
DD413 Mustin 363 Newport News 12/1937 8.12.1938 9/1939 nuclear tests 7.1946, scuttled 18.4.1948
DD414 Russell 364 Newport News 12/1937 8.12.1938 11/1939 stricken 11.1945
DD415 O`Brien   Boston N Yd, Charlestown 5/1938 20.10.1939 3/1940 sunk 19.10.1942
DD416 Walke   Boston N Yd, Charlestown 5/1938 20.10.1939 4/1940 sunk 14.11.1942
DD417 Morris   Norfolk N Yd, Portsmouth 6/1938 1.6.1939 3/1940 damaged 6.4.1945, never repaired, sold 8.1947
DD418 Roe   Charleston N Yd 4/1938 21.6.1939 1/1940 stricken 11.1945
DD419 Wainwright   Norfolk N Yd, Portsmouth 6/1938 1.6.1939 4/1940 nuclear tests 7.1946, sunk as target 2.7.1948
DD420 Buck   Philadelphia N Yd 4/1938 22.5.1939 5/1940 sunk 9.10.1943
  

Displacement standard, t

1764

Displacement full, t

2313

Length, m

103.9 wl 106.2 oa

Breadth, m

11.0

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

35

Fuel, t

oil 298 - 459

Endurance, nm(kts) 6500 (12)

Armament

DD409 - 413: 5 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 4 x 1 - 12.7/90, 3 x 4 - 533 TT (16), 2 DCR (10)

DD414 - 420: 5 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 4 x 1 - 12.7/90, 2 x 4 - 533 TT (8), 2 DCR (10)

Electronic equipment

QCE sonar

Complement 192

   

Project history: 12 destroyers of the FY1937 program originally were planned to build under slightly changed project of Benham class, but after long-term discussions on the General Board supporters of strong artillery were possible manage on returning the fifth 127mm gun at the expense of reduction of number of quadruple TTs to 3. Designing of new destroyer has begun in spring of 1936. Originally her standard displacement was defined "contractual" 1500t, however in May, 1936 the Senate ratified the total document of London Naval Conference according to which upper limit of destroyer displacement was lifted to 3000t. By this moment design works were at that phase when significant changes were not represented possible to made, therefore standard displacement of new destroyer has increased at 70t: simply real overload included in the design initially was officially claimed. The armament arrangement of new destroyer repeated accepted on Mahan class. The main difference was that all main guns were installed on base ring mounts (and No1, 2 and 5 guns in fully enclosed mounts). Occurrence of new Mk 37 fire control system became the important innovation. Besides, in addition to three TT banks also four spare torpedoes were available.

When the first ships have gone out to trials, it has appeared, that the building overload reaches 120t and stability is very poor. Besides, experience of service in the conditions of Northern Atlantic revealed that destroyers with aside TT arrangement had susceptibility of the their strong corrosions and risk of damage by blows of waves. 25.9.1939, soon after the commissioning of the first ships of Sims class, Secretary of Navy has approved dismantle aside TT banks and transference of one of them to centreline and, besides it, stowage of 60t of ballast. Freed TTs have been installed on Atlanta class cruisers. Many destroyers were outfitted already with the changed arrangement of TTs, and already completed ships changed arrangement of TTs in the summer of 1940.

Modernizations: summer 1940, Sims, Hughes, Anderson, Hammann, Mustin: - 1 x 4 - 533 TT

summer 1941, all: - 1 x 1 - 127/38; + 4 x 1 - 12.7/90, 1 DCT ("Y"-gun) (38 DC at all)

late 1941, all: - 8 x 1 - 12.7/90; + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4

early 1942, all: - 1 DCT ("Y"-gun); + 4 DCT ("K"-gun) (58 DC at all)

1942 - 1944, almost all survived: + SC, SG, Mk 4 or Mk 12.22 radars

1 - 10.1943, all survived: - 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2

3.1944, Wainwright: - 1 x 4 - 533 TT; + 3 x 1 - 40/56 Mk 1

spring 1945, Wainwright: - 3 x 1 - 40/56; + 1 x 4 - 533 TT

summer 1945, Mustin, Morris: - 2 x 4 - 533 TT; + 2 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2

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

 

1.1946, DD410, 411, 419: 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 (58), SC, SG, Mk 4 or Mk 12.22 radars, QCE sonar

1.1946, DD413: 4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 4 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 4 DCT, 2 DCR (58), SC, SG, Mk 4 or Mk 12.22 radars, QCE sonar

 

Naval service: Sims 7.5.1942 was sunk in Coral Sea by Japanese D3A bombers from aircraft carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku (three direct bomb hits). Hammann 6.6.1942 was sunk by Japanese submarine I168 off Midway. O'Brien 15.9.1942 was damaged by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I15 off Espirito Santo, temporarily repaired, but on passage to the USA for ultimate repair has broken apart and foundered off Samoa 19.10.1942. Buck was badly damaged 22.8.1942 in Northern Atlantic as a result of collision with s/s Awatea and was under repair till 1943, 9.10.1943 she was sunk off Salerno by German submarine U616. Walke was sunk in battle at Guadalcanal 14.11.1942 by gunfire and torpedo from Japanese cruiser Nagara and destroyers Ayanami and Uranami.

Anderson 1.11.1944 was hit by kamikaze in Leyte Gulf. 10.12.1944 also Hughes was badly damaged by kamikaze in Leyte Gulf. Morris 6.4.1945 off Okinawa was badly damaged by kamikaze, repair was recognised inexpedient.

Hughes, Anderson, Mustin and Wainwright participated in nuclear tests in July, 1946 off Bikini, thus Anderson foundered. Others were sunk in 1948 at tests of new weapons.

 

Roe 1943

© Ivan Gogin, 2014