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