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Saturday 3 December 2016

US Navy designing the battleship USS Pennsylvania according to the Dutch magazine Marineblad dated 1912-1913 no. 10

Pennsylvania-class

USS Arizona, sistership of the Pennsylvania
Nevada-class

An item reported hat the designs for the new American battleship Pennsylvania (1) were in such an advanced stage that with the model of the Washington (2) towing tests on the Navy Yard were executed. Just like the USS Nevada (3) and Oklahoma (4) now under building were 4x3-35,6cm gun turrets amidships to be mounted and not in the arrangement of 2x3 and 2x2 turrets like receding classes.

Notes
1. Part of the Pennsylvania-class consisting of the Pennsylvania and Arizona, preceded by the Nevada-class and succeeded by the New Mexico-class. To be built under the 1913 fiscal year was a design asked with 4x3-14” guns, 22-12,7cm/5” guns and a speed of 21 knots and a armour comparable with that of the Nevada-class. At least 10 preliminary designs were proposed of which the 7th was chosen and further worked out. Building ordered on 22 August 1912, laid down by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News on 27 October 1913, launched on 16 March 1915, sponsored by Elizabeth Kolb, commissioned on 12 June 1916, modernized at the Philadelphia Navy Yard 1 June 1929-1931, used during Operation Crossroads nuclear bombs tests at Bikini in July 1946, towed to and decommissioned at Kwajalein Lagoon 29 August 1946, sunk off Kwajalein Atoll on 10 February 1948 and stricken on 19 February 1948.
2. The Washington (BB-47)? More likely the USS Arizona, sister ship of the USS Pennsylvania.
3. Of the Nevada-class consisting of the USS Nevada (BB-36) and Oklahoma (BB-37) preceded by the New York-class and succeeded by the Pennsylvania-class. Building approved on 4 March 1911. Contract signed on 22 January 1912 with an additional on 31 July 1912. Laid down by Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts, USA on 9 November 1912, launched on 11 July 1914, sponsored by Eleanor Anne Seibert, commissioned on 20 September 1916, modernized at the Norfolk Navy Yard included replacement of her direct drive by geared steam turbines and replacing her 12 by just 6 boilers between August 1927-January 1930, damaged by the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941, repairs completed in October 1942, decommissioned on 29 August 1946, sunk while used as a target on 31 July 1948 and stricken on 12 August 1948. Building costs 5.895.000 US dollars.
4. Of the Nevada-class consisting of the USS Nevada (BB-36) and Oklahoma (BB-37) preceded by the New York-class and succeeded by the Pennsylvania-class. Building authorized on 4 March 1911. Laid down by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey on 26 October 1912, launched on 23 March 1914, sponsored by Lorena J. Cruce, commissioned on 2 May 1916, modernized at the Philadelphia navy yard between 1927-1930, sunk with the loss of 429 men during the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1942, decommissioned and stricken on 1 September 1944, salvaged and sold to the Moore Drydock Company, Oakland, California for 46.000 US dollars to be broken up on 5 December 1935 and underway to her final destination I San Francisco Bay sunk on a unknown position in a storm more as 500 miles distance from Hawaii on 17 May 1947.