Heavy Cruisers: Baltimore Class

[Brian James]

Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser USS Boston pictured at San Francisco in April 1946.

[Brian James]

Former Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser USS Chicago depicted in various stages of her Albany Class Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser conversion at San Francisco Naval Shipyard...On November 1st 1958, Chicago was reclassified as CG-11 and towed to San Francisco Naval Shipyard to begin a five-year conversion (20 months longer than Columbus and 13 months longer than Albany) to a Guided Missile Heavy Cruiser. Begun on July 1st 1959, the entire superstructure was removed and replaced with new aluminium composite compartments, modernized electronic systems, and an improved Naval Tactical Target System (NTDS) equipped CIC. Representative of the new technological focus on guided missiles, she was refitted with Tartar and Talos SAM stowage, loading, launching, and guidance systems. Two triple torpedo tubes, an ASROC launcher, two 5 in/38 cal guns, and two ASW helicopters rounded out the Cruisers' modifications.

[Brian James]

Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser USS Pittsburgh pictured c 1954.

[Brian James]

USS Chicago pictured at San Francisco Naval Shipyard on October 18th 1963 during her Albany Class Guided Missile Cruiser conversion.

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Guided Missile Cruiser USS Boston pictured as she undergoes an inclining experiment at New York Shipbuilding Corporation Shipyards at Camden, New Jersey on September 17th 1955.

[Brian James]

Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser USS Los Angeles pictured carrying an SSM-N-8 Regulus I missile on her stern........c August 1957.

[Brian James]

Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser USS Los Angeles pictured at Mare Island Navy Yard on April 10th 1952.

[Brian James]

Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser USS Columbus pictured here on September 4th 1959, four months into her 'deconstruction' phase at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard during her Albany Class Guided Missile Cruiser conversion.

[Brian James]

The former Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser USS Chicago pictured during her Albany Class Guided Missile Cruiser conversion at San Francisco Naval Shipyard on August 20th 1963.

[Brian James]

Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser USS Los Angeles pictured c1952.