Virginia-class Battleship, USS Virginia (B-13) - Double-Stacked Victim of a New Age

R_nminbiY_n · May 28, 2023

Virginia-class Battleship, USS Virginia (B-13)

USS Virginia during WW1

TL;DR:

Bluewater vessel, pre-dreadnought with double stacked turrets, decent armour but slow and has no AA.

History:

One of the more peculiar battleship designs, the Virginia-class battleships were ordered in 1899-1900. The initial specifications were to be based on the convential Maine-class battleships, but various naval officers pushed for a design that included secondary guns on top of the main turrets as in the earlier Kearsarge-class, and that resulting design was eventually selected by the Navy. These superimposed turrets were fixed to the main turret and would in theory allow for a larger broadside than if they were put in wings on each side, while also saving some weight and allowing for continuous fire while the main guns were reloading. Unfortunately in practice, the firing of the secondary guns would disrupt the crew of the main guns, thereby limiting its rate of fire, and the almost immediate introduction of HMS Dreadnought and the all-big-gun concept after their commissioning would render the idea thouroughly obsolete. The first ship was laid down in 1901, and all of them completed by 1907. They would serve in the "Great White Fleet", the occupation of Veracruz, and World War 1.

USS Virginia was the lead ship of the class, being laid down in Newport News in 1902. It was completed in 1906 and commissioned into the Atlantic Fleet. It and its sisters took part in the Great White Fleet world cruise, and afterwards underwent a refit to repair the damage and wear of the world cruise, which also included the fitting of the distinctive cage masts. It and the rest of the Atlantic Fleet were used to protect American interests in Latin American nations, culminating in the American invasion and occupation of Veracruz during the Mexican Revolution, where it supported US troops. During WW1, it was being refitted and repaired at the Boston Naval Yard, and by the time of the American declaration of war was still in drydock. In the meantime though the ship's crew was dispatched to seize German merchant ships, and upon completion of its refit was relegated to gunnery training duty. In 1918 it underwent another refit, and was sent to Europe as a convoy escort, but only participated in a single mission before the German armistice. It was then used to transport American troops home from Europe. In 1920 it was decommissioned and expended as a target ship, being bombed and sunk in 1922 in one of General Billy Mitchell's demonstrations of air power.

Specifications: (1916)

Armament:

2x2 12 inch (305mm) Mk.4 (240 rounds)

4x2 8 inch (203mm) Mk.6 (1000 rounds)

12x1 6 inch (152mm) RF Mk.6/8

12x1 3 inch (76mm) Mk.6

12x1 47mm 1-pdr (possibly removed by this time)

4x1 7.62mm Colt-Browning M1895

4x1 533mm Underwater TT

Armour: (Krupp cemented steel)

Spoiler

305mm Main turret faces