The six battleships of the South Dakota class were slower but more heavily armed and armored contemporaries of the Lexington class battle cruisers. All were laid down in 1920 and 1921, only to be suspended under the terms of the Naval Limitations Treaty in February 1922 when they were between 11% and 38% completed. All six remained on the building ways until October-November 1923, when they were sold for scrapping.
Like the Lexington class, the South Dakota's were large ships, with a designed displacement nearly a third greater than their immediate predecessors. These were classic U.S. Navy battleships, well protected against gunfire and torpedoes, heavily armed, but relatively slow, intended to prevail in a big-gun slugging match with an enemy battleline. Their main battery represented a fifty-percent increase in number of guns (twelve versus eight), and these 16" guns were of a somewhat more powerful type than those fitted to previous U.S. battleships. After cancellation of their ships, some of these weapons were employed for seacoast defense. Armor and boilers from the South Dakota class were also recycled for use in modernizing older battleships.
The six South Dakota class battleships were being constructed
at five locations:
South Dakota class design characteristics:
This page features all our images related to the South Dakota class battleship design and provides links to what views we have of the individual ships under construction.
For coverage of other classes of U.S. Navy battleships, see: Battleships -- Overview and Special Image Selection.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 63502-KN (Color) South Dakota class battleship (BB 49-54) Artist's conception painting by Rose Stokes, 1922. The six ships of this class, whose construction was cancelled in 1922, were: South Dakota (BB-49) Indiana (BB-50) Montana (BB-51) North Carolina (BB-52) Iowa (BB-53) Massachusetts (BB-54) Courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Collection, Washington, D.C. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 550 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 44895 South Dakota class battleship (BB 49-54) Artwork by F. Muller, circa 1920. The ships of this class, whose construction was cancelled 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); U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 59KB; 740 x 410 pixels |
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Photo #: 19-N-94978 South Dakota class battleship (BB 49-54) Official model, photographed circa 1920. The ships of this class, none of which were completed, were: South Dakota (BB-49); Indiana (BB-50); Montana (BB-51); North Carolina (BB-52); Iowa (BB-53); Massachusetts (BB-54); Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 615 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-WP-975 "New Naval Vessels Now Building for Our Fleet" Poster from the "What the Navy is Doing" series, published by the Navy Recruiting Bureau, New York, circa 1919. It depicts the Lexington (CC-1) class battle cruisers and South Dakota (BB-49) class battleships then planned or in early stages of construction. These twelve ships were cancelled under the naval limitations treaty of 1922. Photograph from the Collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 650 pixels |
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Photo #: 80-WP-1002 "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) 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. Photograph from the Collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 650 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 81481 Sixteen-inch, 50 Caliber, Mark 2, Mod. 1 Gun Barrel On display in East Willard Park, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in October 1972. 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 USS New Jersey into San Clemente Island, California, during shore bombardment practice in 1968. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 161KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 81482 Sixteen-inch, 50 Caliber, Mark 2, Mod. 1 Gun Barrel On display in East Willard Park, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in October 1972. 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 USS New Jersey into San Clemente Island, California, during shore bombardment practice in 1968. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 181KB; 740 x 615 pixels |
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For coverage of other classes of U.S. Navy battleships, see: Battleships -- Overview and Special Image Selection.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 8 May 2000
Coding updated 26 March 2001