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BB Study 1938 April (I)

In 1938 the USN invoked the tonnage escalator clause of the Washington Naval Treaty and this meant that new battleships should be designed up to 45,000 t standard. The designers approach was to add to the existing South Dakota (II) design one more triple 16" turret and sufficent power to maintain 27 knots. It resulted in the design of January 1938. But alternatively nine 18" guns could be accomodated on 45,000 tons, resulting in the design seen above. Mr Friedman also notes that the US did not accept the new gun limit of 16" until after these schemes were worked out. Also, at this time rumors were circulating about new japanese battleships, possibly mounting 18" weapons.

This design displaced 45,495 tons standard (that is a slightly over the limit) and 56,595 tons max. It called for a speed of 27.5 knots on 130,000 SHP and an armament of 9 X 18"/48 (possibly Mark 1) and 20 X 5"/38 guns. It's immune zone would have been 12.15-30 kyards against the 16"/45 Mark 6 and 20-29 kyards against the 18"/48.