Крейсера типа «Нортгемптон»

Ship class

The Northampton class cruisers were a group of six heavy cruisers built for the United States Navy, and commissioned between 1928 and 1931. The Northamptons saw much action in World War II. Three (Northampton, Chicago, and Houston) were lost during the war. The other three were decommissioned soon after the end of the war, and scrapped in 1959–1961.

The design of the ships was heavily influenced by the Washington Naval Treaty, which limited cruisers to a maximum of 10,000 tons displacement and a maximum main battery caliber of The Northamptons were a reaction to the weight and cost of the immediately preceding , differing in several ways. The Pensacolas mounted a main battery of 10 guns in four turrets, a twin and superfiring triple fore and aft. In contrast, the Northamptons mounted 9 guns in three triple turrets, two forward and one aft, the layout followed in all subsequent U. S. heavy cruisers. Although armor was increased, the Northamptons turned out to be lighter than the Pensacolas, and nearly 1,000 tons below the treaty limitations. Freeboard was increased in the Northamptons by adopting a high forecastle, which was extended aft in the last three for use as flagships. These ships were also the first U. S. ships to adopt a hangar for aircraft, and bunks instead of hammocks. Their lighter than expected weight caused them to roll excessively, which necessitated the fitting of deep bilge keels. The immediately following was essentially a modified Northampton.

+ Construction data Ship name Hull no. (hull number) Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned FateNorthamptonCA 26Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts12 April 19285 September 192917 May 1930Sunk in the Battle of Tassafaronga, 30 November 1942ChesterCA 27New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey6 March 19283 July 192924 June 193010 June 1946Struck 1 March 1959; Sold for scrap, 11 August 1959LouisvilleCA 28Puget Sound Navy Yard4 July 19281 September 193015 January 193117 June 1946Struck 1 March 1959; Sold for scrap, 14 September 1959ChicagoCA 29Mare Island Naval Shipyard10 September 192810 April 19309 March 1931rowspan=2 Sunk during the Battle of Rennell Island, 30 January 1943HoustonCA 30Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company1 May 19287 September 192917 June 1930Sunk in the Battle of Sunda Strait, 1 March 1942AugustaCA 312 July 19281 February 193030 January 193116 July 1946Struck 1 March 1959; Sold for scrap, 9 November 1959