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American battleships project “South Dakota”

American battleships Project & quot; South Dakota"

Battleships "South Dakota" project - a series of four American battleships 1940. Battleships were actively involved in the Second World War and developed as an improved version of Battleships "North Caroline" project. From battleships "North Caroline" differed reinforced armor and a large displacement. series of ships is considered the strongest in the class "battleships" (Informal subclass "superlinkorov").

Dimensions

Battleships "South Dakota" project had a total displacement 44 thousand tons. battleships length was 207 m, width was 33 m (maximum). rainfall is 11 meters when fully loaded ship. Dimensions battleships were made based on the capabilities of the Panama Canal, which it was extremely important for the United States has a fleet on the West Coast of the US and the Hawaiian Islands on one side of the country, and one fleet on the East Coast of the US.

American battleships Project & quot; South Dakota"

Driving performance

Battleships "South Dakota" had a maximum speed 28 knots, economic speed (most optimal to move over long distances) was 15 knots. Cruising range at economic speed was 15 thousands of miles, which was significantly greater than that of the battleships of the First World War (4-6 thousands of miles) and most of the battleships of the 1930s and the Second World War (5-10 thousand).

weaponry

Battleships "South Dakota" project had 9 caliber guns 406 mm Mark 6, placed in a three-gun turrets. Two turrets placed on the bow (one by one, the second from the battleship nose in a slightly raised position for shooting capabilities through the other tower). At the stern was placed third tower. 406 mm projectiles Weight 1025 kg for easy modification and 1275 kg in severe.

American battleships Project & quot; South Dakota" The main caliber battleship

"South Dakota" project ships had very powerful for the ships in their class anti-aircraft armament:
— 20 heavy antiaircraft gun 127 mm caliber 10 two-gun turrets, guns hit aerial targets at ranges up to 25 km and at altitudes of up to 20 km;
- to 18 (on different ships a different number) quad units 40-mm automatic cannon Bofors;
- from 16 to 20 (depending on ship) 20-mm Mk1 / 2/3 of automatic cannons;
- also on the ship were 12.7-mm machine guns M2.

American battleships Project & quot; South Dakota"

Battleships were built in the period from 1939 by 1942 year. four battleships were built: "South Dakota", «Indiana», "Massachusetts" and "Alabama". The ship had a displacement of 35 thousand to 45 thousand tons (standard and maximum). Battleships had strong reservations citadel (the central part of the ship's hull), 200-300 mm steel armor on board the ship and 50-100 mm on the deck, and a very weak armor stern, nose and nadstroek. This type of reservation was typical for all American battleships.

A characteristic feature was the presence of a strong anti-aircraft weapons, which is not typical for most of the battleships of the time. Powerful anti-aircraft armament affected purpose ships. Battleships are usually used as a part of the US aircraft carrier battle groups in the Pacific theater of operations during the period from 1942 by 1945 years and served as ship air defense aircraft carrier squadrons. So, the lead ship "South Dakota" project in the period from 1942 by 1945 year destroyed by anti-aircraft artillery more 60 Japanese aircraft (strength, comparable to a heavy carrier air wings of the period), including 13-26 (According to various sources) aircraft in one fight. Also ships were actively used for shelling the Japanese coastal fortifications on the numerous islands of the Pacific Ocean.

AT 1947 , all battleships "South Dakota" project displayed in the Navy Reserve. AT 1962 battleships, the "South Dakota" and "Indiana" scrapped. Battleships "Massachusetts" and "Alabama" turned into a museum-ships.

project ships

Linkor BB-57 "South Dakota" - the lead ship "South Dakota" project. The ship entered service 20 Martha 1942 of the year. Until August 1942 , the battleship passed state tests in the North Atlantic. In late August, the ship passed the Panama Canal and headed for the Pacific Theater of Operations. Battleship participated in the battle for Guadalcanal Island, where he covered with fire guns of the main caliber USMC. 6 September ship caught underwater hull of a coral reef, receiving lasting damage. Because of the resulting "South Dakota" damage he was forced to go to the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands. In the process of repairing the ship also received increased anti-aircraft armament (additional 20-mm anti-aircraft automatic).

As part of the ship's connection TF-16 (the flagship of the compound was the aircraft carrier "Enterprise") battleship went 12 October because of Pearl Harbor. The TF-16, in addition to the "Enterprise" and "South Dakota" also had three heavy cruisers, Three light cruisers, and air defense 14 destroyers. Grouping cruising off the coast of Santa Cruz Islands. The main task of the ship's band was preventing a breakthrough of the Japanese fleet to the island of Guadalcanal. There is also a group had come a squadron of American TF-17 from the aircraft carrier "Hornet". 25-October TF-16 spotted Japanese ships with the help of "Catalina" patrol aircraft. 26-number squadron TF-17 was at a distance of 200 miles from the Japanese fleet.

American battleships Project & quot; South Dakota"

Japanese planes, taking off from their aircraft carriers attacked the TF-17 squadron. The main target of the attack was the aircraft carrier "Hornet". After several attacks of Japanese aircraft brought down a US aircraft carrier, which subsequently sank (heavily damaged ship after evacuating the crew finished off American, then finally finished Japanese destroyers powerful 610 mm torpedoes). After the attack on TF-17 Japanese aviation switched on TF-16. The main purpose of the raid was the aircraft carrier "Enterprise". However, the aircraft collided with a powerful anti-aircraft fire squadron. Only one, "South Dakota" was hit by 13 to 26 attacking Japanese bombers and torpedo, wherein the received ingress multiple bombs, which have not led to significant damage. Aircraft carrier "Enterprise" also received several hits bombs, but he remained boesposoben.

Eventually, for the whole battle the Japanese lost about 100 aircraft with the best pilots of the Japanese carrier-based aircraft. US losses were the aircraft carrier "Enterprise", several dozen aircraft (in air combat aircraft with the Japanese), one destroyer and several ships were slightly damaged (including "South Dakota" and "Enterprise").

After the battle of the battleship went to Hawaii. In November 1942 battleship went back to the Guadalcanal campaign to. December 1942 the ship made the transition from the Pacific to the Atlantic. 18 December battleship arrived in New York. Since February 1943 in August 1943 based on the basis of the British Home Fleet at Scapa Flow (Scotland). Powerful American battleship strengthened the British fleet in a given period of time. From the end 1943 he returned to the Pacific Ocean. To 1945 he participated in the fighting against the Japanese fleet. It used primarily for air defense aircraft carrier battle groups and shelling coastal fortifications on the numerous islands of the Pacific Ocean, occupied by the Japanese.

Linkor BB-58 «Indiana» - the second battleship "South Dakota" project. Battleship perform combat missions in the Pacific with 28 November 1942 the year to the end of the war. He accompanied the aircraft carrier strike groups, defending from enemy air squadron. The guns of the main fire fired numerous Pacific islands, including the Philippines (1944 year) and the Japanese Islands (1945 year).

Battleship BB-59 "Massachusetts" It was the third ship of the project. Baptism of fire took place at the beginning of the battleship 1943 , during the operation "Torch" (exemption Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). Battleship shelled shore targets and engage in the battleship "Jean Bart". From the end 1943 the ship took part in operations in the Pacific, performing the same tasks, that and "South Dakota" and "Indiana". The most successful military operations of the ship in the Pacific: participate in the maritime battle of Leyte Gulf (1944 year) and bombardment of the Japanese island of Honshu (1945 year).

Currently it converted into a museum ship and is located in Fall River, Massachusetts (USA).

Ship BB-60 "Alabama" - the last battleship of the series "South Dakota", based on the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Entered service with the latest in a series of (at the end 1942 of the year). battleship in 1964 It was turned into a museum ship. The ship is based in the Bay of Mobile Bay, Alabama (USA).

American battleships Project & quot; South Dakota" Battleship "Alabama" in Mobile Bay

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