US Fast Battleships 1936-1947

27 Pages·2010·21.256 MB·English

by  Lawrence Burr

US FAST BATTLESHIPS
1936-47
The North Carolina and South Dakota classes
ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR
LAWRENCE BURR hashadalifelong passionfor naval history.Hewas
recentlythe British specialistonaChannel4documentaryaboutthebattle
ofJutland.Hehasalsobeen partofateam whohasconducted underwater
explorationsofthe Battlecruiserwrecksand hasvisitedanumberofthekey NEW VANGUARD • 169
battleshipsdetailed inthisvolume. HelivesintheUSA.
US FAST BATTLESHIPS
PETER BULLgraduatedfrom artcollegein 1979and hasworked asa )
freelance illustratorforover25years.Hehascreated bothtraditionaland
1936-47
digitalartfor publishersworldwide,andalsorunsthe PeterBullArtStudio,
based in Kent,UK,which hefounded in 1975.
The North Carolina and South Dakota classes
LAWRENCE BURR ILLUSTRATED BY PETER BULL
FirstpublishedinGreatBritainin2010byOspreyPublishing, AUTHOR'SACKNOWLEDGMENTS CONTENTS
MidlandHouse,WestWay,Botley,Oxford,OX2OPH,UK
44-0223rdSt,Suite219,LongIslandCity,NY11101,USA Theauthorwishestoacknowledgethehelpandassistanceofthefollowing:
CaptainBenW.Blee,USN(Ret);JeffreyNilsson,ExecutiveDirector,Historical
NavalShipsAssociation;KimSincox,MuseumServicesDirector,andMary
©2010OspreyPublishingLtd. AmesBooker,CuratorofCollections,BattleshipNorthCarolina;BillTunnell,
ExecutiveDirector,andLeeBryars,CrewChief,MuseumUSSAlabama;
MarkHayes,NavalHistoricalCenter;ProfessorDouglasV.Smith,Naval INTRODUCTION 4
Allrightsreserved.Apartfromanyfairdealingforthepurposeofprivate WarCollege;CaptainChristopherPage(RN)Ret,andDrMalcolm
study,research,criticismorreview,aspermittedundertheCopyright, Llewellyn-Jones,Historian,NavalHistoricalBranch;RonKurpiers,
DesignsandPatentsAct,1988,nopartofthispublicationmaybe researcher;andmywonderfulwifeJudi,whosepatienceandhumor THE WASHINGTON NAVALTREATY -1922 4
reproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyform helpedmecopewithanewcomputer.
orbyanymeans,electronic,electrical,chemical,mechanical,optical,
photocopying,recordingorotherwise,withoutthepriorwrittenpermission DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION 7
PHOTOGRAPHICCREDITS
ofthecopyrightowner.InquiriesshouldbeaddressedtothePublishers.
Allthephotographsprintedinthisbookareby:CourtesyBattleshipNorth The North Carolina class
Carolina.
ACIPcatalogrecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary The South Dakota class
Fire control
ISBN:9781846035104
Radar
E-bookISBN:9781849082921
Aircraft
Pagelayoutby:MelissaOrromSwan,Oxford
FAST BATTLESHIPOPERATIONS 15
IndexbyMikeParkin
TypesetinSabonandMyriadPro The Atlantic
OriginatedbyPPSGrasmereLtd,Leeds,UK
The Pacific
PrintedinChinathroughWorldPrintLtd.
CONCLUSION 42
1011 12 13 14 1098 7654 32 1
BIBLIOGRAPHY 44
OspreyPublishingissupportingtheWoodlandTrust,theUK'sleading
woodlandconservationcharitybyfundingthededicationoftrees. Books
www.ospreypublishing.com Internet
APPENDICES 45
South Dakota class
North Carolina class
INDEX 48
BabcockandWilcoxhigh
pressureboilersbeinginstalled
inNorthCarolina'sNo.2
machineryspace.
US FAST BATTLESHIPS 1936-47
THE NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH DAKOTA CLASSES
INTRODUCTION
The six battleships of the North Carolina and South Dakota classes,
built between 1937and 1942, represented a dramatic development from the
pre-1922 battleships ofthe US Navy. The Washington Naval Treaty (WNT)
of 1922 and the resulting battleship-building "holiday" stopped the gradual
developmentprocess ofbattleship designthat had flowed from the launching
of the British HMS Dreadnought in 1905. In 1937, US Navy designers had for FranceandItaly.Thiswasreferredtoasthe5-5-3-1.75-1.75ratio. To bring
to seta designwithinthreefixed parameters: thewidthofthePanama Canal, the terms of the treaty into being, the US and Japan were authorized to
a maximum displacement of 35,000 tons, and a maximum main armament complete two new battleships under construction. The UK was authorized
caliber of 16 inches. The designed speed of27 knots for these six battleships to buildtwonew battleships buttheirdisplacementwaslimitedto35,000tons
was set on the basis offaulty intelligence ofthe speed oftheJapanese Kongo and their main armamentcaliber to 16inches.
class offast battleships of26 knots. An immediate consequence ofthis treaty was the scrapping ofbattleships
Thedesign oftheNorth Carolina and SouthDakotaclass battleshipswas under constructionand in operationto achieve the agreed ratios. Forthe US,
very successful. Although their service life was relatively short (all six fast itresulted in thescrappingof15 battleships and the cancellationof15 under
battleships were decommissioned in 1947), they undertook a multiplicity of construction. This left the US Navywith 18 battleships, includingthe two to
roles in boththeAtlanticand Pacifictheaters ofwar, and helped forge anew be completed in accordance with the treaty. Additionally, two battlecruisers
war-winning weapon system. This book tells the story of how these ships under construction were to be converted to aircraft carriers.
came into being and how they were used inWorld War II. Existing battleships could be modernized to increase defense against air
and submarine attack by adding side blisters and additional horizontal deck
THE WASHINGTON NAVAL TREATY -1922 armorto alimitof3,000tons pership.ThesinkingofOstfriesland, Virginia,
and NewJersey in1921 in bombingtrialsled byBillyMitchellpointed to the
"The UnitedStates ofAmerica, the British Empire, France, ItalyandJapan: growing risk to battleships from aircraft.
Desiringto contributeto themaintenanceofthegeneralpeace, andto reduce The treaty also limited the number of aircraft carriers to a total
the burdenofcompetitioninarmament;" displacement to 135,000tonsfor theUS and UK, 81,000 tonsforJapan, and
Introductionto theWashingtonNavalTreaty, signed onFebruary 6, 1922. 60,000 tons each for France and Italy. The maximum displacementfor each
shipwas 27,000 tons, with aproviso that the two US aircraftcarriers, being
ThepurposeoftheWNTwastocurtailthe developingnavalrace betweenthe converted from battlecruiser hulls, could be built up to 33,000 tons. All
US, Great Britain, and Japan, and thereby allow the US, and Great Britain aircraft carriers in existence or being built on November 12, 1921 were
in particular, to recoverfinancially from World War I. The cost ofnew fleets consideredexperimentalandcould bereplaced withinthe totaltonnage limit.
ofbattleshipswasseenaspoliticallyandfinanciallyprohibitiveinawar-weary Main gun armament was limited to a caliber of 8inches.
environmentat the conclusion ofthe "War to end allWars." Thetreatylimitationsestablishedamaximumsizeforcruisersat10,000tons
The signed treaty limited the construction of new battleships, defined and 8-inchguns.Astherewasnolimitplacedonthenumberthatcouldbe built,
as armored ships in excess of 10,000 tons, until December 1931. The the building ofheavycruisers became,ineffect, anew naval race.
subsequentLondonNavalTreatyof1930extendedthislimitationuntil 1936. For the US Navy, the WNT achieved naval parity with the Royal Navy,
Additionally, the WNT limited the number of battleships for each country then the preeminent naval power, without a costly naval building program
byestablishingatotal maximumstandarddisplacementof525,000tons each and naval conflict (an approach with which Germany had failed).
for the US and GreatBritain, 315,000 tons forJapan and 175,000 tons each Followingthetreaty, AdmiralScheer,whohadcommanded theGermanHigh
4 5
Seas Fleet in 1916, perc ptively the Pacific. Annual fleet exercises,
commented that th U avy was referred to as "Fleet Problems,"
the real victor of th 1916 battle explored the strategic and tactical
ofJutland between the Royal avy issues ofa trans-Pacific campaign.
and the German Imperial Navy. While Japan felt compelled to
Additionally, the treaty ended sign the WNT, a powerful clique
the Anglo-Japanese aval Treaty of within the IJN led by Admiral Kato
1902, and the potential alliance Kanji believed thatJapan warranted
ofthe Royal avywith theImperial equal ranking in terms of the size of
Japanese Navy (IJ ) again t the its battleship navy in relation to the
US Navy in the Pacific. This was US and Great Britain. This issue and
significant to the US, a war scares thepoliticalpowerofthecliquegrew
with Japan in the early 1900s had in significance and finally resulted in
resulted in the Naval War College Japan giving notice in 1934 of its
(NWC) creating a War Plan intention to withdraw from the naval treaty system during the Second GeneralElectrichigh-pressure
"Orange" to identify the major London Naval Conference beginninginJanuary 1936. impulseturbineshowing
issues and required strategy for Ironically, the US Congress had prevented the US Navy from building to 12rotaryblades.
a naval campaign against Japan. WNTtonnagestandards until theVinson-TrammellActofMarch 1934.This
Theoperatingfaceofthehigh The passage of the Great White Fleet across the Pacific in 1907 was an Act authorized and funded the construction of 102 ships over an eight-year
pressureboilers,showingleft exercise to help identify the issues involved in a trans-Pacific voyage by the period to bring the US Navy up to itsWNT limits.
andrightfurnaces.
fleet, as well as showing theJapanese US naval strength. The battleship-building holiday that lasted from 1923 until 1937for the
Japan had not been successful in obtaining equal status with the US and US Navy resulted in a dramatic change in battleship characteristics with the
UK in terms of total battleship displacement. In seeking to have naval laying down ofthe new fast battleships.
dominance in the western Pacific Japan negotiated and achieved a "Non
Fortification Clause" that prevented naval bases in the Pacific from being
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
developedand defended. Forthe US, this meantGuam,Wake, thePhilippines,
and the Aleutian Islands. The consequences of the "Non-Fortification The NorthCarolina class
Clause" gave the IJN a significant advantage in the event ofhostilities with The North Carolina class battleships were the first battleships to be built in
theUS.TheUS Navy Fleetwould have to passthrough theJapanesemandate theUSsince theUSS West Virginia wascommissioned on December 1,1923.
possessions of the Marshal, Caroline, and Mariana Islands to reinforce The process that led to the final design for the orth Carolina class
its fleet in the Philippines,Wake,and Guam. This would expose theUS Fleet battleships had commenced in 1928, in anticipation of the W Tending
Aftviewofportpropellersand
to interception and attrition tactics by the IJN, prior to an expected fleet inDecember 1931.Theextension ofthe buildingholidayclauseoftheWNT
bothskegs.Theinnerskeged
battle. Additionally, the US Navy would have to retain ships in the Atlantic by the London Naval Treaty in 1930 to December 1936 took away the propellershavethreeblades.
at the same time it commenced hostilities against Japan, with the result necessity for the design plans to be finalized. However, two critical design Thesepropellerswerechanged
tofivebladestoovercome
that the IJN would have an equal or larger fleet at the time of battle. The characteristics emerged from the 1928 design process: the 5-inch/38 caliber
vibrationproblemsathigh
"Non-Fortification Clause" played a major role in driving the development high-angle dual-purpose gun for secondary armament, and an evaluation
speeds.Notethemanstanding
programs ofthe US Navy. ofthe 16-inch/50 caliber and 45 caliber main armament. betweentheskegs.
The modernization program for pre-1922 battleships focused on In 1931 the General Board of the
converting coal-fired ships to oil-burning ships, enhancing fuel-storage for US Navy, responsible for setting the basic
greateroperatingrange, improvingfire-controlsystems,modifyinggunturrets design parameters for US warships, required
toincreasegunelevationand range, andair-bornegunspotting.Thedesigning an evaluation of a potential small battleship
and building ofheavy cruisers thatcould operate across the distances ofthe design of less than 35,000 tons armed
Pacific led to advances in marine engineering for increased power and speed with 12-inch guns. This small battleship
with less weight. concepthad beensuggested by the Admiralty
The US Navy also commenced developing its air arm in terms ofaircraft ofthe Royal Navy for discussion at the next
carriers, deck-loads, aircraft types and air/naval battle tactics, including the naval treaty conference planned for 1936.
introduction ofdive-bombing. Aircraftcarriers were seen as mobile airfields However, the concept was considered
in the absence of Pacific bases, providing air cover for the advancing fleet. unacceptable to the US avy in light
The US Marines developed an amphibious doctrine for oppo ed landings of battleships, battlecruisers, and pocket
reflecting the need of the US Navy to capture and hold Pacific islands. battleships in service with the Royal Navy,
Additionally, the US Navy developed a logistical fleet train capability, IJN and the new German Navy, and under
including a floating dry-dock to supply and repair warships a they r ed construction in France and Italy.
6 7
Interestingly, in 1933, the design process generated a hybrid fast
battleship/aircraft carrier. The purpose ofthis hybrid ship was to escort and
protectfast fleet carriers,withitstriplearmamentof12-inchor14-inchguns,
a large number of anti-aircraft (AA) guns and eight aircraft carried below
deck. Thedisplacementwas suggested between 19,500and 28,500tons with
aspeed of32.5 knots. This hybridconceptdid notsurvivethe detailed design
processthatcommenced in 1934and focused onthe key differences between
slow battleships at 21 knots and fast battleships with a speed of30 knots.
A key consideration in this process was the assumed speed of the IJN's
Kongo class of fast battleships, the Kongo, Haruna, Hiei, and Kirishima,
which had been modernized following the WNT with increased armor
protection from their original battlecruiser design. The speed was assumed
to be 26 knots, but these ships were in fact much faster, a fact unknown to
theUS avyin1934.However,eventheassumed speed of26 knots made the
Kongo class 5 knots faster than existingUS battleships.
TheGeneralBoard sawthe needfor a battleship builtto treatylimits that
would actas a "fast-wing" ofthe US battlefleet tocatchtheKongo classfast
battleships, as well as having the speed and endurance to hunt down and
destroy the commerce raiders of Germany and Italy. This melding of
battleshipandAdmiral Fisher's original battlecruiserconceptroles established
the need for and the role ofa fast battleship.
General Board member Admiral Reeves argued in 1936 that the new
battleships should have the same top speed, 33 knots, as fleet carriers.
AdmiralReeves haddriventhe developmentofUScarriers,and ascaptainof
USS Saratoga during Fleet Problem IX in 1929 demonstrated the potential
role of fleet carriers as Fast Task Force attack groups, operating
independently ofthe main battle fleet. In effect this confirmed the potential
as originally demonstrated by HMS Furious and the 1st Light Cruiser
squadron inJuly 1918, when HMS Furious launched the first carrier strike
ofsevenSopwithCamel biplanes and destroyed German Zeppelins and their
hanger base at Tondern.
However, duringthe period 1936/7,thefinal considerationfor the design
for the North Carolina class battleships focused on main armament and
armor, withspeed asecondaryconsideration.TheWNTdisplacementclause
a
USSNORTHCAROLINA
ThecleanlinesofNorthCarolina'ssweepingweatherdeck,andthetowersuperstructuretopped
withthemassiveeXAM"bedspring"radar,canbereadilyappreciatedfromthedrawingofNorth
Carolinaassheappearedinearly1942.Herrevolutionaryandgracefuldesign,withthesecondary
armamentof205-inchgunsmountedintengunturrets,ratherthanincasementsasinpre-1922
battleships,clearlymarkedherasamodernbattleshipinaperiodofincreasingthreatfromaircraft.
ThisdrawingofNorthCarolinadepictsherasshewaspriortothebattleoftheEasternSolomons
with1.1-inchAAcanonsastheprimaryclose-inweapon,andbefore"Stryker'sBridge"hadbeen
added.ThebattleoftheEasternSolomonsshowedthattheAAarmamentwasinadequateto
preventattackingaircraftfromreleasingeitherbombortorpedo,butabletodowntheaircraft
afterthereleasewhenitwaspullingoutfromitsattackingmaneuverandcloseintotheship.
Thisfact,togetherwiththemechanicalproblemswiththe1.1-inchcanon,ledtotheadoption
ofthe40mmBoforsgunastheprimaryclose-inAAgunthatcoulddestroyanattackingaircraft
beforeitcouldreleaseitsweapon.
Withfourpropellersandtwinrudders,theNorthCarolinawasverymaneuverable,andableto
matchthegyrationsofcarriersastheymaneuveredeithertoflyoffandlandaircraftortododge
bombsandtorpedoes.Althoughthefirstofthefastbattleships,shewasnotfastenoughtokeep
stationwithacarriertravelingattopspeedof33knots.
8
of 35,000 tons and the maximum beam that traced to alternatingthrustsemanatingfrom inboard and outboard propellers
could be accommodated in the Panama Canal resonating against the lightweight hull and machinery. Efforts to identify
were theprimaryconsiderationsfor the designers. and then resolve the vibration led to the North Carolina sailing from and
This led to the North Carolina class battleships returning to the New York Navy Yard so many times that she gained
having 15-degree inclined armor, four sets the nickname "The Showboat." The problemwas managed by changingthe
of lightweight geared turbines, and high innerskeged propellersfrom three bladesto five blades.Additionally, bracing
temperature high-pressure boilers, bothofwhich was added to machinery. Both ships were then able to attain designed top
were new technology. Turbines and boilers, with speed at full power.
their respective supporting machinery, were The two new "fastbattleships" were veryimpressive, with their unbroken
combined in four machinery rooms rather than sweeping weather deck, pyramid tower superstructure, heavy main
in separate engine and boiler rooms to provide armament, turretedsecondaryarmament, relativelyhighspeed, andextensive
greater survivability in the case ofa torpedo hit. crUiSIng range.
Between the inclined armor beltand the external
hull plates were a series ofwatertightspaces that TheSouth Dakotaclass
provided protection against torpedo blast and Design ofthe South Dakota class commenced in 1937, and soughtto rectify
carried fuel and water. Together with the spaces the inadequate armor design ofthe North Carolina class. Butincreasing the
created by the double bottom, the ships had weightofarmorand incliningside armorat 19degrees to counterthesteeper
1.8 milliongallons, or7,167tons, offuel capacity divingangleof16-inchshells,whilstmaintainingnine 16-inchguns, required
for a 16,000-mile cruising range. significantweightsavingsinotherareasofthe shipinordertostaywithin the
The balance between guns and armor 35,000-ton limit. Additionally, these new ships were to serve as fleet and
originally established 12 14-inch guns in four divisionflagships, requiringworkingand accommodationspacefor admirals
turrets as the main armament. Secondary and their staff.
armament was 20 5-inch/38 guns in ten turrets. Towards the end of designing the North Carolina class the possibility
Theupperrotatinggunhouse Armor protection was set to withstand hits from 14-inch guns, with ofships sustaining underwater hull damage from steeply diving heavy shells
forTurret3beingloweredinto an immune zone between 19,000 and 30,000 yards. The armored section that fell short of the ship was considered to be important. However, as the
positionbythe350-ton
of the ship extended from just forward of Turret 1 to just aft of Turret 3, design process was so advanced, only supplemental protection for the
hammerheadcraneatBrooklyn
thereby encompassing the magazines and machinery spaces. Finally, speed magazines could be added. For the South Dakota class the danger from A16-inch,45calibergunbeing
NavyYard.
installed.Thetwohydraulic
was set at 27 knots, sufficient to catch the assumed 26-knot speed of the underwater shell hits was addressed and incorporated into the design
recoil/run-outcylindersare
Kongos but 6 knots slower than US fast carriers. to protect both magazine and machinery spaces. The inward sloping main
clearlyshownonthetopofthe
The SecondLondonNavalTreaty of1936introduced escalatorclauses to armor beltfrom the armored deck was continued down to the inner bottom gun.
provide flexibility for signing nations, to counter the withdrawal ofJapan plates. Additionally,thestrengthofplates usedfor
from the naval treatysystemand new battleshipsthatJapanmight build.The the outer and inner bottom plates and other
escalatorclausecovered displacementand the caliberfor themainarmament. internal longitudinal plates was increased relative
In July 1937, the Secretary of the Navy approved changing the main to the North Carolina class.
armament for the North Carolina class battleships from 12 14-inch to nine In achieving the additional armor required
16-inch/45 guns. This change was possible because the turret size for to protect against 16-inch shells, the designers
Loweringa16-inch,45caliber
quadruple 14-inch guns was the same for triple 16-inch guns. In US Navy proposed a ship design of 666ft at the waterline,
gunintotherightgunhousein
Turret2. terms the ship was now unbalanced, in that the strikingforce ofits guns was 47ftshorterthan theNorthCarolina classat713ft,
greater than the defensive capability of its own in order to meet the 35,000-ton limit. As ship
armor. But increases in armor protection would length equates to ship speed, the South Dakota
haveincreased displacementabove the35,000-ton class required increased engine power to achieve
treatylimit, and this was unacceptable. the same top speed of 27 knots as the North
TheUSSNorth Carolinawas builtattheNew Carolina class. Incorporating increased engine
York Navy Yard, launched in June 1940, and powerinashorterhullrequired positioningsetsof
commissioned in April 1941. The USS evaporators and distillingequipment into the four
Washington was built at the Philadelphia Navy machinery rooms, along with the boilers and
Yard, launched inJune 1940, and commissioned turbines, rather than into their own separate
in May 1941. Both ships experienced significant compartments. The boilers within the machinery
vibrationalongtheirpropellershafts and gearing spaces were raised one deck in order for the
and turbine machinery and the extent of this propeller shaft to run beneath them and thereby
vibration adversely effected fire-control reduce the space required for machinery.
instruments. The cause of the vibration was Additionally, the bottom hull aft of the stern
10 11
magazinewasdrasticallyreduced to, inturn, reducehulldrag. The two outer
propellers and shafts were incorporated in skegs, creating a tunnel in which
theinnertwopropellerswerelocated, providingameasureofprotectionfrom
torpedoes for the inner propellers.
The shortened design incorporated a single funnel into the aft section
ofthe superstructure. South Dakota was fitted with eight secondary 5-inch
gun turrets rather than ten, and the space for the 5-inch handling room and
magazine was used to provide accommodation. The USS Indiana,
Massachusetts, and Alabamawere builtwith 20 5-inch/38 gunsintenturrets.
The massive bridge and conning tower, incorporating the captain's
command bridge with the admiral's bridge above and main battery fire
controlattop levelfollowed aft bythesuperstructuretowerand incorporated
funnel, above a sweeping weather deck, gave the class a powerful
appearance. The improved armor protection made the South Dakota class
a morepowerful battleship in battleship-vs-battleship action than the North
Carolina class.
Firecontrol
Whilstguns, armor, and speed are essentialcharacteristics ofbattleships, the
ability to hitthe targetwiththeirgunfire represents the ultimate justification
for the time and money spent on developing and operating them.
The North Carolina and South Dakota class battleships were all fitted
with Ford Instrument Mark 8 Range Keepers. These mechanical/electric
fire-control analog computers were the latest development starting with
theStadimeter,invented byLieutenantFiskeand used byhimwhentied to the
foremast of USS Petral during the battle of Manila Bay in 1898. These
computers located in the Main Battery Plotting Room, below the armored
deck, werecoupledto two Mark38 range-finding directors, onelocatedatop
the superstructure tower, with the other director located on the aft
superstructure just forward ofTurret 3. These fire-control computers were
able toprojectthe targets' future position,aimthe gunsfor deflection,range,
and time-of-shell flight, as well as incorporate a host of atmospheric and
ballisticcalculations, and allowfor shipmaneuver,pitch,roll, yaw, andspeed.
This mechanical/electrical machine performed a task equivalent to that
of a quarterback, who uses inherent judgment and muscle-control of
aquarterbackwhen throwingafootball from hisownhalfto apointinspace
downfield to which a sprintingwide receiver will reach to catch the ball and
score a touchdown.
USSSOUTHDAKOTA
ThisdrawingoftheSouthDakotadepictsherattheendofthePacificwar,bristlingwith40mm
Boforsand20mmguns.
Built47ftshorteratthewaterlinethanNorthCarolina,thetop-downviewclearlyshowsthehull
fairingoutfromthepositionofthefirst16-inchgunturret.
Theprofileviewreadilycapturesthemassivesuperstructureofbridge,conningtower,andtower
withtheincorporatedfunnel.Thismassivesuperstructureprovidedanampleaimingpointduring
thenightbattleoffGuadalcanal,andsuffered15hitsfromUNcruisersanddestroyers.SouthDakota
gainedareputationasajinxedship:hittinganunchartedcoralreefintheTongaIslands,beinghit
by500lbbombsatthebattlesofSantaCruzandthePhilippineSea,andsufferingtheabovedamage
offGuadalcanal,acollisionwiththedestroyerUSSMahanandtheexplosionofapropellantcase
requiringthefloodingofthemagazineforturrettwowhilerearming.However,SouthDakotawas
creditedwithdowning31Japaneseaircraft,thelargestnumberbyanyfastbattleship.
12
Thesecondaryarmamentofdual-purpose
5-inch guns were controlled by four Mark 1
secondary battery computers, located in a
separate plotting room. These computers
wereeachcoupledwithoneofthefour Mark •• !!'I
37 directors, one forward, one aft, and one
eitherside ofthe ship. TheMark 1computer
performed the same tasks as the Mark 38,
and in addition performed these tasks more
quicklyfor fast-moving targetsand calculated watercreated by the battleship turning 90 degrees across the wind, then taxi
NorthCarolinainher
altitude ofthe target in respect ofaircraft. up to the stern ofthe ship where a hook on the underside ofthe float would commissioninglightgray
Bothplottingroomsalsocontainedalarge engage a rope sled towed by the ship; the aircraftcrane could then reach out paintscheme.
switchboard thatallowed thefunction ofeach to hoist the Kingfisher back on board.
plotto beswitchedtoits back-upplotlocated
forward of Turret 3 in the event of the FAST BATTLESHIP OPERATIONS
primary plot being inoperative. Two plots
Al.l-inchanti-aircraftgunas could also handle separate targets, linking separate directors to one or more The North Carolina and South Dakota class battleships were designed for
originallyfittedtoNorth gun turrets. Turret 2 also contained main battery plotting instruments to classic line-of-battle conflict. Their high speed, relative to earlier battleships,
Carolina.Thisgunwas provide a further back up. enabled them to actas afast wing ofthe US battleline,counterJapanesefast
pronetojammingifnotwell
battleships, and dictate the pace and direction of battle to the enemy battle
maintained.Additionallythe
weightofbulletsfiredwas Radar line. The operative war plans in late 1941, for both the Japanese and
insufficienttodownan Both the North Carolina and South Dakota class battleships were designed US navies, culminated in an Armageddon battleship battle somewhere in the
attackingaircraftwithinthe before radar became an integral component of ship design. The North western Pacific.
timeoftheclosingrange.
Carolina had an air-search CXAMradar installed on her foremast in August The naval war in the Atlantic and European waters between September
Thesegunswerereplaced
1941.Thisradarwas upgraded to aSK-2setinMarch 1943,and inSeptember 1939 and late 1941 had already shown the growing lethal capability
by40mmBofors.
1944 upgraded withaSK-2 17ftdish antenna. Mark 3fire-control radar was of carrier-launched and land-based aircraft against warships. Of particular
installed on top ofbothfore and aftMark 38 directorsand integratedinto the note,onthe nightof ovember11, 1940,Swordfishaircraftfrom thecarrier
TheCXAM-l air-searchradar main plot. The Mark 3 was a 40cm radar with a 12-degree beam to provide HMS Illustrious attacked the Italian battle fleet in Taranto harbor with
antenna,referredtoasthe accurate range and bearing input. This radar was upgraded to a 10cmMark torpedoes and bombs, and sank two battleships, damaging a third as well
"bedspring,"beingfixedtothe 8 that scanned at ten scans per second and could range outto 40,000 yards. as two cruisers and two fleet auxiliaries. On March 28, 1941, an Albacore
topoftheforemast.Radarwas Themainbatteryplottingroom
Mark4fire-control radar, capableofdetecting bothsurfaceand airtargets, aircraft launched from HMS Formidable made the first successful
awar-winningtechnologyfor showingtheFordInstrument
theUSNavy. was installed onlyonthree ofthe Mark 37secondarydirectors. TheaftMark air-launched torpedo attack on a battleshipunderway at sea, when it hit the RangeKeeperMark8,Model9,
37directorwas leftwithoutaradarantenna,as theheight Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto. Atorpedo hit on the Italian heavy cruiser calibratedfor16-inch45caliber
of the intended antenna would have interfered with the Pola on the same day led to the battle of Matapan. On May 26, 1941, mainguns.Themainbattery
fire-controlswitchboardis
Mark 3 radar on the aft Mark 38 director. The Mark 4 aSwordfish aircraftlaunched from HMS Ark Royaltorpedoed the Bismarck
showntotherightrearof
was upgraded to Mark 12 and fitted to all Mark 37 at dusk during an Atlanticgale. The hiton the Bismarck's rudderresulted in thepicture.
directors, as a higher mount had been installed on the her being sunk the following day. All these
Mark 38 directorfor its radar antenna. attacks occurred at a range from the carrier
greater than the range of a battleship's guns.
Aircraft During May 1941, the German Air Force
Both the North Carolina and South Dakota class established air superiority around Crete, and
battleships each carried three aircraft, primarily inflicted by dive-bombingsevere damageand
for spotting the fall of shot from the main armament losses to Royal Navy ships evacuating Allied
during long-rangegunfire. Theaircraftwerealso used for personnel from the island.
anti-submarinepatrols,air-sea rescue, andcommunicating The Japanese carrier air attack on
withshore stations. December7,1941 with torpedoes and bombs
Each aircraft, an OS2U Vought Sikorsky Kingfisher, on the US Fleet at Pearl Harbor, and the
waslaunchedfrom oneoftwo68ftcatapultslocated port sinking of the Royal Navy fast battleship
and starboard at the stern ofthe ship. Two aircraft were HMS Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser
stowed on the catapults with the third aircraft stowed HMS Repulse, operating without air cover,
on a dolly between the catapults. The Kingfisher was on December 10, by air-launched torpedoes
a single-float aircraft that would land on a slick of still in the South China Sea, brought home
14 15
the vulnerability of battleships to five times, putting her out of action. These
air-launched torpedoes. hitsrepresented a6.17percentaccuracyrate
againstastationarytarget usingindirectfire
TheAtlantic spotted by aircraft. Massachusetts next
At the declaration of war with engaged the destroyer Fougeux, which
Japan and Germany, only two had escaped Casablanca harbor and was
US fast battleships, North advancing to make a torpedo attack.
Carolina and Washington, had Massachusetts fired at a range of 11 miles
been commissioned. These two and hit Fougeux, which blew up and sank.
ships were involved with their Duringthisengagementan 8-inchshell fired
shakedown and training cruises from the EI Hank battery hitMassachusetts
along the US eastern seaboard. on her portside deck opposite Turret 2,
Captain Badger of North which penetrated and exploded in asecond
Carolina requested and received deck compartment without causing any
Themainbatteryplottingroom 40 additional 20mm anti-aircraft (AA) guns to bolster his ship's defenses in casualtiesorseriousdamage. Massachusetts
mannedforactionstations.The December 1941. The ships were held on the eastern seaboard to counter the also hitthe lightcruiserPrimauguetand the
menarewearingsound threatofthe Tirpitzconductingraids onAtlanticconvoys. This also reflected docked destroyer LeMilan.
activatedmicrophonesand
headsetstoreceiveinputfrom theprimaryUSwaraimofdefeatingGermanyfirst, beforeturningits military On November 12, Massachusetts sailed for the US to prepare for service Thehandlingspacebetween
themaindirectorandradarfor and industrial might onJapan. in the Pacific. It is noteworthy that at the time ofthe action offCasablanca, thepowdermagazineandthe
inputintotheRangeKeeper. Washington sailed to join the Royal Navy Home Fleet at Scapa Flow on Massachusetts had been in operation for only six months, which included powderhandlingroom.The
March26, 1942,to participate in protectingconvoys to Murmansk, Russia. her shakedown cruise and crew training. Ofher total complement of2,400, transferhopperwiththe
handleintheup-position
During one such convoy, on May 1, Washington was following astern 2,000 were new recruits to the navy.
receivespowderbagsfromthe
of HMS King George V, which collided with an accompanying destroyer, USS Alabamawas commissioned on August 16, 1942. OnApril 2, 1943, magazine.Thebagsarepassed
HMS Punjabi, cuttingher in two. This ship sank in the path of Washington, Alabama and South Dakota sailed to join the Royal Navy Home Fleet at throughtheoppositehopper
which sailed between the two halves as the depth charges on board Punjabi Scapa Flowtocreatea diversion for the forthcoming invasionofSicily. These intothepowderhandlingroom
wheretheyarehoistedtothe
exploded beneath the hull of Washington. However, no hull damage two battleships guarded against the Tirpitz making a foray either into the
gun.
occurred. On July 14, 1942, Washington left the Royal Navy Home Fleet Atlanticorto raid theRussianconvoys. Once this objectivewas achieved the
to return to the US for overhaul prior to sailing to the Pacific. Alabama and South Dakota sailed for'the US on August 1, 1943 to prepare
USS Massachusetts was commissioned onMay 12, 1942and on October for service in the Pacific.
28 joined the Western aval Task force for the invasion of North Africa.
US forces weredirected to Morocco and theAtlantic portcity ofCasablanca The Pacific
tosecuresea communicationsto theUS. TheVichyFrenchNavy had docked TheNorth Carolina,commissioned onApril9, 1941,arrived inPearl Harbor
the uncompleted battleshipJean Bart, together withacruiser, ten destroyers, on July 11, 1942, and was the first new major warship to reinforce the
and 11 submarines, in Casablanca. Four shore batteries and a French Army outnumbered and embattled US Pacific Fleet. Between the attack on Pearl
Senegalese battalion guarded the city, Harbor and this date, US Navy offensive operations in the Pacific had
Massachusetts had launched her Kingfisher aircraft at dawn centered on carriers, supported by cruisers and destroyers. The battles of
on November 8, and at 6:51am the Kingfishers came under AA fire. Then Coral Sea and Midway had again demonstrated the greater range ofaircraft
French fighters attacked the Kingfishers, but were promptly shot down by over battleship guns. At Midway, the IJN had employed their carriers in
Massachusetts's 5-inch guns, though not before one Kingfisher was shot a boxformation, and positioned theirfast battleshipsincolumnformation on
down. At 7:01am the EI Hank shore battery opened fire on the the distant beam ofthe box, orofan individualcarrier. In these positions the
Massachusetts and straddled theship. At 7:04amMassachusetts opened fire fast battleshipshad not beenable tosuccessfullydefend thecarriers,resulting
on the Jean Bart at a range 'of 24,000 yards, and in so doing was the first in four being sunk by US Navy carrier-launched dive-bombers.
US battleship to fire her main armament against an enemy ship since In 1922, Commander Nimitz was studying at the NWC, and writing
USS Oregonfired at the retreatingSpanish Fleet at the battle ofSantiago on a thesis onthe battleofJutland. Akeyelementofthis battlewas thedifficulties
July3,1898.AlthoughJean Barthad not beencompleted,herforward turret Admiral Jellicoe had faced in deploying the 24 battleships of the Grand
of four IS-inch guns was operative and she returned fire at 7:08am, Fleet from the square cruising formation into line of battle. In searching for
bracketing Massachusetts. an alternative formation using the gaming board, Commander MacFall
Massachusetts had to rely on air spotting to target Jean Bart, as her oftheNWCsuggested creatingacircularcruisingformation, with battleships
fire-control radar failed as a result ofconcussive shock from her main guns. in the center and supporting forces arranged in concentric circles around
Opticalrangefinding was notpossible becausethe Frenchlaid down asmoke the battleships. Deployment from this cruising circular formation to line
screen,whichtogetherwith thesmokeandfire from explodingshellsobscured of battle was considered to be quicker and less difficult than from the
the target. In total, Massachusetts fired nine 16-inchsalvoesand hitJean Bart square formation,
16 17