What-If USN 1916 Plan (South Dakota BBs, Lexington CCs, etc.)

[USS California BB44]

Let's start up a thread about the Usn's great 1916 plan. This includes the South Dakota class BBs, the Lexington CCs and any other ship included under this plan.

Here's a link to the general plans for the SoDak.

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/plans/bb49.pdf

[Sr. Gopher]

Well, the 1916 plan was pretty straight forward. Not much to talk about, unless you start talking about what the ships would have done in WWII. If they had been built during the Treaty era, armament for the South Dakotas and Lexingtons would have been unchanged (other than disposition of some casemates), but with the addition of 10-14 5"/25s, 4-6 3"/50s, 4 quad 1.1s, and up to 16 .50 caliber MGs.

However, if they were built after the Treaty, I expect that only one of the Lexingtons, and up to 2 South Dakotas would have been built, to replace the decommissioned Floridas and Wyoming. The armament would have been changed to accommodate 20 5"/38s, 4-8 3"/50s, 4-8 quad 1.1s, and up to 20 50 caliber MGs. The ships would have been used in the Pacific, where their weapons and speed were better suited rather than the Atlantic, where the older Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Oklahoma would be. This would mean, that on December 7th, the Lexington would be in drydock, with the 2 South Dakotas replacing the Nevada and California, which would probably take the Oklahoma's spot due to it's lesser size. The Lexington, which survives with little damage, and with a high speed, would be accompanying the US carriers, and be present at Midway, all the way through the end, but post likely being one of the ships detached by Halsey during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The South Dakotas would be present as bombardment ships, and at Leyte Gulf, where they would be with Olmendorf's other old battlewagons.

[GMG4RWF]

Hey, Don't know where you�re located, but if you're near Fort Worth, Texas I'll be running a 2400scale GQ3 game with these ships Friday the 17th (I'll be taking photos to). IJN attacking the Philippines mid 1941 with Tosa & Amagi leading & the USN intercepting out of Manila, led by S.D. & Lex.

[GMG4RWF]

20 5"/38s, 4-8 3"/50s,

Actually, probably not, they would have an early refit to reduce their 6� battery & be fitted with 5�/25 AA mounts which they would keep until the end of the war like the (Colorado�s) unless they suffered major damage & needed a rebuild anyway (like the W.V.). {The Navy likes to do her rebuilds from oldest to newest.}

on December 7th, the Lexington would be in drydock

Not likely, the Lexington�s would be viewed by the USN as giant cruisers & would likely be escorting the carriers at that time, but you�re right that that�s where they would probably stay, unless they ended up at 1st Guadalcanal with the Cruiser fleet(like the Atlantas) or worse Salvo Island .

[Cliffy B]

Pennsylvania was in drydock from 12/1 until 12/8 for screw repairs. She was supposed to have left on the 6th but delays kept her in for another day. She and her crew probably owed her life to those delays because she would have been pier side at her usual berth near the drydock which was occupied by a cruiser (CL-50?) on the 7th. She might have drawn more attention had she simply been pier side and those torpedo bombers that vainly attacked the drydock gate probably would have hit instead or the cruiser had she been alongside.

If Lex had been built, made a flagship as Penny was, and been in port on the 7th, she would have been pier side more than likely and probably would have eaten several fish unless another ship absorbed them for her. Had she eaten them she probably would have sat on the harbor floor as long if not longer than WeeVee.

[GMG4RWF]

If Lex had been built, made a flagship as Penny was, and been in port on the 7th, she would have been pier side more than likely and probably would have eaten several fish unless another ship absorbed them for her. Had she eaten them she probably would have sat on the harbor floor as long if not longer than WeeVee.

If she was in port she would have been in dry-dock. The carriers generally left the battleships behind because of their lack of speed. The Lex. would have been fast enough to keep up with (& in some cases exceed) the carrier force, so the carrier commanders would have kept her with them for big gun coverage (the reason the Lex. carrier had 8�turrets was because there was a general fear among admirals of a carrier being caught unaware by a raiding cruiser (i.e. Nachi/Mogami etc.), as had actually happened to HMS Glorious) so leaving a big gun escort, that could keep up, behind was out of the question.