 | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Chester class |
| Builders |
|
| Operators |  United States Navy |
| Preceded by | St. Louis class |
| Succeeded by | Omaha class |
| Built | 1905–1908 |
| In commission | 1908–1923 |
| Planned | 3 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Scrapped | 3 |
| Preserved | 0 |
| General characteristics (as built)[1] | |
| Type | Scout cruiser |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 423.1 ft (129.0 m) |
| Beam | 47.1 ft (14.4 m) |
| Draft | 16.8 ft (5.1 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 24 kn (44.4 km/h; 27.6 mph) |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 2 ×lifeboats |
| Complement | 359 |
| Armament | |
| Armor | |
The threeChester-class cruisers were the firstUnited States Navy vessels to be designed and designated as fast "scout cruisers" for fleet reconnaissance. They had high speed but little armor or armament.[2] They were authorized in January 1904, ordered infiscal year 1905, and completed in 1908. In 1920 all scout cruisers were redesignated as "light cruisers" (CL).[3]
Birmingham was the first ship in the world to launch an airplane, in 1910 with pilotEugene Ely, who also performed the first landing on a ship the following year, onUSS Pennsylvania.[4] The class patrolled the Caribbean prior to World War I, sometimes supporting military interventions, withChester playing a key role at the start of theUnited States occupation of Veracruz in 1914. The ships escortedconvoys in World War I. The class was decommissioned 1921-1923 and sold for scrap to comply with the limits of theLondon Naval Treaty in 1930.[3]
The threeChesters were the US Navy's only ships to be commissioned with the "scout cruiser" (hull classification symbol non-standard at the time, CS or SCR are sometimes used) designation, and were characterized by high speed and little armor or armament. They were also the last cruisers of any type built for the US Navy until the firstOmaha-class cruisers were laid down in 1917 (the Navy concentrated on buildingdreadnought battleships anddestroyers in the interim). The first threeOmaha-class ships were also designated "scout cruisers" (CS or SCR) when ordered, but before any were launched the Navy revised its classification system and they and theChesters became "light cruisers" (CL).[2][3]
The as-built armament included two5 in (127 mm)/50 caliber Mark 6 guns,[5] six3 in (76 mm)/50 caliberrapid fire (RF) guns,[6] and two21 inch (533 mm)torpedo tubes.[1] The original design featured a uniform gun armament of twelve 3-inch guns, which was supported by the Navy'sGeneral Board as simplifyingfire control and echoing the uniform main and secondary armaments ofdreadnought battleships. However, two 5-inch guns were substituted for six of the 3-inch guns, apparently to enable the scout cruisers to fight foreign light cruisers.[2] Notably, for the first time in US cruiser design smaller caliber weapons (6-pounder and smaller) were not fitted.
The armor of these ships was very light. A 2 in (51 mm) belt extended 9.5 ft (2.9 m) above the waterline in the engine and generator room area, 6.5 ft (2.0 m) above the waterline in the boiler room area, and 3.25 ft (1 m) below the waterline for its entire length.[2] There was no protective deck, only a 1 in (25 mm) deck above the steering gear.[2]
The three ships had different propulsion plants so they could be compared:Chester was the first major combatant in the USN to receivesteam turbine propulsion of theParsons type,Salem receivedCurtis turbines, andBirmingham traditionaltriple-expansion engines. The design speed was 24 kn (27.6 mph; 44.4 km/h) for the triple-expansion ship and up to 25 kn (28.8 mph; 46.3 km/h) for the turbine ships.[2]
Chester had twelve coal-firedNormand boilers and Parsonsdirect-drive steam turbines totaling 23,000 shp (17,000 kW) on four shafts.[1][failed verification] She made 26.52 kn (30.5 mph; 49.1 km/h) on trials at an estimated 16,000 shp (12,000 kW).[2]
Birmingham had twelve coal-fired Fore River boilers supplying 275 psi (1,900 kPa) steam to two four-cylinder verticaltriple-expansion engines totaling 16,000 ihp (12,000 kW) (design) on two shafts.[2][7] She made 24.33 kn (28.0 mph; 45.1 km/h) on trials at 15,670 ihp (11,690 kW).[2]
Salem had twelve coal-fired Fore River boilers and Curtis direct-drive steam turbines totaling 23,900 shp (17,800 kW) (design) on two shafts.[2][7][failed verification] She made 25.95 kn (29.9 mph; 48.1 km/h) on trials at 22,242 shp (16,586 kW).[2]
Normal coal capacity was 475 tons, which could be increased to 1,400 tons.[1]
All three ships were refitted in 1917 to prepare for service in World War I.Salem had her main engines replaced with a 20,000 shp (15,000 kW)General Electricgearedsteam turbine installation due to high coal consumption. All three received an armament upgrade, with four new5-inch (127 mm)/51 caliber guns replacing the 5-inch/50 caliber guns as well as two of the 3-inch/50 caliber ,[8] two 3-inch/50 caliber single-purpose guns (four being removed), and two3-inch/50 caliberanti-aircraft guns added.[9] The submerged torpedo tubes were retained.[1][10]
The three ships of theChester class were:[1][3]
| Ship | Shipyard | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USS Chester (CS-1) | Bath Iron Works,Bath, Maine | 25 September 1905 | 26 June 1907 | 25 April 1908 | 10 June 1921 | RenamedYork 10 July 1928, sold for scrap 13 May 1930 |
| USS Birmingham (CS-2) | Fore River Shipyard,Quincy, Massachusetts | 14 August 1905 | 29 May 1907 | 11 April 1908 | 1 December 1923 | Sold for scrap 13 May 1930 |
| USS Salem (CS-3) | Fore River Shipyard,Quincy, Massachusetts | 28 August 1905 | 27 July 1907 | 1 August 1908 | 16 August 1921 | Sold for scrap 11 February 1930 |
On 17 July 1920 these ships were reclassified with the newhull numbersCL-1 throughCL-3 (light cruisers). On 10 July 1928Chester was renamedYork to free the name forUSS Chester (CA-27).[3]
This article incorporates text from thepublic domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.