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BB-53 IOWA

South Dakota Class Battleship: Displacement: 43,200 tons. Dimensions: 684' (length overall); 106' (maximum beam). Powerplant: 60,000 horsepower steam turbines with electric drive, producing a 23 knot maximum speed. Armament (Main Battery): Twelve 16"/50 guns in four triple turrets. Armament (Secondary Battery): Sixteen 6"/53 guns in single mountings (eight guns on each side of the ship). 8 3"/50cal AA, 2 21 inch torpedo tubes (submerged). Armor: 8-13.5 inch belt, 3.5 inch deck, 4.5-13.5 inch barbettes, 5-18 inch turrets, 8-16 inch CT.Crew: 1191.

Operational and Building Data: From the DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, Vol. I, p. 108. Iowa (BB-53) was laid down at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., 17 May 1920, but on 8 February 1922, work was suspended when the ship was 31.8 percent complete.
Construction was canceled 17 August 1923 in accordance with the terms of the Washington Treaty limiting Naval armaments. She was sold for scrap 8 November 1923.
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BB-49 483k Our New Battleships & T-Boats Lead World's Navies
Vessels of the North Carolina Class When Completed Will Put United States in Advance of Any Nation When Major Fighting Craft Are Considered---Fleet Submarines Under Construction Completely Overshadow Famous Deutschland in Size and Speed Besides Possessing Latest Marvels in Mechanical Equipment.		 Image and text provided by University of Utah, Marriott Library.
Photo from The Ogden Standard-Examiner. (Ogden, Utah) 1920-current, 04 February 1921, LAST EDITION, Image 11, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
PDF added 06/11/11.
BB-49 South Dakota 60k Artwork of a (BB-49-54) class battleship design, by F. Muller. The ships of this class, whose construction was canceled in 1922 under the terms of the Naval Limitations Treaty, were:
South Dakota (BB-49);
Indiana (BB-50);
Montana (BB-51);
North Carolina (BB-52);
Iowa (BB-53);
Massachusetts (BB-54).
 USN Historical Center # NH 44895.
BB-49 South Dakota 69k Plan one of three proposed versions of South Dakota class of December 1916 portray different possible versions for the Fiscal Year of 1918. Note the projected use of twin mounts for the secondary battery in Schemes 1 & 3. The latter was quite radical; the greatly enlarged No.2 barbette would have doubled as a conning tower, with conning tower functions limited to an annulus around the barbette proper. The very limited secondary battery would have been raised on platforms. The other two schemes show the unsatisfactory location of the foremast directly on top of the conning tower, which it would have fouled had it been damaged in action. All of these designs show four separate smoke stacks. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-49 South Dakota 109k Plan two of three proposed versions of South Dakota class of December 1916 portray different possible versions for the Fiscal Year of 1918. Note the projected use of twin mounts for the secondary battery in Schemes 1 & 3. The latter was quite radical; the greatly enlarged No.2 barbette would have doubled as a conning tower, with conning tower functions limited to an annulus around the barbette proper. The very limited secondary battery would have been raised on platforms. The other two schemes show the unsatisfactory location of the foremast directly on top of the conning tower, which it would have fouled had it been damaged in action. All of these designs show four separate smoke stacks. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-49 South Dakota 78k Plan three of three proposed versions of South Dakota class of December 1916 portray different possible versions for the Fiscal Year of 1918. Note the projected use of twin mounts for the secondary battery in Schemes 1 & 3. The latter was quite radical; the greatly enlarged No.2 barbette would have doubled as a conning tower, with conning tower functions limited to an annulus around the barbette proper. The very limited secondary battery would have been raised on platforms. The other two schemes show the unsatisfactory location of the foremast directly on top of the conning tower, which it would have fouled had it been damaged in action. All of these designs show four separate smoke stacks. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-49 South Dakota 133k Starboard and overhead views of the South Dakota class, 1919 line drawing by A.L. Raven. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-49 South Dakota 144k Inboard profile view and cutout of the propulsion system of the South Dakota class, 1919 line drawing by A.L. Raven. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-49 South Dakota 133k Battleship 1919, the South Dakota as designed, dated 3 May 1918. The letter "A" indicates that this is design A, to be compared with a range of fast capital ships. They were rejected by the General Board, which felt that a true fast battleship would be so revolutionary as to make all existing capital ships obsolete. This wartime design was substanially that chosen when the ships were actually laid down. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
South Dakota Class 970k The following eight photos are appropriately battleship size.
Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51401 shows Contract Plan No.1 for the South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships; entitled "Lines and Molded Offsets", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside and a bottom view of this class's keel plus size's of the ships interior compartments.
Note that the signature of the Acting Sec. of Navy in the bottom right section was the soon to be 32nd President of the U.S., Franklin Delano Roosevelt.		 NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
South Dakota Class 1.7mb
Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51402A shows Contract Plan No.2 for the South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships; entitled "Midship Section & Type Details", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside and a bottom view of this class's keel plus size's of the ships interior compartments.
NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
South Dakota Class 1.2
Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51402B shows Contract Plan No.2 for the South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships; entitled "Midship Section & Type Details", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside and a bottom view of this class's keel plus size's of the ships interior compartments.
NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
South Dakota Class 611k
Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51403 shows Contract Plan No.3 for the South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships; entitled "Outboard Profile", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside view of this class and is the same drawing as 014911 above, but in much more detail.
 NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
South Dakota Class 1.0mb
Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51404 shows Contract Plan No.4 for the South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships; entitled "Inboard Profile", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside view of this class and is the same drawing as 014912 above, but in much more detail.
Note also the very unique rudder crosshead details designed for these ships. 		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo & partial text courtesy of Bob Darby.
South Dakota Class 2.4mb
Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51405 shows Contract Plan No.5 for the South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships; entitled "Structure, Upper Decks & Bridges", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features detailed views of these areas. 		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
South Dakota Class 2.7mb
Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51406 shows Contract Plan No.6 for the South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships; entitled "Main & Second Decks", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features detailed views of these areas. 		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
South Dakota Class 2.4mb
Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51407 shows Contract Plan No.7 for the South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships; entitled "Third Deck & First Platform", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features detailed views of these areas. 		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
South Dakota Class 4.0mb
Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51409 shows Contract Plan No.9 for the South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships; entitled "Cross Sections", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features detailed views of these areas. 		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
BB-49 South Dakota 106k "What the Navy is Doing" poster, cica 1919. USN Historical Center # 80-WP-975.
BB-49 South Dakota 103k "16 Inch Guns for Our Dreadnaughts" Poster from the "What the Navy is Doing" series, published by the Navy Recruiting Bureau, New York, circa 1919. It depicts the manufacture of 16"/50 guns at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., for installation in the Lexington (CC-1) class battle cruisers and South Dakota (BB-49-54) class battleships then planned or in early stages of construction. Also shown are pictures of the battle cruiser design, a firing test at Indian Head, Maryland, and the effect of 16-inch shells on heavy armor. USN Historical Center # 80-WP-1002.
BB-49 South Dakota 62k Official model of a South Dakota (BB-49) class battleship, circa 1920. Photo from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19N) Box 33. Courtesy of Dan Treadwell
Iowa 232k Iowa's (BB-53) third deck is almost completley built in this view looking forward from her bow at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., 1 October 1921. Photo from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19-LC) Box 22. Courtesy of Dan Treadwell.
Iowa 237k View of the Iowa's (BB-53) third deck looking aft, 1 October 1921. Her two inner most turrets are visible. Photo from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19-LC) Box 22. Courtesy of Dan Treadwell.
Iowa 223k View of the Iowa's (BB-53) stern, on 3 January 1922. The outermost main turret casing has been recently constructed. Photo from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19-LC) Box 22. Courtesy of Dan Treadwell.
South Dakota Class 252k Full-length portrait of Edwin Denby standing, inspecting a 16-inch, 50 caliber gun at the Naval Gun Factory, Washington, D.C. on 17 Dec. 1921. Digital ID: # cph 3a42380, LC-USZ62-42057.Washington, D.C., 1922, v. 2, Herbert E. French, National Photo Company. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
South Dakota Class 301k Navy Secretary Edwin Denby and staff touring Washington Navy Yard, inspecting large guns for battleships yet to be built on 17 Dec. 1921. Digital ID: # cph 3b10973, LC-USZ62-63358.Washington, D.C., 1922, v. 2, Herbert E. French, National Photo Company. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
South Dakota Class 324k Scene in the Naval Gun Shop, Washington, D.C. 1922 Feb. 10. 16-inch guns under construction. "Shop is idle today, employees numbering 1350 having been laid off yesterday." (Result of Naval Disarmament Treaty.) Digital ID: # cph 3b01777u, LC-USZ62-53813. Washington, D.C., 1922, v. 2, Herbert E. French, National Photo Company. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
BB-49 South Dakota 64k Artist's sketchof this class of ship underway. Painting by Rose Stokes, 1922. USN Historical Center # NH 63502-KN
South Dakota Class 329k
Oil on canvas painting by the artist Wayne Scarpaci showing a South Dakota (BB-49) class battleship as it probable would have appeared circa 1938. The piece is entitled "Clearing St George's Light".		 Photo and text courtesy of artbywayne.com
BB-49 South Dakota 161k On display in East Willard Park, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in October 1974. This gun is Number 111, built at the Washington Navy Yard in 1922 for planned installation on the abortive South Dakota (BB-49-54) class battleships and Lexington (CC-1-6) class battle cruisers. Note railway trucks supporting the gun barrel. The two sixteen-inch projectiles displayed alongside the gun are inert shells fired by New Jersey (BB-62) into San Clemente Island, California, during shore bombardment practice in 1968. USN Historical Center # NH 81481
BB-49 South Dakota 181k Sixteen-inch, 50 Caliber, Mark 2, Mod. 1 Gun Barrel On display in East Willard Park, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in October 1974. This gun is Number 111, built at the Washington Navy Yard in 1922 for planned installation on the abortive South Dakota (BB-49-54) class battleships and Lexington (CC-1-6) class battle cruisers. Note railway trucks supporting the gun barrel. The two sixteen-inch projectiles displayed alongside the gun are inert shells fired by New Jersey (BB-62) into San Clemente Island, California, during shore bombardment practice in 1968. USN Historical Center # NH 81482
(NISMF)371kA guest studies a painting depicting the history of battleships. The artwork was painted by George Skybeck and presented to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association during their annual banquet at Honolulu, Hawaii, on 8 Dec 1991. USN photo # DN-SC-92-05391, by PHC Carolyn Harris, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil, Defense Visual Information Center.
BB-53 IOWA History
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