War of the Americas Reboot

[Rob2012]

Will that include aircraft carriers from bothsides?

[StealthJester]

It will indeed - they will follow up capital ships (battleships and battlecruisers) for each nation.

Stay tuned!

Stealthjester

[Biancini1995]

Maybe we could see progress of both nations before, during and after the war with maps if possible?I really would like that illustrated.

[StealthJester]

Washington class (US):


The follow-on to the Nebraska class were the final development of the “dreadnought” type battleship to enter service with the US Navy. Sixty feet longer, eight feet wider, over 10,000 tons heavier than the Nebraska class, and carrying a full dozen 16” guns; the Washington class was among the most powerful battleships in the world at the time they commissioned. A total of eight were authorized in 1918 and were laid down between 1919 and 1922. After the outbreak of the War of the Americas construction of the last four slowed and in fact work on the last pair; Vermont and Kansas, stopped in March of 1923 and was cancelled six months later – the two incomplete hulls scrapped on the slipways. The six ships completed were; Washington, New Hampshire, Maryland, Ohio, Maine, and New Jersey. Hull numbers ran from BB-39 to BB-44.

The Washington class was 685 feet long overall, had a 106 foot beam, and a nominal draft of 33 feet. They displaced 41,624 tons normal and 43,078 tons full load. They were armed with twelve 16”/45 Mk.1 guns in four three-gun (individually sleeved) turrets. The secondary battery was twenty 6”/50 Mk.11’s – fourteen in casemates and six in open mounts. Eight 3”/55 Mk.8 anti-aircraft guns and two 21” submerged torpedo tubes completed the weapons suite. This class continued the turbo-electric propulsion system of their predecessors; Washington, Maryland, and Ohio using Avondale turbines and New Hampshire, Maine, and New Jersey Kellar-Morrison units. The system was rated at 79,770 shp (59,505 Kw) allowing a design speed of 25 knots. Range was 8,500 nautical miles. Armor comprised a 14” belt tapering to 10” at bow and stern, a 4” armored deck, 18.5” main turrets with 14” barbettes, 5” casemates, and a 16” conning tower. Normal crew complement was 1,675.

Washington, New Hampshire, Maryland, and Ohio all commissioned between 1921 and 1922, while Maine and New Jersey were delayed and didn’t enter service until 1924. They were heavily involved in the War of the Americas and although damaged on several occasions they didn’t suffer any losses until the Battle of Subic Bay in 1926 where Maryland and New Jersey were both sunk during the massive battle.
Postwar, the four survivors were refit between 1936-37 with new tower superstructures and duel-purpose secondary guns. During the Great Pacific War the ships received additional AA guns and operated as second-line units. One; New Hampshire, was sunk in 1944 by Japanese bombers out of Borneo. After the conflict ended in 1948 the three remaining ships remained on active service until 1952 when they were decommissioned. They remained in ordinary until 1960 when they were sold off and scrapped.

More to come!

Cheers!
Stealthjester

[Hood]

Good to see this AU still ticking along nicely.

[emperor_andreas]

Great work!

[StealthJester]

Essex class (US):


The last “true” class of battlecruisers built for the US Navy (arguably the Decatur class of 1987 could be re-classed as battlecruisers – many in the Navy feel that sounds more appropriate than Arsenal Ship) the Essex class represented a dramatic upscale of the type. Three; Essex, President, and Cumberland, were originally authorized in 1918 and all were laid down during 1920. However, changing strategic thinking within the US Navy was turning against the battlecruiser concept, leading to the decision to halt construction on the last two ships in order to re-design them as aircraft carriers. Essex would be completed as designed and she was launched in 1922 and commissioned the following year. She carried hull number CB-9. Her former sister-ships were completed by the end of 1924 (see Thomas Jefferson class for more information).

Essex was 805 feet long overall, had a 95 foot beam, and a nominal draft of 31 feet. She displaced 37,119 tons normal and 38,524 tons full load. She was armed with nine 16”/45 Mk.1 guns in three three-gun turrets. The secondary battery was sixteen 6”/50 Mk.11’s – ten in casemates and six in open mounts. Eight 3”/55 Mk.8 anti-aircraft guns were carried originally but would be increased during the War of the Americas. Essex also mounted four 21” submerged torpedo tubes – two each port and starboard – but would be the last US capital ship to carry torpedoes. A 136,105 shp (101,535 Kw) four-shaft Avondale turbo-electric system propelled the ship to 30 knots with a maximum range of 8,500 nautical miles. Armor comprised a 12” belt tapering to 8” at bow and stern, a 3” armored deck, 12” main turrets with 10” barbettes, 4” casemates, and a 12” conning tower. Normal crew complement was 1,537.

In the nearly three years following her commissioning, Essex served as flagship for Second Battlecruiser Division and saw only limited combat. In June of 1926, however, she was assigned to the US Combined Fleet which was tasked with destroying the remaining CS ships based in the Philippines. On June 26th, 1926, Second Battlecruiser encountered the CS Navy’s First Scout Squadron led by CSS Surigao Strait. After a lucky hit at extreme range destroyed Essex’s Number 3 boiler room preventing her from reaching the rest of the US fleet the two evenly matched ships entered into one of history’s only one on one battlecruiser duels. After only a half hour the two ships’ accurate fire had pounded the other into a flaming wreck. As survivors abandoned ship the rest of First Scout Squadron caught up with the pair of disabled battlecruisers and Veracruz’s Captain, Cyrus Vought (in temporary command), ordered both ships torpedoed. Essex quickly sank by the stern – too quickly by some witness’ estimation – which lent credence to the US crews’ claims that they scuttled the ship before the torpedoes struck. This controversy continued to be debated until the wreck of the Essex was discovered in 2016 about 17 nautical miles off the coast of Luzon at a depth of about 400 feet. A survey of the wreck concluded that the ship was in the process of being scuttled when the torpedoes struck and only hastened the sinking. The wreck site has since been designated as a war grave by the US and further visits are prohibited without special permission from the US Navy.

Next up: US aircraft carriers

Cheers!
Stealthjester

[emperor_andreas]

Very nice work!

[StealthJester]

George Washington class (US):


The first aircraft carrier built for the US Navy, George Washington (CV-1), was originally envisioned as an auxiliary vessel similar in function to a seaplane carrier and was designed to that standard. The result was a functional, albeit operationally limited, ship which nevertheless provided valuable service in both training the first generation of US carrier pilots and in developing carrier tactics. She was laid down in 1920, and commissioned in 1923.

George Washington was 540 feet long overall, had a 65 foot beam, and a nominal draft of 24 feet. She displaced 12,034 tons normal and 12,630 tons full load. She could carry up to 50 aircraft and was armed with eight 5”/50 Mk.7 guns in single semi-shielded mounts. Propelled by two Avondale geared turbines producing 43,790 shp, she had a maximum speed of 26 knots. Range was 7,000 nautical miles. Armor protection was limited to a 2” belt and a 2” armored flight deck. Normal crew complement was 680.

When the new carrier commissioned in May of 1923, the War of the Americas was three months old and construction of the first large or “fleet” carriers was underway. George Washington was kept out of the active fleet to serve as a training ship and saw no combat for nearly the remainder of the conflict. In July of 1927, however, the lack of carriers due to operations in the Philippines meant that she would finally see action. During the Battle of Mobile Bay, she launched her first (and only) combat air-strike against the Confederate ships and facilities in the Bay. A second strike planned against targets in Mobile was called off after the other carrier in the group; the Thomas Bayard, struck a mine and sank, causing Admiral Hildebrandt to order the carrier and her escorts to withdraw. Placed in limited commission after the battle George Washington remained on active service until 1931, when she was decommissioned and scrapped. Her ship’s bell was saved, however, and placed on display at the US Naval Academy, and to this day is rung at the conclusion of every class of naval aviators’ graduation ceremony.

More to come -

[emperor_andreas]

Awesome! Carriers finally make their appearance!