NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Idaho 1912

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
BB23	Mississippi	327	Cramp, Philadelphia	12.5.1904	30.9.1905	1.2.1908	to Greece 7.1914 (Κιλκίς [Kilkis])
BB24	Idaho	328	Cramp, Philadelphia	12.5.1904	9.12.1905	1.4.1908	to Greece 7.1914 (Λήμνος [Limnos])

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	13000
Displacement full, t	14465
Length, m	116.4
Breadth, m	23.5
Draught, m	7.52 mean
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 VTE, 8 Babcock & Wilcox boilers
Power, h. p.	10000
Max speed, kts	17
Fuel, t	coal 1800
Endurance, nm(kts)	5800(10)
Armour, mm	belt: 229 - 178 (178 - 102 at ship ends), bulkheads: 178, deck: 76 - 38, barbettes: 254 - 152, main gun turrets: 305 - 203, secondary gun turrets: 165 - 152, casemates: 178 - 51, CT: 229
Armament	2 x 2 - 305/45 Mk V, 4 x 2 - 203/45 Mk VI, 8 x 1 - 178/44 Mk II, 12 x 1 - 76/50 Mk III/V/VI, 6 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss Mk I / Driggs-Schroeder Mk I, 2 x 1 - 37/40 Hotchkiss heavy Mk I/II/III / Driggs-Schroeder heavy Mk I, 2 - 533 TT (beam)
Complement	744

Graphics

Project history

Authorized under the Act of 3.3.1903. An attempt to reproduce the main features of the Vermont class on a displacement of 3000t less, and like most such attempts only a qualified success, the reduction in speed being particularly unfortunate. On four hours trial Idaho was slightly the faster, attaining 17.14kts at 13.093t. Originally there was no mainmast, but cage fore and mainmasts were fitted from 1909.

Ship protection

Main belt had 2.82m height (1.3m over and 1.52m under waterline). 74.4m long amidships part of belt was 229mm thick. Next 14.9m fore and aft parts of belt were 229mm at upper edge tapering to 178mm at lower edge. Ship ends were closed by 2.43m in height (0.91m over and 1.52m under waterline) 178-127mm, later 127mm and finally 102mm armour. Belt was connected with main gun barbettes by 178mm bulkheads. Upper belt between main barbettes had 178mm thickness. 38mm armoured deck over citadel had 76mm slopes and connected with lower edge of main belt. It was 76mm in flat part and had 76mm slopes at ship ends. Main gun turrets had 305mm faces, 203mm sides and rears and 64mm crowns, their barbettes had 254mm sides (190mm at inner side and 152mm between main and armour decks). Secondary gun turrets had 165mm faces, 152mm sides and rears and 51mm crowns, their barbettes had 152mm thickness (102mm at inner sides). 178mm guns were protected by 178mm casemate. CT had 229mm sides and 51mm roof.

Modernizations

1909, both: cage mainmast was installed.

Naval service

In early 1914 Mississippi served as a seaplane base ship establishing the base at Pensacola and operating off Vera Cruz during the Mexican fighting. Both ships were sold to Greece in 1914.