Omaha class cruiser
Encyclopedia
The Omaha-class cruisers were a class of light cruiser
s built for the United States Navy
. The oldest class of cruiser still in service with the Navy at the outbreak of World War II
, the Omaha class was an immediate post-World War I
design.
Maneuvers conducted in January 1915 made it clear that the US Atlantic Fleet lacked the fast cruisers that were necessary to give information of the position of the enemy as well as to deny the enemy information of our position and to screen friendly forces. Built to scout
for a fleet of battleship
s, they featured a high speed (35 knots) for cooperation with destroyer
s, and 6 inch (152 mm) guns to fend off any destroyers the enemy might send against them. Displacing 7,050 tons, they were just over 555 feet long.
The Omaha class was designed specifically in response to the British s. Although from a modern viewpoint, a conflict between the US and Great Britain seems implausible, US Navy planners during this time and up to the mid-30's considered Britain to be a formidable rival for power in the Atlantic, and the possibility of armed conflict between the two countries plausible enough to merit appropriate planning measures.
Due to their age, the Omaha class mounted four smokestacks, a look remarkably similar to the old four-stacker destroyers. Their armament showed the slow change from casemate
-mounted weapons to turret
-mounted guns. They held a full twelve 6"/53 caliber gun
s, of which four were mounted in two twin turrets, one fore and one aft, and the remaining eight in casemate
s; four on each side.
Launched in 1920, the (designated C-4 and later CL-4) had a displacement of just over 7,100 long tons. The cruisers emerged with a distinctly archaic appearance owing to their World War I-type stacked twin casemate-mount cannons and were among the last broadside cruisers designed anywhere.
As a result of the design changes placed on the ship mid-construction, the Omaha that entered the water in 1920 was a badly overloaded design that, even at the beginning, had been rather tight. The ships were insufficiently insulated, too hot in the tropics and too cold in the north. Sacrifices in weight savings in the name of increased speed led to severe compromise in the habitability of the ship. While described as a good ship in a seaway, the low freeboard led to frequent water ingestion over the bow and in the torpedo compartments. The lightly built hulls leaked, so that sustained high-speed steaming contaminated the oil tanks with sea water.
These drawbacks notwithstanding, the US Navy took a great deal of pride in the Omaha class. The Omaha placed a high emphasis on underwater explosion protection from the threat of torpedoes. She was designed with improved compartmentalization while her magazines were the first to be placed on centerline, below the waterline.
Originally designed to serve as a scout, they served throughout the interwar period as leaders of fleet flotillas, helping them resist enemy destroyer attack. Tactical scouting became the province of cruiser aircraft, and the distant scouting role was taken over by the new heavy cruisers spawned by the Washington Naval Treaty. Thus, the Omahas never performed their designed function. They were relegated to the fleet-screening role, where their high speed and great volume of fire were most appreciated.
Due to the large topweight lasting on these ships, compounded by the high-mounted catapults, the Navy removed the two lower aft firing casemate-mounted 6 inch guns in 1939, fairing over the casemates port and starboard.
These were the oldest class of cruisers still in service with the Navy in 1941.
Two other Omaha versions were also designed. The first, intended to function as monitors, had two 14 inch guns in 2 single turrets, while the other design had four 8 inch guns in 2 twin turrets. The latter design eventually evolved into the Pensacola class cruiser
.
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
s built for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. The oldest class of cruiser still in service with the Navy at the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Omaha class was an immediate post-World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
design.
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
for a fleet of battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s, they featured a high speed (35 knots) for cooperation with destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s, and 6 inch (152 mm) guns to fend off any destroyers the enemy might send against them. Displacing 7,050 tons, they were just over 555 feet long.
The Omaha class was designed specifically in response to the British s. Although from a modern viewpoint, a conflict between the US and Great Britain seems implausible, US Navy planners during this time and up to the mid-30's considered Britain to be a formidable rival for power in the Atlantic, and the possibility of armed conflict between the two countries plausible enough to merit appropriate planning measures.
Due to their age, the Omaha class mounted four smokestacks, a look remarkably similar to the old four-stacker destroyers. Their armament showed the slow change from casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
-mounted weapons to turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
-mounted guns. They held a full twelve 6"/53 caliber gun
6"/53 caliber gun
The 6"/53 caliber gun formed the main battery of United States Navy light cruisers and submarine cruisers built during the 1920s...
s, of which four were mounted in two twin turrets, one fore and one aft, and the remaining eight in casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s; four on each side.
Launched in 1920, the (designated C-4 and later CL-4) had a displacement of just over 7,100 long tons. The cruisers emerged with a distinctly archaic appearance owing to their World War I-type stacked twin casemate-mount cannons and were among the last broadside cruisers designed anywhere.
As a result of the design changes placed on the ship mid-construction, the Omaha that entered the water in 1920 was a badly overloaded design that, even at the beginning, had been rather tight. The ships were insufficiently insulated, too hot in the tropics and too cold in the north. Sacrifices in weight savings in the name of increased speed led to severe compromise in the habitability of the ship. While described as a good ship in a seaway, the low freeboard led to frequent water ingestion over the bow and in the torpedo compartments. The lightly built hulls leaked, so that sustained high-speed steaming contaminated the oil tanks with sea water.
These drawbacks notwithstanding, the US Navy took a great deal of pride in the Omaha class. The Omaha placed a high emphasis on underwater explosion protection from the threat of torpedoes. She was designed with improved compartmentalization while her magazines were the first to be placed on centerline, below the waterline.
Originally designed to serve as a scout, they served throughout the interwar period as leaders of fleet flotillas, helping them resist enemy destroyer attack. Tactical scouting became the province of cruiser aircraft, and the distant scouting role was taken over by the new heavy cruisers spawned by the Washington Naval Treaty. Thus, the Omahas never performed their designed function. They were relegated to the fleet-screening role, where their high speed and great volume of fire were most appreciated.
Due to the large topweight lasting on these ships, compounded by the high-mounted catapults, the Navy removed the two lower aft firing casemate-mounted 6 inch guns in 1939, fairing over the casemates port and starboard.
These were the oldest class of cruisers still in service with the Navy in 1941.
Omaha Class Ships
- CL-4 USS OmahaUSS Omaha (CL-4)USS Omaha was the lead ship of Omaha class of light cruiser of the United States Navy. She was the second US Navy ship named for the city of Omaha, Nebraska....
Launched 24 Feb 1923 - CL-5 USS MilwaukeeUSS Milwaukee (CL-5)thumb|300px|right|Launching of MilwaukeeUSS Milwaukee was an Omaha-class light cruiser in the United States Navy. She was the third Navy ship named for the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
Launched 20 Jun 1923 - CL-6 USS CincinnatiUSS Cincinnati (CL-6)USS Cincinnati , a light cruiser of the United States Navy, was the third ship of the four-stack Omaha-class. She was the third Navy ship named for the city of Cincinnati, Ohio....
Launched 1 Jan 1924 - CL-7 USS RaleighUSS Raleigh (CL-7)USS Raleigh was an Omaha-class light cruiser of the United States Navy. She was the third Navy ship named for the city of Raleigh, North Carolina....
Launched 6 Feb 1924 - CL-8 USS DetroitUSS Detroit (CL-8)USS Detroit was an Omaha-class light cruiser of the United States Navy. She was the fourth Navy ship named for the city of Detroit, Michigan....
Launched 31 Jul 1923 - CL-9 USS Richmond Launched 2 Jul 1923
- CL-10 USS Concord Launched 3 Nov 1923
- CL-11 USS TrentonUSS Trenton (CL-11)USS Trenton was an Omaha-class light cruiser of the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship named for the city of Trenton, New Jersey....
Launched 19 Apr 1924 - CL-12 USS MarbleheadUSS Marblehead (CL-12)USS Marblehead was an Omaha-class light cruiser of the United States Navy. She was the third Navy ship named for the town of Marblehead, Massachusetts....
Launched 8 Sep 1924 - CL-13 USS MemphisUSS Memphis (CL-13)USS Memphis was an Omaha-class light cruiser of the United States Navy. She was the fourth Navy ship named for the city of Memphis, Tennessee....
Launched 4 Feb 1925
Omaha alternatives
The U.S. Navy was not entirely pleased with the Omaha class, so a new design was drawn up that was based on the Omaha class. This new class replaced all of the Omaha's 6 inch guns with 4 turrets (2 forward, 2 aft) each with two 6 inch guns.Two other Omaha versions were also designed. The first, intended to function as monitors, had two 14 inch guns in 2 single turrets, while the other design had four 8 inch guns in 2 twin turrets. The latter design eventually evolved into the Pensacola class cruiser
Pensacola class cruiser
The Pensacola class of United States Navy heavy cruisers were the first "treaty cruisers", designed under the limitations set by the Washington Naval Treaty, which limited cruisers to a maximum of 10,000 tons displacement and a maximum main battery caliber of 8 inches.-Description:In an effort to...
.
External links
- http://www.avalanchepress.com/OmahaAlternatives.php
- http://www.avalanchepress.com/AmericanCruisers.php