Return to Naval Historical
Center home page.
Return to Online
Library listing
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images -- Photo Albums
Bureau of Ships' "Spring Styles" Book # 3 (1939-1944)
-- (Naval Historical Center Lot # S-511) --
Cruiser Preliminary Design Drawings
Nearly half (37 of 75) of the preliminary design drawings belonging
the 1939-1944 "Spring Styles" Book are related to cruisers.
These plans involve a wide variety of design studies, ranging
from large cruisers with twelve-inch guns to anti-aircraft cruisers
with main batteries of five-inch guns, plus hybrid "flight
deck cruisers" and schemes for converting cruisers to aircraft
carriers. The quantity of cruiser concepts, and the large number
of drawings involved with them, indicates a very strong interest
in that type of ship during the late 1930s and early 1940s, an
emphasis extended by World War II era projects to develop guns
capable of countering higher-performance aircraft.
Chronologically, the cruiser drawings begin in October-December
1939 with studies of what became the Cleveland (CL-55)
class light cruisers, the Baltimore (CA-68) class heavy
cruisers, a small (7500-ton) light cruiser with dual-purpose five-inch
guns, and a final attempt to design a flight deck cruiser ("CF").
Some of these studies extended into 1940. That year and 1941 also
saw an extensive effort to develop what became the Alaska
(CB-1) class large cruiser, plus studies of larger ships with
six and eight inch main batteries.
Between mid-1941 and late 1944 a large number of preliminary
design plans were prepared for ships to carry guns then under
development. Most of these concerned a light cruiser with six-inch
dual-purpose guns, which eventually begat the two ships of the
Worcester (CL-144) class. There were ongoing, but ultimately
fruitless, efforts to produce a smaller cruiser with higher-velocity
five-inch guns as a successor to the Atlanta (CL-51) class.
Finally, two drawings (#s 64 and 65) are included for what became
the Des Moines (CA-134) class heavy cruisers, with automatic
eight-inch guns.
This page features those 1939-1944 Bureau of Ships "Spring
Styles" plans that concern cruisers.
For general information on this album, see:
Bureau of Ships' "Spring Styles"
Book # 3 (1939-1944) -- General Description.
On the picture data sheets referenced
from this page, click on the thumbnail image (small photograph)
to prompt a larger view of the same image.
The Cruiser drawings included in this album are:
-- Six drawings representing studies made during the development
of the Alaska (CB-1)
class large cruisers:
S-511-6: "Proposed
Heavy Cruiser -- CA2-D". Plan dated 18 January 1940 for
a 38,700 ton cruiser with a main battery of twelve 12" guns.
This was the largest ship studied during this process
S-511-7: "Proposed
Heavy Cruiser -- CA2-A". Plan dated 19 January 1940 for
a 25,600 ton cruiser with a main battery of nine 12" guns.
S-511-14: "Heavy
Cruiser Study, Scheme 2". Plan dated 19 March 1940 for
a 15,750 ton cruiser with a main battery of twelve 8" guns.
This was the smallest ship studied during the Alaska class
conceptualization process.
S-511-15: "Heavy
Cruiser Study, Scheme 3". Plan dated 20 March 1940 for
a 17,300 ton cruiser with a main battery of six 12" guns.
S-511-16: "Heavy
Cruiser Study, Scheme 4-A "convertible"". Plan
dated 10 April 1940 for a 17,500 ton cruiser with a main battery
of twelve 8" guns (convertible to six 12" guns).
S-511-17: "12-Inch
Gun Cruiser Study, CA-2F". Plan dated 19 June 1940 for
a 24,700 ton cruiser with a main battery of seven 12" guns.
It includes hull sections for design schemes CA-2E through CA-2I.
-- Five plans, representing three different eight-inch gun
cruiser (CA) concepts:
S-511-3: "Proposed
12000 Ton Cruiser (Modified "Wichita") -- Scheme "B"".
Plan dated 2 November 1939, representing a preliminary design
for the Baltimore class heavy cruisers (CA-68).
S-511-25: "8-Inch
Cruiser Study - Scheme CA-B". Plan dated 16 September
1940 for a 17,000 ton cruiser with a main battery of 12 8"/55
guns and more protection than in the Baltimore (CA-68)
class.
S-511-29: "8-Inch
Cruiser, Scheme CA-C". Plan dated 18 March 1941 for a
20,000 ton cruiser with a main battery of 12 8"/55 guns,
more protection than in the Baltimore (CA-68) class, and
a speed of 35 knots.
S-511-64: "CA
139-142, 134 ... 8"/55 Rapid Fire Cruisers ... General Arrangement".
Plan dated 1 December 1943, during preparation of the Des Moines
(CA-134) heavy cruiser design.
S-511-65: "8"
Cruiser of New Design [1943] ... General Arrangement".
Plan dated 1 October 1943, during preparation of the design for
Des Moines (CA-134) heavy cruisers.
In addition to these five plans, drawing #s 14 and 16
(in the first group listed on this page) have eight-inch guns,
but were part of the design study that led to the twelve-inch
gun Alaska class large cruisers.
-- Four drawings, representing two different six-inch gun
cruiser (CL) concepts:
S-511-1: "Proposed
10,000 Ton Cruiser -- Modified CL-49 & 50". Plan dated
5 October 1939 & revised 31 October, representing a preliminary
design for the Cleveland (CL-55) class light cruisers.
S-511-18: "6-Inch
Cruiser Study ... Scheme 2". Plan dated 28 July 1940
for a 13,200 ton cruiser with a main battery of 12 6"/47
guns. It offers greater speed and protection than the Cleveland
(CL-55) class, with the same gun armament.
S-511-19: "6-Inch
Cruiser Study ... Scheme 1". Plan dated 28 July 1940
for a 13,200 ton cruiser with a main battery of 12 6"/47
guns. Similar to S-511-18, but with aircraft facilities aft rather
than amidships.
S-511-22: Study
of Light Cruiser with 6-Inch Guns, "Scheme 2". Plan
dated 25 July 1940 for a 13,200 ton cruiser with a main battery
of 12 6"/47 guns. This is a slightly earlier version of S-511-18.
-- Four drawings, representing three different five-inch
gun cruiser (CL) concepts:
S-511-2: "Proposed
7500 Ton Cruiser". Plan dated 9 November 1939 for a smaller
cruiser with a dual-purpose main battery of twelve 5"/54
guns ("CLD").
S-511-23: "8100
Ton 5" Cruiser (Double Purpose) Design Study". Plan
dated 28 November 1940 for a cruiser with a dual-purpose main
battery of sixteen 5"/54 guns. This "CLD" design
is a later development of that seen in S-511-2.
S-511-53-A: "5"/54
D.P. Cruiser - Design Study "A"". Plan dated
20 June 1942, for a modified Atlanta (CL-51) class light
cruiser with five twin 5"/54 gun mounts. This scheme was
not further developed.
S-511-66: "5"/54
Cal. Cruiser - Scheme "C"". Plan dated 30 November
1944, for a 580-foot, 8550-ton (trial displacement) light cruiser
armed with a new automatic-loading 5"/54 gun mount. It was
the basis for the abortive CL-154 class, cancelled in March 1945.
-- Eleven plans prepared during studies of light cruisers
(CL) armed with rapid-fire 6"47 dual-purpose guns. This work
ultimately produced the Worcester (CL-144) class:
S-511-38: "6"
A.A. Cruiser Scheme "A" - 4 Triple Turrets".
Plan dated 31 July 1941. This scheme emphasizes speed and number
of main battery guns, with reduced protection.
S-511-37: "6"
A.A. Cruiser Scheme "B" - 6 Twin Turrets".
Plan dated 31 July 1941. This scheme emphasizes speed and number
of main battery guns, with reduced protection. Hull sections depict
three different armor schemes, two with deck armor only and one
with deck and side armor.
S-511-36: "6"
A.A. Cruiser Scheme "C" - 4 Twin Turrets".
Plan dated 31 July 1941. This scheme emphasizes somewhat smaller
size and enhanced protection, at the expense of speed and number
of main battery guns. It also carries no aircraft.
S-511-46: "6"
A.A. Cruiser - 5 Twin Turrets - Scheme D". Plan dated
18 October 1941. This scheme emphasizes deck armor over speed
and number of main battery guns.
S-511-47: "6"
A.A. Cruiser - 6 Twin Turrets - Scheme ... not submitted".
Plan dated 20 October 1941, and originally labeled "Scheme
E". This letter was later assigned to the drawing seen in
S-511-55.
S-511-55: "6"
A.A. Cruiser - 5 Twin Turrets - Scheme E". Plan dated
11 July 1942. It represents an effort to limit ship size by reducing
armor protection.
S-511-56: "6"
A.A. Cruiser - 6 Twin Turrets - Scheme "F"" (an
initial effort, submitted in revised form). Plan dated 23
December 1942. This design was not submitted in this form, but
rather as presented in S-511-57.
S-511-57: "6"
A.A. Cruiser - 6 Twin Turrets - Scheme "F"".
Plan dated 30 December 1942. Compared to the design seen in S-511-56,
this scheme features lower positions for some turrets and several
other changes.
S-511-60: "6"
A.A. Cruiser - Scheme "F" Revised" (Not Submitted).
Plan dated 13 February 1943. It is a modification the design seen
in S-511-57, featuring a single smokestack and all main battery
gun directors on the centerline.
S-511-58: "6"
A.A. Cruiser - Scheme "I"". Plan dated May
1943. This design, marking a return to a flush deck hull but still
with aircraft facilities amidships, was not submitted for the
General Board's consideration.
S-511-61: "Single
Cal.{iber} 6" Cruiser - Scheme "J"".
Plan dated 31 May 1943 and revised in June and July 1943, prepared
during the development of what became the Worcester (CL-144)
class. It features twelve main battery guns and a flush deck hull,
with aircraft facilities located aft. Versions with one and two
smokestacks are shown.
-- Three proposed designs for a Flight Deck Cruiser ("CF"),
an abortive ship type that would have combined aircraft carrier
and cruiser features in a single hull:
S-511-9:
"Proposed Flight Deck Cruiser". Plan dated 8 December
1939 for a 12,000 ton flight deck cruiser ("CF") with
a main battery of three 8" guns.
S-511-4: "Proposed
Flight Deck Cruiser". Plan dated 19 December 1939 for
a 12,000 ton flight deck cruiser ("CF") with a main
battery of three 8" guns.
S-511-5: "Proposed
Flight Deck Cruiser, CF-2". Plan dated 31 January 1940
for a 12,200 ton flight deck cruiser ("CF") with a main
battery of six 6" guns.
-- Four plans of proposed conversions of cruiser types to
aircraft carriers, the first two and last of which ultimately
led (after many changes) to the small aircraft carriers of the
Independence (CVL-22)
and Saipan (CVL-48)
classes
S-511-43: "Aircraft
Carrier Converted from 6" Cruiser (Class CL55)".
Plan dated 25 August 1941. It features a conventional island and
an anti-aircraft battery of four quadruple 40mm gun mounts.
S-511-44: "Aircraft
Carrier Converted from 6" Cruiser Class CL55". Plan
dated 4 September 1941. Similar to S-511-43, but with an anti-aircraft
battery of eight twin 40mm gun mounts. S-511-50: "Aircraft
Carrier, Converted from 12" Cruiser (Class CB 1-6)".
Plan dated 3 January 1942 for converting an Alaska
class large cruiser to an aircraft carrier.
S-511-54-A: "Proposed
Conversion of CA 68 Class to CV". Plan dated 4 June 1942
(the first day of the Battle
of Midway) for converting a Baltimore class heavy cruiser
to an aircraft carrier. It is generally similar to what became
the Saipan (CVL-48) class, but with less freeboard.
For general information on this album, see:
Bureau of Ships' "Spring Styles"
Book # 3 (1939-1944) -- General Description.
Return to Naval
Historical Center home page.
Page made 31 March 2005
New images added 6 October 2005