W. Virginia 1941

History

USS West Virginia (BB-48), a Colorado-class battleship, was the second United States Navy ship named in honor of the country's 35th state. She was laid down on 12 April 1920, at Newport News, Virginia, launched on 19 November 1921, and commissioned on 1 December 1923. She was sponsored by Alice Wright Mann, daughter of noted West Virginian T. Mann, and her first captain was Thomas J. Senn. After her shakedown and crew training were finished, she was overhauled at Hampton Roads, and later ran aground in Lynnhaven Channel.
Following repairs, she participated in exercises and engineering and gunnery courses, winning four medals in the latter. She participated in other fleet tactical development operations until 1939. In 1940, she was transferred to Pearl Harbor, to guard against potential Japanese attack, and was sunk by six torpedoes and two bombs during the attack on Pearl Harbor. On 17 May 1942, she was salvaged from the seabed by draining the water from her hull.
After repairs in Pearl Harbor, she sailed to the Puget Sound Navy Yard. There she received an extensive refit, including the replacement of her 5-inch (127 mm)/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns and single-purpose 5-inch/51 caliber guns with dual-purpose 5-inch/38 caliber anti-aircraft guns. She left Puget Sound in July 1944, for Leyte Gulf.
She bombarded Leyte in November 1944, becoming part of a successful American plan to destroy the portion of the Japanese fleet trying to sail through the Surigao Strait, and later attacked Iwo Jima and Okinawa. At the end of the Pacific War she entered Tokyo Bay, for the Japanese surrender, and became part of Operation Magic Carpet, making three runs to Hawaii to transport veterans home. She was deactivated on 9 January 1947, and laid up at Bremerton, Washington, until sold for scrap on 24 August 1959.

Design

The Colorado-class Battleships were in most ways repeats of the preceding Tennessee-class, with the biggest exception being the main armament.

In 1916 the US Navy ordered a class of four new Battleships, which would be an improvement in firepower over the older classes, while keeping the characteristics of the hull. This order included sixteen ships of various classes and types, however only the three ships of the Colorado-class would be completed as the ships they were intended to be. Aside from two Lexington-class ships, which would be converted into Aircraft Carriers however.

Under the Washington Naval Treaty, the Colorado-class became known as the “Big Seven”, the seven Battleships across all Navies permitted to carry guns of a caliber of 406-410mm. The other four ships were HMS Nelson and HMS Rodney, and the Japanese Nagato and Mutsu.

With a 190.2m long and 29.7m wide hull, the compact design of the Standard-Type Battleships was continued. The maximum displacement reached 40,400 tons when fully loaded, and the draft would increase to 10.8m. Eight boilers producing steam for two turbo generators, these ships would reach 21kn at a power output of 28,900shp over four shafts. Fuel supplies on board would permit a Cruising Range of up to 9700 nautical miles.

The protection scheme was a continuation of the All-or-Nothing scheme, which placed a lot of emphasis on protecting the vital compartments and main armament of the ship, while leaving the rest of the ship unprotected. The main belt was 343mm thick, and would thin down to 203mm at it's lower edge. The forward and rear bulkhead were protected by 343mm bulkheads. At the upper edge of the armored belt the main armor deck started, and would cover the entire machinery and magazines with a thickness of 89mm. The barbettes for the main armament were 320mm thick, and the turrets had 457mm faces, 229-254mm sides and a 127mm strong roof. The conning tower had 406mm sides and a 203mm strong roof.

The main battery was carried in four twin turrets, the caliber being 406mm. The Secondary Armament at completion consisted of fourteen or twelve (Maryland carrying fourteen) single mounted 127mm guns, and four or eight (Maryland carrying four) 76.2mm guns which would also be able to engage aircraft. Two underwater Torpedo tubes were installed, but would get removed during refits.

As the Anti-Aircraft armament would be insufficient, various modernizations would address that issue. These would result in Colorado carrying eight single mounted 127mm/25 guns, while her two classmates would receive eight 127mm/38 twins in enclosed turrets. Up to 52 barrels of 40mm Bofors in quad and twin mounts and up to 64 20mm Oerlikons in single, twin or even quad mountings.

In the late 1920s all three ships received at least one catapult, and the ability to carry up to three seaplanes.

Service

Historical Inaccuracies

• Dazzle camouflage resembles the Measure 32/7D scheme, which was actually applied to West Virginia after her reconstruction in 1944.
• Overall sea blue hull is missing. A similar paint scheme can be found on Arizona.

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  USS West Virginia (BB-48) in San Francisco Bay, c. 1934