Battleships: South Dakota Class

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designeraccd
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Battleships: South Dakota Class

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One step prior to the fast IOWA's were the 4 SOUTH DAKOTA class battleships. Some writers state that of the 35,000 ton "Treaty" battleships, this class had the best balance of features: weapons, protection and speed. Given their rather short length (IIRC, the shortest of all 3rd gen BBs.) they did pack a reasonably quick speed and strong surface to surface and AA punch. The South Dakota claimed 26 aircraft downed in one battle! The SOUTH DAKOTA was fitted as a flagship, therefore her stubby hull only carried 16-5"38s versus 20 for her 3 sisters.

The class served with the Home Fleet and in the Pacific where the name ship was damaged in a night action off Guadalcanal. While she was drawing IJN fire the earlier WASHINGTON heavily damaged the IJN fast battleship KIRISHIMA; ultimately resulting in her sinking. After the 'Canal campaign they mostly served as "fast" AA escorts to carrier task forces and as bombardment platforms for the island hopping across the Pacific. Also, they shelled targets in Japan proper late in the war.

All were mothballed shortly after the war as their max. speed of 27 knots really wasn't enough to keep up with the fast carriers. Their war service was very useful though. DFO
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ivorthediver
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Re: Battleships: South Dakota Class

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Excellent details Dennis will give up asking where you find all this information you have been kind enough to share with us [ leave a forwarding address and we will send you a cake with a file inside to help effect an escape ;)

These are such clear shots and show so much deck detail these would be a god send if I were building a model of one , THESE are the type of shots that count , and show exactly what a scale model maker would be looking for to obtain the correct balance and proportion of the equipment used in this class of vessel ........so pat yourself on the back my friend ......these are the ones that count . ;)
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Brian James
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Re: Battleships: South Dakota Class

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South Dakota Class Battleship USS Indiana pictured under construction at Newport News, Shipbuilding, Newport News VA.in 1941.
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Brian James
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Re: Battleships: South Dakota Class

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South Dakota Class Battleship USS Indiana pictured steaming with Task Force 58.1,en route to attack Taroa Island airfield, Maloelap Atoll, Marshall Islands,January 27th 1944.
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ivorthediver
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Re: Battleships: South Dakota Class

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We;; done Brian , keep them coming mate
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designeraccd
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Re: Battleships: South Dakota Class

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Unfortunately the INDIANA and WASHINGTON got very up close and "personal" in 1944. It cost WASHINGTON her bow and put a large gash in the starboard side of INDIANA. Both were rapidly repaired and back with the Fleet to continue the battle against the IJN.

It is posited that had not the WASHINGTON been able to slow herself, the hit in that area of INDIANA would have been fatal! She was repaired at Pearl Harbor by Feb. '44. That repair job was the largest undertaken at Pearl during WW2. The WASHINGTON was fitted with a stub temporary bow at PH, and was permanently repaired by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. DFO
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ivorthediver
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Re: Battleships: South Dakota Class

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Thanks Dennis always love photo's showing ship construction and repairs and how their assembled .

I grinned at the "U" clips used to pin ships plating whilst its being welded as shown in first Photo ingenious method to align plates under those emergency repair conditions , and did they manage to salvage the chains which were formerly housed in what was left of the chain lockers :)
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DonBoyer
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Re: Battleships: South Dakota Class

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The Board of Inquiry into this incident found the Indiana's Captain, J.M. Steele, at fault and of course he was relieved and never got sea command or senior rank. In a way, a real shame. Prior to commanding Indiana, Captain Steele had been a stalwart of Nimitz's CINCPACFLT staff in the hard early days of the war and had played "devil's advocate" in the planning leading up to the Midway battle and was instrumental in the creation and maintenance of the "Gray Book" log at CINCPACFLT. Considering the circumstances and conditions at the time of the collision, I've always felt this was one of those times when dazzle camouflage wasn't an advantageous thing to have since it makes range and bearing calculations that much more difficult, especially at night.
Don G. Boyer

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DonBoyer
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Re: Battleships: South Dakota Class

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Some classic views of all four of the Indiana class during the war.

USS South Dakota, 9 August 1943. She differed from her sisters in having only 8 twin 5" mounts and an extra pair of quad 40s up forward of turret 1.
USS SOUTH DAKOTA.8.9.1943.jpg


USS Indiana.
USS Indiana 9.jpg

USS Massachusetts in 1943.
USS MASSACHUSETTS.CA 1943.JPG

USS Alabama off Pearl Harbor, 1945.
USS ALABAMA.1945.jpg
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Don G. Boyer

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ivorthediver
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Re: Battleships: South Dakota Class

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They certainly look like they mean business Don , and thanks for the in site you proffer when showing these to us , as from where we sit half a world away its not always obvious , so thanks .
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