Florida class battleship
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 USS Florida (BB-30) |
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Florida class battleship |
| Operators: |  United States Navy |
| Preceded by: | Delaware-class battleship |
| Succeeded by: | Wyoming-class battleship |
| Completed: | 2 |
| Lost: | 1 |
| Retired: | 1 |
| Preserved: | 0 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Battleship |
| Displacement: | Standard:21,825 tons |
| Length: | 521 ft 5 in (158.9 m) |
| Beam: | 88 ft 3 in (26.9 m) |
| Draft: | 28.3 ft (8.6 m) |
| Speed: | 21 knots (39 km/h) |
| Range: | 5,776 nautical miles (10,700 km) at 10 knots and 2,760 nautical miles (5,110 km) at 20 knots Coal: 2500 tons |
| Complement: | 1,001 officers and men |
| Armament: | 10 × 12 inch (305 mm) guns, 16 × 5 inch (127 mm) guns,[1] 2 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes |
The Florida-class battleships of the United States Navy were its first battleship class to have steam turbine only propulsion, though USS North Dakota of the Delaware class was the first U.S. Battleship to have steam turbine propulsion installed. They were, in general, similar to the preceding Delaware-class design, but were slightly larger. The two ships of this class were launched in 1910 and 1909, respectively:
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[edit] The Design
These ships were approximately 2,000 tons larger than the previous class, but had the same main armament of ten 12-inch (305 mm) guns in five twin turrets. The secondary battery of 5-inch (127 mm) guns was improved to house the 5"/51 instead of the previous classes 5"/50 armament. The 5"/51, offering higher velocity, was seen as a needed upgrade.[2] The engine rooms were lengthened to accommodate the Parsons steam turbine.[3] The beam was widened 3 feet (1 m) as a result, giving a displacement increase of 2,000 tons. Thicker casement armor marks the only change in armor from the Delaware class.[4] Lack of operational experience with the type led to the hull design shipping excessive sea and the forward casement battery being useless in all but the calmest sea at moderate speed.
[edit] Reconstruction
They survived the Washington Naval Treaty and were put in hand for modernization. The coal fired boilers were replace by oil fired boilers. Anti-torpedo blisters were installed increasing the beam to 106 feet (32 m). The twin smoke stacks were trunked into a single stack. The dual cage masts were reduced to one cage mast. Much of the secondary armament of 5"/51" was moved to the main deck regaining the use of the secondary battery.
[edit] The end of the class
The London Naval Treaty saw to the end of Florida, and Utah had her main armament stripped and was converted to an anti-air gunnery training ship. Florida was scrapped, and Utah was sunk in the Attack on Pearl Harbor.
[edit] List of Florida class battleships
[edit] Source
Source: U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History Norman Friedman ISBN 0-87021-715-1
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Breyer 1973 p. 201
- ^ U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History Norman Friedman P71 ISBN 0-87021-715-1
- ^ U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History Norman Friedman P72 ISBN 0-87021-715-1
- ^ U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History Norman Friedman P72 ISBN 0-87021-715-1
[edit] External links
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