Login
Login

Northampton-class cruiser

{{Short description|US Navy heavy cruiser class}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{more citations needed|date=December 2007}}

{{Infobox ship begin}}

{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image=USS Northampton (CA-26) at Brisbane on 5 August 1941 (NH 94596).jpg

|Ship caption=USS Northampton (CA-26)

}}

{{Infobox ship class overview

|Name=Northampton class

|Builders=*Bethlehem Fore River, MA (1)

|Operators=20px United States Navy

|Class before={{sclass|Pensacola|cruiser|4}}

|Class after={{sclass|Portland|cruiser|4}}

|Subclasses=

|Built range=1928-1931

|In commission range=1930-1946

|Total ships building=

|Total ships planned=

|Total ships completed=6

|Total ships cancelled=

|Total ships active=

|Total ships laid up=

|Total ships lost=3

|Total ships retired=3

|Total ships preserved=

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=

|Ship type=Heavy cruiser

|Ship displacement={{convert|9050|long ton|t|abbr=on|lk=in}}

|Ship length=*{{convert|582|ft|abbr=on}} wl

  • {{convert|600|ft|m|abbr=on}} oa

|Ship beam={{convert|66|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught=

|Ship draft={{convert|16|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}}

|Ship propulsion=*4 × Parsons turbines

  • 8 × White-Forster boilers
  • 4 × screws
  • {{convert|107000|HP|kW|abbr=on}}

|Ship speed={{convert|32.5|kn}}

|Ship range=

|Ship complement=*1,100

  • Officers: 105
  • Enlisted: 995{{cite book|last=Silverstone|first=Paul H|year=1965|title=US Warships of World War II|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=0-87021-773-9}}

|Ship sensors=

|Ship EW=

|Ship armament=

|Ship armour=

|Ship armor=*Belt {{convert|3.75

1|in|mm|abbr=on}}

0.75|in|mm|abbr=on}}
  • Conning tower: {{convert|1+1/4|in|mm|abbr=on}}

    • |Ship aircraft= 4 × Seaplanes

    |Ship aircraft facilities= 2 × Amidship catapults and Seaplane hangar

    |Ship notes=

    }}

    The Northampton-class cruisers were a group of six heavy cruisers built for the United States Navy, and commissioned between 1928 and 1931.

    The Northamptons saw much action in World War II. Three (Northampton, Chicago, and Houston) were lost during the war. The other three were decommissioned soon after the end of the war, and scrapped in 1959–1961.

    Design

    The design of the ships was heavily influenced by the Washington Naval Treaty, which limited cruisers to a maximum of 10,000 tons displacement and a maximum main battery caliber of {{convert|8|in|mm|sigfig=3}}. The Northamptons were a reaction to the weight and cost of the immediately preceding {{sclass|Pensacola|cruiser|4}}, differing in several ways. The Pensacolas mounted a main battery of 10 {{convert|8|in|mm|0|adj=on|sigfig=3}} guns in four turrets, a twin and superfiring triple fore and aft. In contrast, the Northamptons mounted 9 {{convert|8|in|mm|0|adj=on|sigfig=3}} guns in three triple turrets, two forward and one aft, the layout followed in all subsequent U.S. heavy cruisers.

    Although armor was increased, the Northamptons turned out to be lighter than the Pensacolas, and nearly 1,000 tons below the treaty limitations. Freeboard was increased in the Northamptons by adopting a high forecastle, which was extended aft in the last three for use as flagships. These ships were also the first U.S. ships to adopt a hangar for aircraft, and bunks instead of hammocks. Their lighter-than-expected weight caused them to roll excessively, which necessitated the fitting of deep bilge keels. The immediately-following {{sclass|Portland|cruiser|4}} was essentially a modified Northampton.

    Ships in class

    class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"

    |+ Construction data

    scope="col" | Ship name

    ! scope="col" | {{abbr|Hull no.|hull number}}

    ! scope="col" | Builder

    ! scope="col" | Laid down

    ! scope="col" | Launched

    ! scope="col" | Commissioned

    ! scope="col" | Decommissioned

    ! scope="col" | Fate

    scope="row" |{{USS|Northampton|CA-26|2}}

    |CA-26

    |Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts

    |12 April 1928

    |5 September 1929

    |17 May 1930

    |{{n/a}}

    |Sunk in the Battle of Tassafaronga, 30 November 1942

    scope="row" |{{USS|Chester|CA-27|2}}

    |CA-27

    |New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey

    |6 March 1928

    |3 July 1929

    |24 June 1930

    |10 June 1946

    |Struck 1 March 1959; Sold for scrap, 11 August 1959

    scope="row" |{{USS|Louisville|CA-28|2}}

    |CA-28

    |Puget Sound Navy Yard

    |4 July 1928

    |1 September 1930

    |15 January 1931

    |17 June 1946

    |Struck 1 March 1959; Sold for scrap, 14 September 1959

    scope="row" |{{USS|Chicago|CA-29|2}}

    |CA-29

    |Mare Island Naval Shipyard

    |10 September 1928

    |10 April 1930

    |9 March 1931

    |rowspan=2 {{n/a}}

    |Sunk during the Battle of Rennell Island, 30 January 1943

    scope="row" |{{USS|Houston|CA-30|2}}

    |CA-30

    |rowspan=2|Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company

    |1 May 1928

    |7 September 1929

    |17 June 1930

    |Sunk in the Battle of Sunda Strait, 1 March 1942

    scope="row" |{{USS|Augusta|CA-31|2}}

    |CA-31

    |2 July 1928

    |1 February 1930

    |30 January 1931

    |16 July 1946

    |Struck 1 March 1959; Sold for scrap, 9 November 1959

    See also

    References

    {{reflist}}

    {{DANFS}}

    External links

    {{Commons category|Northampton class cruiser}}

    • [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/ca-26.htm Global Security.org – Northampton class cruiser]
    • [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/ca-26-specs.htm Global Security.org – Northampton class cruiser specifications]

    {{Northampton_class cruiser}}

    {{WWII US ships}}

    Category:Cruiser classes