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  Wichita 1940

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
CA45	Wichita		Philadelphia N Yd // New York SB, Camden	28.10.1935	16.11.1937	16.2.1939	stricken 3.1959

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	10589
Displacement full, t	13015
Length, m	182.9 wl 185.4 oa
Breadth, m	18.8
Draught, m	7.24 full load
No of shafts	4
Machinery	4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 8 Babcock & Wilcox boilers
Power, h. p.	100000
Max speed, kts	33
Fuel, t	oil 1323 - 1984
Endurance, nm(kts)	10000 (15)
Armour, mm	belt: 152 - 102 on 16mm STS plating, bulkheads: 152, deck: 57, barbettes: 178, turrets: 203 - 38, CT: 152 sides, 57 roof
Armament	3 x 3 - 203/55 Mk 12.15, 8 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 12, 8 x 1 - 12.7/90, 2 catapults, 4 seaplanes (SOC)
Complement	929

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

According to decisions of 1930 London Naval conference, the USA could lay down one heavy cruiser in 1934 (СА44 Vincennes of New Orleans class) and one more in 1935. In March, 1934 it was decided to build latter ship under the new design, on basis of Brooklyn with replacement of 152mm guns by 203mm. A thickness of main belt was raised to 152mm, barbettes to 178mm. Main lack of previous 203mm turrets was too wide shells spread because of insufficient distance between barrels. This distance was made bigger in new turrets without increasing of barbette diameter (barbettes were made conical, not cylindrical). Structure and arrangement of machinery was the same, as well as on last two ships of Brooklyn class: boiler room with six of eight boilers took places before fore engine room, and two remained boilers were installed in boiler room arranged between two engine rooms. Armour protection provided to a cruiser an immune zone under fire of 203mm guns in a band from 50 to 110 cables. In addition to 203mm guns cruiser carried new 127/38mm DP guns, placed not aside, but on diamond-shaped scheme, that notably improved fire sectors. As the design provided much lighter 127/25mm AA guns, stability after installation of 127/38mm guns began to call serious fears. Exit has been found in 200t of lead ballast.

Ship protection

Main belt abreast machinery extended to 1.5m below and 2.86m over waterline. It was 152mm thick (76mm at lower edge) on 16mm STS plating. There were narrow belts abreast magazines. Thickness of these belts was 102mm decreasing to 76mm at lower edge. Magazines were protected by 152mm bulkheads fore and aft, machinery and magazines were separated by 152mm bulkheads. Armoured deck over main belt was 57mm. Barbettes were 178mm thick. Turrets had 203mm faces, 95mm sides, 38mm rears and 70mm crowns.

Modernizations

7.1941: + 2 x 4 - 28/75 Mk 1, CXAS Mk 1 radar

4/1942: - 8 x 1 - 12.7/90, CXAS Mk 1 radar; + 12 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, SC, 2x Mk 4, Mk 8 radars

11/1943: - 2 x 4 - 28/75, SC, Mk 8 radars; + 4 x 4 - 40/56 MK 1.2, 2 x 2 - 40/56 Mk 1.2, 6 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, SG, SK-1, Mk 13 radars

1945: - 2 x Mk 4 radars; + 2 x 2 - 40/56 MK 1.2, 2 x Mk 25 radars, full displacement was 14611t

1/1946: 3 x 3 - 203/55 Mk 12, 4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 21/24, 4 x 1 - 127/38 Mk 30, 4 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 4 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 18 x 1 - 20/70 Mk 10, 2 catapults, 4 seaplanes, SG, SK-1, 2x Mk 25, Mk 13 radars

Naval service

No significant events.