Super BB vs America’s Largest Cruiser

[Talyn]

A overhead shot at Norfolk Naval Base’s piers, on 20 August 1944, gives a good comparison of two of the Navy’s newest surface combatants at the time. The newly commissioned Iowa-class battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) is the largest ship in the center, and she is flanked by the large (not battle) cruiser USS Alaska (CB-1).

The heavyweights shows off the 45,000-ton/887-foot USS Missouri and her main battery of nine 16″/50 guns in three triple turrets and 20 5″/38 DP guns in 10 twin mounts. This compared to the 30,000-ton/808-foot USS Alaska’s nine 12″/50 guns in three triple turrets and 12 5″/38 DP guns in six twin mounts.

Super BB vs America’s Largest Cruiser

This great overhead shot at Norfolk Naval Base’s piers, on 20 August 1944, gives a good comparison of two of the Navy’s newest surface combatants at the time. The newly commissioned Iow…

laststandonzombieisland.com

USS Alaska (CB-1)

USS Alaska (CB-1), the first of a class of

www.history.navy.mil

 

[Shibadog]

I love the big gun ships. I MHO we should have kept the upgraded Iowa’s in service and forgone the “littoral” ships that cost huge $$ and are being retired after just a few years of service, Nothing says “go away” like 9 16” rifles-and the armor alone gives them a heck of a lot more survivability than ANY aluminum hulled ship