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Constellation Class Battlecruisers
The Constellation class battlecruisers were the first battlecruisers ever build by the US Navy and it showed on their design, being the longest ships ever build by the US Navy except for the Cowpens and the later Supercarriers. Built as part of the 1920 program. These very fast battlecruisers were able to keep pace with the latest cruisers and destroyers. They were armed with 14“ guns while production of 16” barrels went to the New Mexico Class and South Dakota class ships. The poor armour arrangement left half the boilers above the belt. Had they been delayed they could have been fitted with small tube boilers, eliminating the vulnerable boilers and armed with 16“ guns.
They served with the Pacific Fleet during their thirteen-year long careers, all of them being sunk on the Battle of Wake in late 1936.
Ships
General Characteristics
Displacement: 35,000 tons Length: 870 feet Beam: 104 feet Draft: 31 feet Speed: 32 knots Armament: 10 14-inch(5×2), 20 five-inch, two 21-inch torpedo tubes.