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Photo # NH 41961:  Lexington class battle cruiser.  Painting by Louise Larned, 1922

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIP TYPES -- BATTLE CRUISERS --

Lexington Class (CC-1 through CC-6)
1917-1919 Building Programs. Construction cancelled in 1923.

The six battle cruisers of the Lexington class, authorized under the 1917-1919 building programs, were the only ships of their type ever ordered by the U.S. Navy. Intended as fast combat scouts for the battle fleet, these large ships had a prolonged development history. Their original 1916 design was to displace 34,300 tons with a main battery of ten 14-inch guns, rather light armor, seven smokestacks with many of the boilers above the armored deck, and a speed of 35 knots. By 1919, the plans had been recast on the basis of World War I experience to produce larger ships armed with 16-inch guns, much better protection, two smokestacks with all boilers below the armored deck, and a somewhat lower speed.

Construction of the Lexington class ships was held up by other priorities during the First World War, and none of them were laid down until mid-1920. The following year's naval limitations conference in Washington, D.C., had these expensive battle cruisers, and their Japanese and British contemporaries, among its main targets. Following adoption of the Washington Treaty, their construction was stopped in February 1922. The treaty allowed the conversion of two of the battle cruiser hulls to the aircraft carriers Lexington (CV-2) and Saratoga (CV-3). The other four were formally cancelled in August 1923 and scrapped on their building ways.

The Lexington class consisted of six ships, under construction at four locations:

  • Lexington (CC-1). Keel laid at Quincy, Massachusetts, January 1921. Became the aircraft carrier CV-2.
  • Constellation (CC-2). Keel laid at Newport News, Virginia, August 1920. Cancelled and scrapped.
  • Saratoga (CC-3). Keel laid at Camden, New Jersey, September 1920. Became the aircraft carrier CV-3.
  • Ranger (CC-4). Keel laid at Newport News, Virginia, June 1921. Cancelled and scrapped.
  • Constitution (CC-5). Keel laid at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 1920. Cancelled and scrapped.
  • United States (CC-6). Keel laid at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 1920. Cancelled and scrapped.

    Original (1916) Battle Cruiser Numbers 1 - 4 design characteristics:

  • Displacement: 34,300 tons
  • Dimensions: 874' (length overall); 90'11" (maximum beam)
  • Powerplant: 180,000 horsepower steam turbines with electric drive, producing a 35 knot maximum speed
  • Armament (Main Battery): Ten 14"/50 guns in two twin (turret #s 1 & 4) and two triple (turret #s 2 & 3) turrets
  • Armament (Secondary Battery): Eighteen 5"/51 guns in single mountings (nine guns on each side of the ship)

    Definitive (1919) Lexington class (Battle Cruiser Numbers 1 - 6) design characteristics:

  • Displacement: 43,500 tons
  • Dimensions: 874' (length overall); 105'5" (maximum beam)
  • Powerplant: 180,000 horsepower steam turbines with electric drive, producing a 33.25 knot maximum speed
  • Armament (Main Battery): Eight 16"/50 guns in four twin turrets
  • Armament (Secondary Battery): Sixteen 6"/53 guns in single mountings (eight guns on each side of the ship)

    This page features all our images concerning the Lexington class battle cruiser designs 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 41960

    U.S. Battle Cruisers Nos. 1 - 4


    Artwork by F. Muller, circa 1916, depicting the original design adopted for these ships.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 75KB; 900 x 355 pixels

    Note:
    The original print for this photograph has a vertical crack through its middle.

     
    Photo #: NH 61245

    Lexington Class (CC-1 through CC-6)Battle Cruiser


    Artwork by F. Muller, circa 1919, depicting the definitive design for these ships, whose construction was cancelled under the Washington Naval Limitations Treaty of 1922.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 51KB; 740 x 325 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 41961

    U.S. Battle Cruisers Nos. 1 - 6


    Contemporary photograph of a painting by Louise Larned, 1922, depicting the definitive design of these ships, whose construction was cancelled under the Washington Naval Limitations Treaty.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 580 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 99411

    U.S. Battle Cruisers Nos. 1 - 6


    Silhouette and table of principal characteristics for the definitive design of these ships, circa 1920.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 39KB; 900 x 355 pixels

     
    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

     
    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

     
    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

     
    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

     
    Photo #: 80-CF-395b

    Rear Admiral David W. Taylor, USN
    (left), Chief of the Bureau of Construction and Repair, and
    Rear Admiral John K. Robison, USN (right), Chief of the Bureau of Engineering,

    Hold a model of the battle cruisers (CC-1 class) then under construction, 8 March 1922. In the foreground is a model of an aircraft carrier design converted from the battle cruiser hull. This photo illustrates the genesis of the Lexington (CV-2) class aircraft carrier design.
    Standing in the background are (from left to right):
    Rear Admiral William A. Moffett, USN, Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics;
    Congressman Frederick C. Hicks, of New York;
    Congressman Clark Burdick, of Rhode Island; and
    Congressman Philip D. Swing, of California.
    Photographed at the Navy Department by Harris & Ewing.

    Photograph from Department of the Navy collections in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 540 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     

    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."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 20 February 2000
    New images added and text revised 26 June 2004