NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Pensacola 1930

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
CL24, 7.1931- CA24	Pensacola		New York N Yd, Brooklyn	10.1926	25.4.1929	6.2.1930	target 7.1946
CL25, 7.1931- CA25	Salt Lake City	375	New York SB, Camden	6.1927	23.1.1929	11.12.1929	target 7.1946

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	9097
Displacement full, t	11512
Length, m	173.7 wl 178.5 oa
Breadth, m	19.9
Draught, m	5.94 full load
No of shafts	4
Machinery	4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 8 White-Forster boilers
Power, h. p.	107000
Max speed, kts	32.5
Fuel, t	oil 1411 - 2116
Endurance, nm(kts)	10000 (15)
Armour, mm	belt: 102 - 64, deck: 45 - 25, bulkheads: 64 - 25, barbettes: 19, turrets: 64 - 19, CT: 32
Armament	2 x 3 - 203/55 Mk 9.10.11/13/14, 2 x 2 - 203/55 Mk 9.10.11/13/14, 4 x 1 - 127/25 Mk 10.11.13, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, 2 catapults, 4 seaplanes (OL, O2U)
Complement	631

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

First USN 'Washington' cruisers. Designing works for 203mm-guns cruiser were begun in the USA in 1919, but the ultimate variant was ready only by 1925. Powerful armament consisted from 10 203mm guns in twin and triple turrets was provided, protection defended machinery and magazines from fire of 130mm guns on midranges. It ensured unvulnerability from destroyer guns, and central fire control system allowed to fight against light cruisers, armed by 152mm guns, on big distances on which their backfire will be ineffective. At the same time ships were vulnerable on any distances under fire of 203mm guns. Flush-decked hull with appreciable deck sheer was strongly narrowed at ship ends. This decision has allowed to lower some percentage of hull weight and to raise a speed, however it had also negative consequences: wide barbettes of triple turrets were not entered into fine lines. As a result cruisers had rather unusual arrangement of main turrets: end twin turrets and superfiring triple ones. Armament includes also 4 127/25mm AA guns and 2 х 3 533mm TTs. Two catapults for seaplanes took places amidships.

Soon after commissioning their very strong rolling was appeared. During fixing of this problem bilge keels were increased.

Ship protection

Main belt extended to 1.5m below waterline and to 2nd deck abreast machinery and to 3rd deck abreast magazines. Middle part of belt abreast machinery was 64mm thick and end parts abreast magazines were 102mm. Belt was closed by 64mm bulkheads and middle and end parts were separated by 25mm bulkheads. Armoured deck over main belt was 45mm thick over magazines and 25mm over machinery. Barbettes were 19mm thick. Turrets had 64mm faces, 25mm sides, 19mm rears and 51mm crowns. There are CT with 32mm sides.

Modernizations

mid-1930s, both: - 2 x 3 - 533 TT; + 8 x 1 - 12.7/90

1940, Pensacola: + CXAM radar

early 1941, both: - 8 x 1 - 12.7/90; + 4 x 1 - 127/25 Mk 10.11.13

11/1941, both: + 2 x 4 - 28/75 Mk 1

1942, both: + 2 x 4 - 28/75 Mk 1, 8 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4

late 1942, both: - 4 x 4 - 28/75; + 4 x 4 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4

1943, Pensacola: - CXAM radar; + SG, SK, Mk 3, Mk 4 radars

1943, Salt Lake City: + SC, SG, Mk 3, Mk 4 radars

1944, both: - 1 catapult; + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, (8 - 9) x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4

to 1945, Pensacola: - 20 x 1 - 20/70; + 1 x 4 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 9 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 4

to 1945, Salt Lake City: - 2 x 1 - 20/70 (19 at all)

late 1945, Pensacola: - 4 x 1 - 127/25, 1 x 4 - 40/56, 4 x 2 - 20/70, 1 catapult

1/1946, Pensacola: 2 x 3 - 203/55 Mk 14, 2 x 2 - 203/55 Mk 14, 4 x 1 - 127/25 Mk 19, 6 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 5 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, SC, SG, Mk 3, Mk 4 radars

1/1946, Salt Lake City: 2 x 3 - 203/55 Mk 14, 2 x 2 - 203/55 Mk 14, 8 x 1 - 127/25 Mk 19, 6 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 19 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 1 catapult, 4 seaplanes, SC, SG, Mk 3, Mk 4 radars

Naval service

Pensacola 30.11.1942 in battle at Tassafaronga was badly damaged by torpedo from Japanese ship and was underrepair till November, 1943. Salt Lake City 11.10.1942 in battle at Cape Esperance was damaged by three shells from Japanese ships, repair lasted till February, 1943; in battle at Comandor Islands 26.3.1943 she received heavy damages from Japanese cruisers gunfire (4 shell) and returned to service in October, 1943. Both ships were used as targets in nuclear tests in 1946, Pensacola was finally scuttled 10.11.1948 and Sault Lake City was sunk 25.5.1948 as target.