Baltimore class cruiser
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The Baltimore class cruisers were a class of heavy cruisers built for the United States Navy and the last heavy cruisers to be built during World War II. The ships looked very much like those of the Cleveland class. Their main role was to escort light and heavy aircraft carriers.
Overview
With 17 ships serving over more than a quarter of a century, the Baltimore class is the most successful class of 8 inch-armed heavy cruiser in history, as well as the last class of 8 inch-armed heavy cruiser in service (the last unit in gun configuration to pay off was USS St. Paul, though several units soldiered on into the 1980s, when refitted into Albany class guided missile cruisers).There were two derived classes of heavy cruiser, almost identical in general characteristics: The Des Moines class and the Oregon City class. The Oregon City class are repeat Baltimores with only the superstructure design differing. However, the Des Moines class were enlarged versions of the Baltimores, with a displacement almost the same as the first modern battleship HMS Dreadnought. They were the main recipients of the new rapid fire triple 8-inch turret.
Saipan-class light carrier
The Saipan class light carriers were based on the Baltimore class hull, but were actually built from the keel up as aircraft carriers, compared to their heavy cruiser half-sisters they were eight feet beamier (the earlier Independence class light carriers were modified from Cleveland-class light cruisers then under construction). They had very brief service lives as fleet carriers, serving respectively from 1948 to 1954 (Saipan) and 1947 to 1956 (Wright). As carriers, they were swiftly outdated by the deck-eating jet aircraft of the 1950s, and quickly rendered far too small in a military environment where the 900 foot long Essex and Ticonderoga class ships were increasingly seen as cramped and small. The two ships were seen as valuable hulls, however, with a large void space within the ship that could easily be translated to other use. They were converted for non-carrier duties in the late 50s, Saipan as the communications relay ship USS Arlington and Wright as a command ship.General characteristics
Heavy Cruiser
- Displacement:
- *Standard: 14,500 tons
- *Full: 17,000 tons
- Length: 205.3 meters
- Beam: 21.6 meters
- Draught: 7.3 meters
- Height (Mast): 34.4 meters
- Crew (Officers/Men): 61/1085
- Speed: 33 knots
- Armament:
- *Baltimore, 1943: 9 x 8 in (203 mm) L/55 in three triple turrets, two superfiring forward, one aft, 12 x 5 in (127 mm) L/38, in six twin mounts, one forward, one aft, two on each side, 48 x 40 mm L/56, 24 x 20 mm
- *Pittsburgh, 1944/45: 9 x 8 in (203 mm) L/55 as above, 12 x 5 in (127mm) L/55 as above, 48 x 40 mm L/56, 22 x 20 mm
Saipan-class light carrier
- Displacement: 19,000 tons full load
- Length: 202.4 meters
- Beam: 23.4 meters
- Draught: 7.6 meters
- Height (Mast): 34.4 meters
- Crew (Officers/Men): 1,677
- Speed: 33 knots
- Armament:
- *5 quad, 11 dual 40 mm; 16 dual 20 mm AA
- *48 aircraft
Ships
Heavy Cruisers
- Baltimore (CA-68)
- Boston (CA-69)
- Canberra (CA-70)
- Quincy (CA-71)
- Pittsburgh (CA-72)
- St. Paul (CA-73)
- Columbus (CA-74)
- Helena (CA-75)
- Oregon City (CA-122) (Oregon City class)
- Albany (CA-123) (Oregon City class)
- Rochester (CA-124) (Oregon City class)
- Bremerton (CA-130)
- Fall River (CA-131)
- Macon (CA-132)
- Toledo (CA-133)
- Los Angeles (CA-135)
- Chicago (CA-136)
Aircraft Carriers
- Saipan (CVL-48) - later USS Arlington (AGMR-2)
- Wright (CVL-49) - later CC-2
Sources
| Saipan-class aircraft carrier |
| Saipan | Wright |
| List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy |
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