South Dakota (1920) 18" design study

[TacoMensch]

Hello all,

I remember reading somewhere that there was a design study for the prospective 1920's South Dakota class that determined that the main armament of 12 16" could be changed to 8 18" guns while keeping the same displacement. I can't find the original source and I was hoping someone here had more info.

 

[drwells42]

Hello all,

I remember reading somewhere that there was a design study for the prospective 1920's South Dakota class that determined that the main armament of 12 16" could be changed to 8 18" guns while keeping the same displacement. I can't find the original source and I was hoping someone here had more i

You may be referring to "Battleship 1922", a descendant of the South Dakota (BB-49) class. I believe it it documented in Friedman's "U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History", pg 166. She would have been about 1300 tons heavier than BB-49.

Also, Friedman shows a drawing of an 18" gunned battleship (dated 14 August 1919) that looks like a South Dakota relative, (pg 179, IIRC) but the drawing is from the Bureau of Ordinance, not the Bureau of Construction and Repair. My pet theory is that the Bureau of Ordinance was showing what weapons they could build.

DRW

 

[TacoMensch]

You may be referring to "Battleship 1922", a descendant of the South Dakota (BB-49) class. I believe it it documented in Friedman's "U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History", pg 166. She would have been about 1300 tons heavier than BB-49.

Also, Friedman shows a drawing of an 18" gunned battleship (dated 14 August 1919) that looks like a South Dakota relative, (pg 179, IIRC) but the drawing is from the Bureau of Ordinance, not the Bureau of Construction and Repair. My pet theory is that the Bureau of Ordinance was showing what weapons they could build.

DRW

Thank you, this is probably it. Do you have any additional technical info? Dimensions, displacement, armament etc?

 

[drwells42]

Thank you, this is probably it. Do you have any additional technical info? Dimensions, displacement, armament etc?

Friedman provides very little, but does indicate a displacement of 44,500 tons. (compared to 43,200 for BB-49)

Regarding the 1919 BuOrd drawing, there is no data.

DRW

 

[alexi]

These are BuOrd estimated figures for future battleships armed with either 8x18" or 12x18" guns, new dual or triple 6"/53 capable of elevating at 75 degrees (limited loading at 20 degrees or less) and have electrical powered loader for high rate of fire.

 

[Tzoli]

It will still be a South Dakota looking battleship in my opinion eg with similar or same superstructure and funnel arrangement but with either tripod or cage masts (I would say tripod due to it's higher strength and weight capacity) and as stated on a much larger hull, but whatever to have a rised forecastle or flushdeck is debatable.