USN Fleet Destroyers (1917-1947): 156 destroyers (DD-186 to DD-347) The Clemson-class were 156 destroyers built for the US Navy between 1918 and 1922. Second of the two wartime mass-produced classes of “flush deck” hull destroyers (“four-pipers”). They were near-repeats of the Wickes class, themselves derived from the experimental Caldwell design. The previous class was faster, … Read more
USN Fleet Destroyers (1917-1947): 111 destroyers (DD-75 to DD-185) The Wickes-class were 111 destroyers built for the US Navy between 1917 and 1921. First of the two wartime mass-produced classes of “flush deck” hull destroyers (“four-pipers”), and improved version of the Caldwell design but faster. Seeing little from WWI for most, they served in the … Read more
USN Fleet Destroyers (1916-1947): USS Caldwell, Craven, Gwin, Conner, Stockton, Manley (DD-69-74) The Caldwell-class were six destroyers built for the United States Navy between 1916 and 1918. They were the first US Navy destroyers with the caracteristic “flush deck” hull design, the first US Navy destroyers to be equipped with geared steam turbines and with … Read more
USN Fleet Destroyers (1912-1935): USS Sampson, Rowan, Davis, Allen, Wilkes, Shaw (DD-63-68) The Sampson-class destroyers were commissioned in 1916-1917, as the follow-up O’Brien/Tucker classes with 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, and last of the “1000-tonners”. Their main innovation was the introduction of four triple-mounts torpedo tubes, giving them a world-beating twelve-torpedo broadside, albeit halved due … Read more
USN Fleet Destroyers (1912-1935): USS Tucker, Conyngam, Porter, Wadsworth, Jacob Jones, Wainwright (DD-57-62) The Tucker class were six #USN fleet #destroyers started just as #WWI was about to start. These were also the fourth of the “thousand tonners”, based on their displacement. They were an incremental development of the O’Brien class, with the same 21-inches … Read more
USN Fleet Destroyers (1913-1936): USS O’Brien, Nicholson, Winslow, Mc Dougal, Cushing, Ericsson (DD-51-56) The third “1000 tonners”, heavy on torpedoes The O’Brien class comprised just six ships, third of five classes of “thousand tonners” based on their average 1,016 t displacement. The design was a continuation of previous Cassin/Aylwin, coming from discussions between the General … Read more
USN Fleet Destroyers: Paulding, Drayton, Roe*, Terry, Perkins, Sterett, McCall, Burrows, Warrington, Mayrant (Paulding class, Roe sub-class) Monaghan, Trippe, Walke, Ammen, Patterson, Sons, Fanning, Jarvis, Henley, Beale, Jouett, Jenkins (Monaghan class) The first USN oil-fired Turbines Destroyers The Smith and Paulding were closely similar fleet destroyers sharing similar caracteristics and steam turbines. When the 1000-tonners … Read more
Fleet destroyers (1908-1921): Smith, Lamson, Preston, Flusser, Reid (DD-17 to DD-21) The Turbines Destroyers or “Flivvers” The Smith and Paulding were closely similar fleet destroyers nicknamed “flivvers” restrospectively after the after the small and shaky Model T Ford after the 1000-tonners entered service. But they were a landmark: The first USN steam turbine fleet destroyers. … Read more
USA – (1898-1902): 12 destroyers: USS Bainbridge, Barry, Chauncey, Dale, Decatur, Hopkins, Hull, Lawrence, Macdonough, Paul Jones, Perry, Preble, Stewart The Bainbridge-class destroyers were first designated as Torpedo Boat Destroyers (TBDs), authorized by the Congress in 1898 following the Spanish–American War. Built between 1899 and 1903, they represented 13 of 16 TBDs, but the lead … Read more
USA (1919-23)- USS Colorado, Maryland, West Virginia The Colorado class, formed with the near-sister ships Tennesse what was called the “big five”, the last USN super-dreadnoughts, and last of the “Standards”. To gain time and budget, the Colorado were planned in 1916 as virtual copies of the Tennesse, but with 16-inches guns, first to inaugurate … Read more
