What happened to the USS Des Moines?
After decommissioning in 1961, the Des Moines was mothballed in the South Boston Naval Annex and eventually at Philadelphia, where she remained until 2006. After an attempt failed to turn her into a museum ship she was towed to Brownsville, Texas for scrapping in July 2007.
What class is the USS Salem?
Des Moines-class heavy cruiser
USS Salem (CA-139)
| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Badge | |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Des Moines-class heavy cruiser |
Is Salem better than Des Moines?
Salem possesses a stronger repair consumable than Des Moines, functioning identical to that of British cruisers of Tiers VIII-X. Unlike most other Tier X cruisers, Salem cannot effectively fight as an anti-surface combatant in open water, and her slower shell speeds prevent her from faring well in ranged firefights.
What’s the difference between a battleship and a cruiser?
The key difference is that while battleships had thick armor plating that could block projectiles as large as the ones they fired, battlecruisers sacrificed protection for speed. Hence the term ‘battlecruiser’, a ship with the firepower of a battleship but the speed and protection of a cruiser.
When did the Des Moines class cruisers come out?
The Des Moines-class cruisers were a group of U.S. Navy heavy cruisers, commissioned in 1948–1949. They were the last of the all-gun heavy cruisers, exceeded in size in the American navy only by the Alaska -class cruisers.
What was the speed of the USS Des Moines?
USS New Port News. Despite displacing over 4000 additional tons compared to the Baltimore class cruiser, the Des Moines utilized the same boilers and turbines. However, they were still sufficient to get the ship up to a speed of 33 knots.
What kind of guns did the Des Moines have?
The improved Mk16 guns of the main battery were the first auto-loading 8″ guns fielded by the US Navy, and allowed a much higher rate of fire than earlier designs, capable of sustaining eight shots per minute per barrel, or about twice what previous heavy cruisers could.
What was the length of a Baltimore class cruiser?
Designers used the current Baltimore class heavy cruiser as a basis for the new design. A larger hull was needed to improve resistance to torpedoes while also supporting stronger armor and more powerful weaponry. A Baltimore class cruiser was 673′ in length with a 70′ beam.