Английская Википедия:Connecticut-class battleship
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Шаблон:Infobox ship imageШаблон:Infobox ship class overviewШаблон:Infobox ship characteristicsThe Connecticut class of pre-dreadnought battleships were the penultimate class of the type built for the United States Navy. The class comprised six ships: Шаблон:USS, Шаблон:USS, Шаблон:USS, Шаблон:USS, Шаблон:USS, and Шаблон:USS, which were built between 1903 and 1908. The ships were armed with a mixed offensive battery of Шаблон:Convert, Шаблон:Convert, and Шаблон:Convert guns. This arrangement was rendered obsolete by the advent of all-big-gun battleships like the British Шаблон:HMS, which was completed before most of the Connecticuts entered service.
Nevertheless, the ships had active careers. The first five ships took part in the cruise of the Great White Fleet in 1907–1909—New Hampshire had not entered service. From 1909 onward, they served as the workhorses of the US Atlantic Fleet, conducting training exercises and showing the flag in Europe and Central America. As unrest broke out in several Central American countries in the 1910s, the ships became involved in police actions in the region. The most significant was the American intervention in the Mexican Revolution during the occupation of Veracruz in April 1914.
During the American participation in World War I, the Connecticut-class ships were used to train sailors for an expanding wartime fleet. In late 1918, they began to escort convoys to Europe, and in September that year, Minnesota was badly damaged by a mine laid by the German U-boat Шаблон:SMU. After the war, they were used to bring American soldiers back from France and later as training ships. The 1922 Washington Naval Treaty, which mandated major reductions in naval weapons, cut the ships' careers short. Within two years, all six ships had been sold for scrap.
Design
The United States' victory in the Spanish–American War in 1898 had a dramatic impact on battleship design, as the question of the role of the fleet—namely, whether it should be focused on coastal defense or high seas operations—had been solved. The fleet's ability to conduct offensive operations overseas showed the necessity of a powerful fleet of battleships. As a result, the US Congress was willing to authorize much larger ships.Шаблон:Sfn Design work on what would become the Connecticut class began in 1901. The Secretary of the Navy submitted a request for a new battleship design on 6 March to the Board on Construction. Among the issues considered was the composition and placement of the secondary battery. The preceding design, the Шаблон:Sclass, placed some of its secondary guns in fixed turrets atop the main battery turrets as a way to save weight. The Board disliked the arrangement, as some members argued that guns in casemates could be fired faster. Additionally, the Virginias had mounted a mixed secondary battery of Шаблон:Convert and Шаблон:Convert guns; the Bureau of Ordnance (BuOrd) had recently introduced a quick-firing Шаблон:Convert gun, which was more powerful than the 6-inch and fired faster than the 8-inch.Шаблон:Sfn
The initial version of the Connecticut design, proposed by BuOrd, featured a secondary battery of twenty-four 7-inch guns with the same number of Шаблон:Convert guns for defense against torpedo boats. The armor layout was more comprehensive but thinner, and displacement rose to Шаблон:Convert. BuOrd determined that a longer and finer hull shape, coupled with a small increase in engine power, would maintain the standard speed of Шаблон:Convert. The Bureau of Construction and Repair (C&R) proposed a ship more closely based on the Virginias, with the same two-story turrets and mixed 6- and 8-inch secondary battery, on a displacement of Шаблон:Convert. This design featured only eight 3-inch guns, which was deemed wholly insufficient to defend the ship from small craft.Шаблон:Sfn
In November, the Board agreed to a compromise design that incorporated a secondary battery of eight 8-inch guns in four twin turrets amidships and twelve 7-inch guns in casemates.Шаблон:Sfn The decision to retain the 8 in guns was in large part due to American experiences in the Spanish–American War three years before. US Navy officers had been impressed with the performance of the gun at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba; despite scoring only 13 hits out of 309 shells fired, the gun had a flat trajectory and good range for its size.Шаблон:Sfn Armor protection was improved over the BuOrd design, with a thicker armored belt and casemate protection, albeit at the expense of thinner armor covering the barbettes that supported the gun turrets. The designers reasoned that since the barbettes were behind the belt and a transverse bulkhead, weight could be saved by reducing the level of direct protection.Шаблон:Sfn
The last four ships, starting with Шаблон:USS, received slightly improved armor protection, with the last vessel—Шаблон:USS—having further improvements.Шаблон:Sfn As a result, they are sometimes referred to as the Vermont class.Шаблон:Sfn The six Connecticut-class ships were the most powerful pre-dreadnought type battleship built by the US Navy, and they compared well with contemporary foreign designs. They were nevertheless rendered obsolescent almost immediately by the advent of the "all-big-gun" battleship epitomized by the British Шаблон:HMS.Шаблон:Sfn Two follow-on ships, the Шаблон:Sclass, were built at the same time to a design based on the Connecticuts but significantly reduced in size.Шаблон:Sfn
General characteristics and machinery
The Connecticut-class ships were Шаблон:Convert long at the waterline and Шаблон:Convert long overall.Шаблон:Sfn They had a beam of Шаблон:Convert and a draft of Шаблон:Convert. Freeboard forward was Шаблон:Convert. They displaced Шаблон:Convert as designed and up to Шаблон:Convert at full load. The ships had a flush deck, and they were better sea boats than preceding designs, many of which had poor stability. The Connecticut class had a metacentric height of Шаблон:Convert. As built, the ships were fitted with two heavy military masts, but these were quickly replaced by lattice masts in 1909. They had a crew of 42 officers and 785 men.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn
The ships were powered by two-shaft triple-expansion steam engines, with steam provided by twelve coal-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers. The engines were rated at Шаблон:Convert and generated a top speed of Шаблон:Convert. The boilers were trunked into three closely spaced funnels amidships.Шаблон:Sfn The first five ships were equipped with eight Шаблон:Convert electricity generators, while New Hampshire had four of these generators and two Шаблон:Convert units.Шаблон:Sfn All of the ships had a combined output of Шаблон:Convert; this was the highest output in any American warship then built.Шаблон:Sfn Steering was controlled with a single rudder.Шаблон:Sfn The ships' turning radius was Шаблон:Convert at a speed of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn
On trials, the ships exceeded their design speed slightly, with Шаблон:USS being the fastest, at Шаблон:Convert. The ships carried Шаблон:Convert of coal normally, but additional spaces could be used for coal bunkers, with storage capacity ranging between Шаблон:Convert for each ship.Шаблон:Sfn At a cruising speed of Шаблон:Convert, the ships could steam for Шаблон:Convert, though New HampshireШаблон:'s engines were more efficient, allowing her to steam for Шаблон:Convert at the same speed.Шаблон:Sfn
Armament
The ship was armed with a main battery of four [[12"/45 caliber Mark 5 gun|Шаблон:Convert/45 caliber Mark 5]]Шаблон:Efn guns in two twin gun turrets on the centerline, one forward and aft, as was typical for battleships of the period.Шаблон:Sfn The guns fired a Шаблон:Convert shell at a muzzle velocity of Шаблон:Convert. The turrets were Mark VI mounts, which allowed for reloading at all angles of elevation. These mounts could elevate to 20 degrees and depress to -5 degrees. Each gun was supplied with sixty shells.Шаблон:Sfn New HampshireШаблон:'s magazines were rearranged compared to her sisters, which allowed for her to carry 20 percent more 12- and 7-inch shells, though under normal conditions she carried the same load.Шаблон:Sfn
The secondary battery consisted of eight [[8"/45 caliber gun|Шаблон:Convert/45 caliber guns]] and twelve [[7"/44 caliber gun|Шаблон:Convert/45 caliber guns]]; this mixed battery proved to be problematic, as shell splashes from the two types could not be distinguished. The 8-inch guns were mounted in four twin Mark XII turrets amidships and the 7-inch guns were placed in casemates in the hull. The 8-inch guns were the Mark VI type, and they fired Шаблон:Convert shells at a muzzle velocity of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The 7-inch Mark I guns fired a Шаблон:Convert shell at 2,700 ft/s. These guns were later removed during World War I and converted for use on tracked gun carriages in France.Шаблон:Sfn The outfit per gun was 100 shells for both types.Шаблон:Sfn
For close-range defense against torpedo boats, they carried twenty [[3"/50 caliber gun|Шаблон:Convert/50 caliber guns]] mounted in casemates along the side of the hull and twelve Шаблон:Convert 3-pounder guns. They also carried four Шаблон:Convert 1-pounder guns. As was standard for capital ships of the period, the Connecticut class carried four [[American 21 inch torpedo|Шаблон:Convert]] torpedo tubes, submerged in their hulls on the broadside.Шаблон:Sfn Each ship carried a total of 16 torpedoes.Шаблон:Sfn They were initially equipped with the Mark I Bliss-Leavitt design, but these were quickly replaced with Mark II, designed in 1905. The Mark II carried a Шаблон:Convert warhead and had a range of Шаблон:Convert at a speed of Шаблон:Convert.Шаблон:Sfn
Armor
The first two ships' main armored belt was Шаблон:Convert thick over the machinery spaces and reduced to Шаблон:Convert abreast of the main battery turrets. This portion of the belt was Шаблон:Convert long and Шаблон:Convert wide. On either end of the ship, the belt then thinned, first to Шаблон:Convert, then to Шаблон:Convert and finally to Шаблон:Convert at the bow and stern.Шаблон:Sfn The last four ships' belts were reduced to a uniform 9 in between the main battery, with no change to the ends.Шаблон:Sfn The armored deck was Шаблон:Convert thick amidships, where it was partially protected by the belt and casemate armor. It had 3 in thick sloped sides, which connected to the bottom edge of the belt. The deck was increased to 3 in forward and aft, where it was directly exposed to shellfire, also with 3 in thick sloped sides.Шаблон:Sfn New HampshireШаблон:'s belt was slightly shortened to permit a thicker deck over the magazines.Шаблон:Sfn Each ship's conning tower had 9 in thick sides and a Шаблон:Convert thick roof.Шаблон:Sfn
The main battery gun turrets had 11 in thick faces, with 9 in thick sides and Шаблон:Convert thick roofs. The supporting barbettes had the Шаблон:Convert of armor plating, reduced to Шаблон:Convert. The secondary turrets had Шаблон:Convert of frontal armor, with 6 in on the sides and 2 in on the roofs. Their barbettes were given 6 in of armor plating on the outboard sides and 4 in inboard. The casemates for the 7-inch guns were 7 in thick and below the gun ports, the casemates reduced slightly to 6 in.Шаблон:Sfn For the last four ships, the savings in weight gained by reducing the thickness of the belt were used to increase the lower casement armor to 7 in.Шаблон:Sfn Those for the 3-inch guns were 2 in thick. The 7-inch guns were divided by splinter bulkheads that were Шаблон:Convert thick to prevent one shell hit from disabling multiple guns.Шаблон:Sfn
Ships
| Name | BuilderШаблон:Sfn | Laid downШаблон:Sfn | LaunchedШаблон:Sfn | CommissionedШаблон:Sfn | DecommissionedШаблон:Efn | StrickenШаблон:Efn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Шаблон:USS | Brooklyn Navy Yard | 10 March 1903 | 29 September 1904 | 29 September 1906 | 1 March 1923 | 10 November 1923 |
| Шаблон:USS | Newport News Shipbuilding Company | 7 February 1903 | 27 August 1904 | 2 June 1906 | 10 October 1920 | 10 November 1923 |
| Шаблон:USS | Fore River Shipyard | 21 May 1904 | 31 August 1905 | 4 March 1907 | 30 June 1920 | 10 November 1923 |
| Шаблон:USS | New York Shipbuilding Corporation | 10 February 1904 | 12 August 1905 | 18 April 1907 | 16 December 1921 | 10 November 1923 |
| Шаблон:USS | Newport News Shipbuilding Company | 27 October 1903 | 8 April 1905 | 9 March 1907 | 1 December 1921 | 10 November 1923 |
| Шаблон:USS | New York Shipbuilding Corporation | 1 May 1905 | 30 June 1906 | 19 March 1908 | 21 May 1921 | 10 November 1923 |
Service history
All six ships of the class served with the Atlantic Fleet for the duration of their careers. The first five ships took part in the cruise of the Great White Fleet in 1907–1909. The fleet left Hampton Roads on 16 December 1907 and steamed south, around South America and back north to the US west coast. The ships then crossed the Pacific and stopped in Australia, the Philippines, and Japan before continuing on through the Indian Ocean. They transited the Suez Canal and toured the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic, arriving bank in Hampton Roads on 22 February 1909.Шаблон:Sfn New Hampshire, which had not been completed in time to take part in the journey, met the fleet there during a naval review with President Theodore Roosevelt.Шаблон:Sfn
The ships then began a peacetime training routine off the east coast of the United States and the Caribbean, including gunnery training off the Virginia Capes, training cruises in the Atlantic, and winter exercises in Cuban waters. In late 1909, all six ships crossed the Atlantic to visit British and French ports. Louisiana and Kansas made another trip to Europe in early 1911. As political unrest began to erupt in several Central American countries in the 1910s, the ships became increasingly active in the region. All six ships became involved in the Mexican Revolution, including the occupation of Veracruz in April 1914; Vermont and New Hampshire were among the ships that contributed landing parties to the initial occupation of the city. Several men from the two ships were awarded the Medal of Honor during the action.Шаблон:Efn
In July 1914, World War I broke out in Europe; the United States remained neutral for the first three years of the war. Tensions with Germany came to a head in early 1917 following the German unrestricted submarine warfare campaign, which sank several American merchant ships in European waters. On 6 April 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. The Connecticut-class ships initially were used for training gunners and engine room personnel that would be necessary for the rapidly expanding wartime fleet.Шаблон:Efn In June 1918, New Hampshire and Louisiana were involved in a serious gunnery accident, where gunners aboard the former accidentally hit the latter, killing one and injuring several other men.Шаблон:Sfn The following month, Louisiana was used to test Arthur Pollen's Argo Clock, the first fire control system to use an analog computer to calculate firing solutions.Шаблон:Sfn
From late 1918, the ships were used to escort convoys part-way across the Atlantic. In late September, Minnesota struck a naval mine laid by the German U-boat U-117, causing serious damage that kept her out of service for five months.Шаблон:Sfn Convoy duty was cut short by the German surrender in November; thereafter, the Connecticuts were used to ferry American soldiers back from the battlefields of France.Шаблон:Sfn This work was completed by mid-1919. The ships briefly operated as training ships in the early 1920s, though under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, they were all sold for scrap by 1924 and broken up.Шаблон:Efn
Footnotes
Notes
Citations
References
Books
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Further reading
Шаблон:Connecticut class battleship Шаблон:WWI US ships
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