NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Florida 1912

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
BB30	Florida		New York N Yd, Brooklyn	9.3.1909	12.5.1910	15.9.1911	stricken 4.1931
BB31	Utah	80	New York SB, Camden	15.3.1909	23.12.1909	31.8.1911	target 4.1932

Technical data

Data variant	as commissioned	1925-1926 modernization
Displacement standard, t	---	21986
Displacement normal, t	21825
Displacement full, t	23033	22726
Length, m	155.5 wl 159.0 oa	155.4 wl 159.0 oa
Breadth, m	26.9	32.3
Draught, m	8.60	9.65
No of shafts	4	4
Machinery	4 Parsons steam turbines, 12 Babcock & Wilcox boilers	4 Parsons steam turbines, 4 White Foster boilers
Power, h. p.	28000	28000
Max speed, kts	20.8	21
Fuel, t	coal 2500 + oil 400	oil 2580
Endurance, nm(kts)	5776(10)	16500(10) (using emergency fuel oil)
Armour, mm	belt: 280 - 229, upper belt: 254 - 203, casemate: 127, deck: 38, barbettes: 254 - 102, turrets: 305 (face), CT: 292	belt: 203 - 280, deck: 127 over magazines, 114 over machines,  146 over boilers, 64 fore, 76 aft, barbettes: 254 - 102, turrets: 305 (face), CT: 292
Armament	5 x 2 - 305/45 Mk VI, 16 x 1 - 127/51 Mk VII, 2 - 533 TT (beam)	5 x 2 - 305/45 Mk 6, 12 x 1 - 127/51 Mk 8, 8 x 1 - 76/52 Mk 10, 1 catapult, 3 seaplanes (UO)
Complement	1001	1171

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

These were essentially repeat Delawares, the major change being enlargement of the machinery spaces to fit either Parsons or Curtis turbines. As a result of criticism of the Delaware class at the Newport Conference in 1908, this design was modified to incorporate light armour protection (in the form of an upper casemate) for its secondary battery. By way of weight compensation, the proposed 152mm battery was cut back to 127mm/51s, very high-powered weapons which replaced the 127mm/50s of the previous class.

Ship protection

Main belt had 2.44m height (1.3m over and 1.14m under waterline) abreast citadel and was 280mm thick at upper part tapering to 229mm at lower edge. Belt was connected with end barbettes by 254mm bulkheads. There was 2.21m in height upper belt, 254mm at lower and 203mm at upper edges, it was closed by 229mm bulkheads. Casemate had 165mm armour and connected with No2 and 3 barbettes  by diagonal 165mm bulkheads. Flat armoured deck connected with upper edge of main belt and was 38mm over machinery and 51mm over magazines. This deck had 63mm thickness fwd from citadel to fore compartment and had 38mm thickness to stem. It was 38mm aft from citadel. There was an additional lower deck over steering gear, 76mm in flat and 76mm in slopes. Main gun turrets had 305mm faces, 203mm sides and rears and 102mm crowns. Barbettes were 254mm at upper and 102mm at lower edges. CT had 102mm roof. Funnel uptakes were unarmoured. Underwater protection was 6.4m deep.

Ship protection after modernization, BB30: Main belt had 2.44m height (1.3m over and 1.14m under waterline) abreast citadel and was 280mm thick at upper part tapering to 229mm at lower edge. Belt was connected with end barbettes by 254mm bulkheads. There was 2.21m in height upper belt, 254mm at lower and 203mm at upper edges, it was closed by 229mm bulkheads. Upper casemate had 165mm armour and connected with No2 and 3 barbettes by diagonal 165mm bulkheads. New main armoured deck (2nd deck) was connected with upper edge of upper belt. It was 88mm thick over magazines and turbines and 120mm over boilers. Its thickness outside of citadel was 114mm. Old flat armoured deck connected with upper edge of main belt and was 38mm over machinery and 51mm over magazines. This deck had 85mm thickness outside of citadel. There was an additional lower deck over steering gear, 120mm in flat and 76mm in slopes. Additional 3rd deck between citadel and stem was strengthened by 44mm armour. Main gun turrets had 305mm faces, 203mm sides and rears and 102mm crowns. Barbettes were 254mm at upper and 102mm at lower edges. CT had 102mm roof. Funnel uptakes were unarmoured. Underwater protection was deepened by bulges fitting.

Ship protection after modernization, BB31: Main belt had 2.44m height (1.3m over and 1.14m under waterline) abreast citadel and was 280mm thick at upper part tapering to 229mm at lower edge. Belt was connected with end barbettes by 254mm bulkheads. There was 2.21m in height upper belt, 254mm at lower and 203mm at upper edges, it was closed by 229mm bulkheads. Upper casemate had 165mm armour and connected with No2 and 3 barbettes by diagonal 165mm bulkheads. New main armoured deck (2nd deck) was connected with upper edge of upper belt. It was 88mm thick over magazines and turbines and 120mm over boilers. Its thickness outside of citadel was 108mm. Old flat armoured deck connected with upper edge of main belt and was 38mm over machinery and 51mm over magazines. This deck had 85mm thickness outside of citadel. There was an additional lower deck over steering gear, 120mm in flat and 76mm in slopes. Additional 3rd deck between citadel and stem was strengthened by 44mm armour. Battery deck had 19mm armour. Main gun turrets had 305mm faces, 203mm sides and rears and 102mm crowns. Barbettes were 254mm at upper and 102mm at lower edges. CT had 102mm roof. Funnel uptakes were unarmoured. Underwater protection was deepened by bulges fitting.

Modernizations

1916, both: + 2 x 1 - 76/52 Mk X

1918, both: + 4 x 1 - 76/52 Mk X

1919, both: + 2 x 1 - 76/52 Mk X

(1924 - 4.1925, Boston NYd) Florida, (10/1925 - 8.1926, Boston NYd) Utah: were modernized as given in the table. New bulges and boilers were fitted, horizontal armour was streghtened, secondary guns were moved one deck up.

Naval service

Florida in 1917-1918 served with Grand Fleet 6th squadron. Utah from 9.1918 served with USN task force based in Ireland. After war there were oldest battleships of US Navy under the Washington Treaty, modernized in the late twenties, but stricken under terms of London Treaty of 1930. Florida was scrapped, and Utah was used as radio-controlled target. She was sunk in Pearl Harbour after Japanese attack 7.12.1941.