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Photo # S-511-6:  Preliminary design plan for 'CA-2D', a 38,700 ton cruiser with twelve 12-inch guns, 18 January 1940

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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.

    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    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.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 31 March 2005
    New images added 6 October 2005