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USS Lexington, United States Battlecruiser laid down 1919

Displacement:
40,585 t light; 42,587 t standard; 43,982 t normal; 45,098 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
870.24 ft / 850.00 ft x 100.00 ft (Bulges 105.00 ft) x 32.00 ft (normal load)
265.25 m / 259.08 m x 30.48 m (Bulges 32.00 m) x 9.75 m

Armament:
12 - 14.00" / 356 mm guns (4x3 guns), 1,575.00lbs / 714.41kg shells, 1919 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
16 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 62.50lbs / 28.35kg shells, 1919 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, 8 raised mounts - superfiring
6 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns in single mounts, 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1919 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts
Weight of broadside 19,981 lbs / 9,063 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 100
4 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes, 4 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 624.00 ft / 190.20 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 113 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
3.00" / 76 mm 624.00 ft / 190.20 m 29.00 ft / 8.84 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 13.0" / 330 mm 6.00" / 152 mm 12.0" / 305 mm

- Armour deck: 3.00" / 76 mm, Conning tower: 12.00" / 305 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 4 shafts, 191,560 shp / 142,904 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 8,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 2,511 tons

Complement:
1,518 - 1,974

Cost:
£9.197 million / $36.786 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 2,193 tons, 5.0 %
Armour: 12,807 tons, 29.1 %
- Belts: 3,724 tons, 8.5 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 2,009 tons, 4.6 %
- Armament: 3,494 tons, 7.9 %
- Armour Deck: 3,259 tons, 7.4 %
- Conning Tower: 322 tons, 0.7 %
Machinery: 6,803 tons, 15.5 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 18,632 tons, 42.4 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,397 tons, 7.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 150 tons, 0.3 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
48,449 lbs / 21,976 Kg = 35.3 x 14.0 " / 356 mm shells or 6.9 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.06
Metacentric height 5.6 ft / 1.7 m
Roll period: 18.6 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.86
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.07

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.539
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.10 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 29.15 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 51 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 56
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 34.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 30.00 ft / 9.14 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 26.00 ft / 7.92 m
- Mid (50 %): 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
- Quarterdeck (18 %): 17.00 ft / 5.18 m (24.00 ft / 7.32 m before break)
- Stern: 17.00 ft / 5.18 m
- Average freeboard: 23.72 ft / 7.23 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 112.8 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 174.6 %
Waterplane Area: 58,713 Square feet or 5,455 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 100 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 216 lbs/sq ft or 1,054 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.98
- Longitudinal: 1.13
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

CC-1 USS Lexington 1924
CC-2 USS Saratoga 1924

(Photo courtesy of Alt Naval's website, modified to replace Kingfishers with O2U Corsairs)

Due to being over the legal tonnage limit specified in the Cleito Treaty, the Lexington and Saratoga underwent a refit in 1928-1929 to reduce weight, primarily through reverting to lighter 14" shells. Her revised characteristics are:

USS Lexington, United States Battlecruiser laid down 1919

Displacement:
40,074 t light; 41,913 t standard; 43,295 t normal; 44,401 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
870.57 ft / 850.00 ft x 100.00 ft (Bulges 105.00 ft) x 31.50 ft (normal load)
265.35 m / 259.08 m x 30.48 m (Bulges 32.00 m) x 9.60 m

Armament:
12 - 14.00" / 356 mm guns (4x3 guns), 1,400.00lbs / 635.03kg shells, 1919 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
8 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 62.50lbs / 28.35kg shells, 1919 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships
6 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns in single mounts, 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1919 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts
Weight of broadside 17,381 lbs / 7,884 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 100

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 624.00 ft / 190.20 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 113 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
3.00" / 76 mm 624.00 ft / 190.20 m 29.00 ft / 8.84 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 13.0" / 330 mm 6.00" / 152 mm 12.0" / 305 mm

- Armour deck: 3.00" / 76 mm, Conning tower: 12.00" / 305 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 4 shafts, 189,819 shp / 141,605 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 8,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 2,488 tons

Complement:
1,499 - 1,950

Cost:
£9.024 million / $36.096 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 2,131 tons, 4.9 %
Armour: 12,855 tons, 29.7 %
- Belts: 3,724 tons, 8.6 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 2,009 tons, 4.6 %
- Armament: 3,545 tons, 8.2 %
- Armour Deck: 3,259 tons, 7.5 %
- Conning Tower: 319 tons, 0.7 %
Machinery: 6,741 tons, 15.6 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 18,198 tons, 42.0 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,221 tons, 7.4 %
Miscellaneous weights: 150 tons, 0.3 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
49,637 lbs / 22,515 Kg = 36.2 x 14.0 " / 356 mm shells or 7.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.05
Metacentric height 5.5 ft / 1.7 m
Roll period: 18.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 62 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.80
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.09

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.539
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.10 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 29.15 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 51 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 57
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 34.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 30.50 ft / 9.30 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 26.50 ft / 8.08 m
- Mid (50 %): 24.50 ft / 7.47 m
- Quarterdeck (18 %): 17.50 ft / 5.33 m (24.50 ft / 7.47 m before break)
- Stern: 17.50 ft / 5.33 m
- Average freeboard: 24.22 ft / 7.38 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 110.1 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 186.4 %
Waterplane Area: 58,713 Square feet or 5,455 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 99 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 211 lbs/sq ft or 1,028 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.99
- Longitudinal: 1.12
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

In 1938, Lexington and Saratoga began a major refit that would last two years. Their main guns were replaced with 16" guns and their superstructure was completely replaced with modern towers and 5"/38 turrets.

USS Lexington, United States Battlecruiser laid down 1919 (Engine 193

Displacement:
43,192 t light; 45,849 t standard; 49,053 t normal; 51,617 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
871.54 ft / 850.00 ft x 100.00 ft (Bulges 110.00 ft) x 31.55 ft (normal load)
265.65 m / 259.08 m x 30.48 m (Bulges 33.53 m) x 9.62 m

Armament:
8 - 16.00" / 406 mm guns (4x2 guns), 2,700.00lbs / 1,224.70kg shells, 1938 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
24 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns (12x2 guns), 55.00lbs / 24.95kg shells, 1938 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships, 4 raised mounts - superfiring
16 - 1.10" / 27.9 mm guns (4x4 guns), 0.67lbs / 0.30kg shells, 1938 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
12 - 0.50" / 12.7 mm guns in single mounts, 0.06lbs / 0.03kg shells, 1938 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side ends, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 22,931 lbs / 10,402 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 130

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 624.00 ft / 190.20 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 113 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
3.00" / 76 mm 624.00 ft / 190.20 m 29.00 ft / 8.84 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 13.0" / 330 mm 6.00" / 152 mm 12.0" / 305 mm
2nd: 2.00" / 51 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 2.00" / 51 mm

- Armour deck: 4.50" / 114 mm, Conning tower: 12.00" / 305 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 210,436 shp / 156,985 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 10,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 5,768 tons

Complement:
1,647 - 2,142

Cost:
£9.158 million / $36.632 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 2,237 tons, 4.6 %
Armour: 14,740 tons, 30.0 %
- Belts: 3,732 tons, 7.6 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 2,009 tons, 4.1 %
- Armament: 3,564 tons, 7.3 %
- Armour Deck: 5,089 tons, 10.4 %
- Conning Tower: 346 tons, 0.7 %
Machinery: 5,762 tons, 11.7 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 20,252 tons, 41.3 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,861 tons, 11.9 %
Miscellaneous weights: 200 tons, 0.4 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
66,243 lbs / 30,047 Kg = 32.3 x 16.0 " / 406 mm shells or 10.5 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.10
Metacentric height 6.0 ft / 1.8 m
Roll period: 18.9 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 61 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.87
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.08

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.582
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.73 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 29.15 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 56
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 34.20 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 31.70 ft / 9.66 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 27.70 ft / 8.44 m
- Mid (50 %): 25.70 ft / 7.83 m
- Quarterdeck (18 %): 18.70 ft / 5.70 m (25.70 ft / 7.83 m before break)
- Stern: 18.70 ft / 5.70 m
- Average freeboard: 25.42 ft / 7.75 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 93.4 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 185.2 %
Waterplane Area: 61,129 Square feet or 5,679 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 111 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 222 lbs/sq ft or 1,084 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.98
- Longitudinal: 1.23
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

In 1943, the United States laid down two battlecruiser type ships, USS Alaska and USS Hawaii.

USS Alaska laid down 1943
USS Hawaii laid down 1943

USS Alaska, United States Battlecruiser laid down 1943

Displacement:
34,673 t light; 36,771 t standard; 40,583 t normal; 43,633 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
863.40 ft / 845.00 ft x 102.00 ft x 32.00 ft (normal load)
263.16 m / 257.56 m x 31.09 m x 9.75 m

Armament:
12 - 12.00" / 305 mm guns (4x3 guns), 1,140.00lbs / 517.10kg shells, 1943 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
24 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns (12x2 guns), 55.12lbs / 25.00kg shells, 1943 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships, 6 raised mounts - superfiring
56 - 1.50" / 38.1 mm guns (14x4 guns), 1.69lbs / 0.77kg shells, 1943 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 6 raised mounts
40 - 0.75" / 19.1 mm guns (10 mounts), 0.21lbs / 0.10kg shells, 1943 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 6 raised guns
Weight of broadside 15,106 lbs / 6,852 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 475.00 ft / 144.78 m 12.75 ft / 3.89 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 86 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead:
2.00" / 51 mm 475.00 ft / 144.78 m 28.58 ft / 8.71 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 6.00" / 152 mm 12.0" / 305 mm
2nd: 2.00" / 51 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 2.00" / 51 mm
3rd: 0.50" / 13 mm - -
4th: 0.50" / 13 mm - -

- Armour deck: 5.00" / 127 mm, Conning tower: 12.00" / 305 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 157,241 shp / 117,301 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 15,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 6,861 tons

Complement:
1,429 - 1,858

Cost:
£19.892 million / $79.567 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1,496 tons, 3.7 %
Armour: 12,703 tons, 31.3 %
- Belts: 3,165 tons, 7.8 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 1,005 tons, 2.5 %
- Armament: 2,626 tons, 6.5 %
- Armour Deck: 5,602 tons, 13.8 %
- Conning Tower: 305 tons, 0.8 %
Machinery: 4,061 tons, 10.0 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 15,913 tons, 39.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,910 tons, 14.6 %
Miscellaneous weights: 500 tons, 1.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
63,157 lbs / 28,647 Kg = 73.1 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 9.9 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
Metacentric height 6.6 ft / 2.0 m
Roll period: 16.7 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 56 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.55
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.12

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.515
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.28 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 33.62 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 51 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 19.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 6.00 ft / 1.83 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 36.00 ft / 10.97 m
- Forecastle (25 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Mid (50 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Quarterdeck (21 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Stern: 23.00 ft / 7.01 m
- Average freeboard: 22.18 ft / 6.76 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 79.4 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 163.3 %
Waterplane Area: 60,566 Square feet or 5,627 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 122 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 189 lbs/sq ft or 924 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.98
- Longitudinal: 1.13
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent