Des Moines Class Heavy Cruiser

[Jracule]

Des Moines Class Cruiser

 

 

The Des Moines Class (1948 - 1975) were the last big gun cruisers of the US navy. An improvement on the earlier Baltimore class cruisers, they were larger, better protected, better armed, and used improved machinery. The superstructure shape was also improved to allow better firing arcs for the AA guns.

 

12 ships were originially planned, however only 4 were laid down and only 3 completed.

- USS Des Moines (CA-134)

- USS Salem (CA-139)

- USS Dallas (CA-140) Canceled in 1946

- USS Newport News (CA-148)

 

The most notable feature of the Des Moines Class were the Mk16 8"/55 guns. 9 of which were carried in three triple turrets. The Mk16 was notable for its autoload feature. Rate of fire was 10 rounds per barrel per minute. The sustainable RoF was twice that of earlier cruisers. In addition, the guns could load at any elevation, allowing the gun to be used for AA fire if needed.

- The gun could fire a 335 pound shell at a velocity of 2500 feet per second.

- At 41 degrees elevation a range of 17mi was attainable.

 

(Photo of the Newport News firing on targets in Vietnam)

 

Secondary battery consisted of the standard six twin 5" /38 Mk12 DP guns. A feature brought over from the earlier Baltimore class. The Des Moines class also carried a powerful compliment of AA guns. Notably the replacement of earlier 40mm Bofors with 12 Mk27 (Later Mk33)Dual-purpose 3"/50 caliber rapid fire guns carried in twin mountings. The 3" /50 was a potent weapon that could obliterate aircraft with a single hit.

(A desired feature after US experience with Kamikazes) Lastly, 12 20mm Oerlikon cannon finished out the set up.

 

 

(Mk33 twin mounted 3" gun on USS Wasp)

 

Standard Info:

Dimensions Length 716.5 ft Beam 76.3 ft Draft 26 ft Displacement (Standard) 17,000 tons Displacement (Full Load) 21,500 tons Performance Speed (max) 33 knots Speed (Cruising) 15 knots Endurance 10,500 nm. at 15 knots Armament Heavy Guns 9x 8 inch L55 Medium Guns 12x  5 inch L38 Light guns

24x  3 inch L50

12x  20mm Armor Belt 6 inches Deck 3.5 inches

 

The final big gun cruiser design of the US Navy, the ships of the Des Moines Class were a large advancement over previous cruiser design. Thier advanced rapid fire cannon and effective armour layout gave them a major advantage over other cruisers of the period.

 

http://www.the-bluep...avy-cruiser.gif

 

Let's hear it for the possible Tier X American Heavy Cruiser :Smile_honoring:

 

 

(Next Topic will be on the Worchester Class Light Cruiser)

[JeeWeeJ]

THIS SHIP IS OP!!! GET THE NERFBAT!!!! :Smile_izmena:

 

Nice post Jracule! +1 :Smile_great:

[Elouda]

Jracule, on 03 October 2012 - 05:28 AM, said:

The most notable feature of the Des Moines Class were the Mk16 8"/55 guns. 9 of which were carried in three triple turrets. The Mk16 was notable for its autoload feature. Rate of fire was 12 rounds per barrel per minute. The sustainable RoF was twice that of earlier cruisers. In addition, the guns could load at any elevation, allowing the gun to be used for AA fire if needed.

Where's the 12 RPM figure from?

ORDNANCE PAMPHLET 1180 (1947); TURRET DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION, 8-INCH THREE-GUN TURRETS, USS SALEM CLASS gives 10 RPM as peak rate of fire, with long term sustained being slightly lower.

Otherwise, nice article.

[Jracule]

Elouda, on 03 October 2012 - 09:40 AM, said:

Where's the 12 RPM figure from?

ORDNANCE PAMPHLET 1180 (1947); TURRET DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION, 8-INCH THREE-GUN TURRETS, USS SALEM CLASS gives 10 RPM as peak rate of fire, with long term sustained being slightly lower.

Otherwise, nice article.

12 RPM came from the naval archives themselves. However, the actual RoF of the guns seems spotty with different claims depending on the source. I found numbers anywhere from 7 to 14 RPM with 11 to 12 being the most common. I did notice that the numbers went up over the years so I believe that the ships might have started out able to fire 10 RPM (As they were specified at the end of WW2) with a possible increase towards the end of thier career (Possibly due to improvements in the system?) Either way, I'll edit the info since the people will want WW2 period specs.

[Capcon]

In Norman Freidman's book on US cruisers I recall him writing that the desired outcome from the design was 8 rpm. That was a  200-400% increase over existing 8" guns. No matter how you slice it these will be impressive guns.

[Jracule]

Yeah, these ships should definately be the Tier 10s of the American Heavy Cruiser Line. I would like the Americans to have two tier 10 heavy cruisers ideally. You can go to the Des Moines class or split off into the Alaska class. Gives players a choice of choosing either high RoF, low damage or low RoF, high damage.

[JeeWeeJ]

Jracule, on 03 October 2012 - 06:11 PM, said:

Yeah, these ships should definately be the Tier 10s of the American Heavy Cruiser Line. I would like the Americans to have two tier 10 heavy cruisers ideally. You can go to the Des Moines class or split off into the Alaska class. Gives players a choice of choosing either high RoF, low damage or low RoF, high damage.

While i agree on it being an awesome tier 10 choise...i think it might actually be too OP for this game. It would outgun and outarmor pretty much any CA other nations can put against it. (especially considering most nations only had treaty cruisers) So WG will have to do a lot of balancing with this one..

[Coldt]

I sense some POWERFUL AA guns on that thing.....  Time to call in the bearcats

[Jracule]

JeeWeeJ, on 03 October 2012 - 06:24 PM, said:

While i agree on it being an awesome tier 10 choise...i think it might actually be too OP for this game. It would outgun and outarmor pretty much any CA other nations can put against it. (especially considering most nations only had treaty cruisers) So WG will have to do a lot of balancing with this one..

Yeah I know that the Devs will beat this ship with the nerf bat. However I still think it could work. I'd nerf the damage mostly. Light damage but fast RoF. Or make this ship extremely expensive, both to research and to purchase shells. That way people won't be so inclined to spam shells.

[Crag_r]

90 rounds per minute total! i could like this ship allot then! :Smile_hiding: