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Several designs were canceled or changed considerably either due to changes brought about by the Great War, or the Cleito Treaty. The Lexington Class Battlecruisers went through several design changes before two were completed, two converted to carriers, and two scrapped on the ways. The South Dakota Class Battleships were scrapped incomplete as a result of the Treaty.

Original 1917 Design

A bizarre seven-funneled design with boilers both below and above the armor deck due to space requirements. Very lightly armored.

Lexington CC-1: Completed to modified design
Constellation CC-2: Completed as CV-3
Saratoga CC-3: Completed to modified design
Ranger CC-4: Completed as CV-2
Constitution CC-5: Scrapped on the ways, machinery used in liner Liberty
United States CC-6: Scrapped on the ways, machinery used in liner Columbia

USS Lexington Original, United States Battlecruiser laid down 1917

Displacement:
32,416 t light; 34,467 t standard; 36,368 t normal; 37,888 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
874.00 ft / 850.00 ft x 91.00 ft x 34.00 ft (normal load)
266.40 m / 259.08 m x 27.74 m x 10.36 m

Armament:
4 - 14.00" / 356 mm guns (2x2 guns), 1,372.00lbs / 622.33kg shells, 1917 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
6 - 14.00" / 356 mm guns (2x3 guns), 1,372.00lbs / 622.33kg shells, 1917 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread
20 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 62.50lbs / 28.35kg shells, 1917 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 8 raised mounts
4 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns in single mounts, 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1917 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 15,024 lbs / 6,815 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
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: 5.00" / 127 mm 464.95 ft / 141.72 m 11.45 ft / 3.49 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 84 % of normal length
Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

- Torpedo Bulkhead:
1.00" / 25 mm 464.95 ft / 141.72 m 30.89 ft / 9.42 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 6.00" / 152 mm 3.83" / 97 mm 5.00" / 127 mm
2nd: 6.00" / 152 mm 3.83" / 97 mm 5.00" / 127 mm

- Armour deck: 1.50" / 38 mm, Conning tower: 5.00" / 127 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 4 shafts, 232,747 shp / 173,629 Kw = 35.00 kts
Range 12,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 3,422 tons

Complement:
1,316 - 1,711

Cost:
£7.103 million / $28.411 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1,878 tons, 5.2 %
Armour: 4,777 tons, 13.1 %
- Belts: 1,147 tons, 3.2 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 531 tons, 1.5 %
- Armament: 1,571 tons, 4.3 %
- Armour Deck: 1,410 tons, 3.9 %
- Conning Tower: 118 tons, 0.3 %
Machinery: 8,532 tons, 23.5 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 17,080 tons, 47.0 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,952 tons, 10.9 %
Miscellaneous weights: 150 tons, 0.4 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
30,235 lbs / 13,714 Kg = 22.0 x 14.0 " / 356 mm shells or 3.1 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.18
Metacentric height 5.9 ft / 1.8 m
Roll period: 15.7 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 43 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.99
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.00

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.484
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.34 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 29.15 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 37
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 35.22 degrees
Stern overhang: -6.00 ft / -1.83 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 34.00 ft / 10.36 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 29.75 ft / 9.07 m
- Mid (75 %): 28.87 ft / 8.80 m
- Quarterdeck (25 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m (28.00 ft / 8.53 m before break)
- Stern: 21.90 ft / 6.68 m
- Average freeboard: 27.77 ft / 8.46 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 152.6 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 207.8 %
Waterplane Area: 50,799 Square feet or 4,719 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 98 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 207 lbs/sq ft or 1,012 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.95
- Longitudinal: 1.56
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

Final, Pre-Cleito, Design

This was the final design of the Lexington, prior to the beginning of negotiations for the Cleito Treaty. As soon as it became clear that the Harding Administration was willing to accept the 15" main gun limit, Naval architects scrambled to redesign the Lexington again to accommodate the twelve 14" guns used in the final design, which was slightly slower and had better armor.
USS Lexington, United States Battlecruiser laid down 1919

Displacement:
40,039 t light; 42,465 t standard; 44,161 t normal; 45,518 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
874.00 ft / 850.00 ft x 100.00 ft (Bulges 105.50 ft) x 31.00 ft (normal load)
266.40 m / 259.08 m x 30.48 m (Bulges 32.16 m) x 9.45 m

Armament:
8 - 16.00" / 406 mm guns (4x2 guns), 2,048.00lbs / 928.96kg shells, 1919 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
16 - 6.00" / 152 mm guns in single mounts, 108.00lbs / 48.99kg 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 18,193 lbs / 8,252 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
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: 7.00" / 178 mm 699.00 ft / 213.06 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Upper: 5.00" / 127 mm 699.00 ft / 213.06 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Main Belt covers 127 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
2.00" / 51 mm 699.00 ft / 213.06 m 28.57 ft / 8.71 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 11.0" / 279 mm 6.33" / 161 mm 9.00" / 229 mm

- Armour deck: 2.00" / 51 mm, Conning tower: 12.00" / 305 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 4 shafts, 225,739 shp / 168,401 Kw = 33.25 kts
Range 10,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 3,053 tons

Complement:
1,523 - 1,980

Cost:
£9.674 million / $38.696 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 2,274 tons, 5.1 %
Armour: 10,476 tons, 23.7 %
- Belts: 3,525 tons, 8.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 1,478 tons, 3.3 %
- Armament: 2,943 tons, 6.7 %
- Armour Deck: 2,207 tons, 5.0 %
- Conning Tower: 323 tons, 0.7 %
Machinery: 8,016 tons, 18.2 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 19,123 tons, 43.3 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 4,122 tons, 9.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 150 tons, 0.3 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
48,393 lbs / 21,951 Kg = 23.6 x 16.0 " / 406 mm shells or 5.9 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.12
Metacentric height 6.2 ft / 1.9 m
Roll period: 17.7 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 54 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.82
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.13

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.556
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.06 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 29.15 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 54 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 48
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 35.22 degrees
Stern overhang: -6.00 ft / -1.83 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 34.00 ft / 10.36 m
- Forecastle (22 %): 29.75 ft / 9.07 m
- Mid (61 %): 28.87 ft / 8.80 m
- Quarterdeck (18 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m (28.00 ft / 8.53 m before break)
- Stern: 21.90 ft / 6.68 m
- Average freeboard: 28.21 ft / 8.60 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 126.4 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 209.3 %
Waterplane Area: 59,655 Square feet or 5,542 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 98 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 212 lbs/sq ft or 1,034 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.97
- Longitudinal: 1.30
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

Pre-Cleito Design

The original design of the Colorado Class was intended to be the United States' first 16" armed battleship. The Harding Administration's decision to accept the 15" limit in the Cleito Treaty was devastating to naval morale and several officers resigned in protest and the treaty barely passed ratification in Congress. The changes required in the Colorado's, already under construction at the time, were relatively minor. They were merely Tennessee's modified to carry twin 16" instead of triple 14" turrets. The Navy simply retrofitted them with 14" triple turrets, making them defacto additions to the Tennessee Class, and almost all naval journals and even official documents merge them with the Tennessee and California as a single class of six.

USS Colorado, United States Battleship laid down 1917

Displacement:
25,704 t light; 27,739 t standard; 28,793 t normal; 29,636 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
624.08 ft / 600.00 ft x 97.40 ft x 30.20 ft (normal load)
190.22 m / 182.88 m x 29.69 m x 9.20 m

Armament:
8 - 16.00" / 406 mm guns (4x2 guns), 2,048.00lbs / 928.96kg shells, 1917 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
14 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 62.50lbs / 28.35kg shells, 1917 Model
Breech loading guns in casemate mounts
on side, all amidships, 4 raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns in single mounts, 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1917 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 17,313 lbs / 7,853 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
2 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 13.5" / 343 mm 364.00 ft / 110.95 m 11.84 ft / 3.61 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 93 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead:
2.00" / 51 mm 364.00 ft / 110.95 m 28.91 ft / 8.81 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 18.0" / 457 mm 7.50" / 191 mm 13.0" / 330 mm

- Armour deck: 3.50" / 89 mm, Conning tower: 16.00" / 406 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 4 shafts, 33,658 shp / 25,109 Kw = 21.00 kts
Range 8,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,897 tons

Complement:
1,104 - 1,436

Cost:
£5.255 million / $21.020 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 2,164 tons, 7.5 %
Armour: 9,717 tons, 33.7 %
- Belts: 2,595 tons, 9.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 779 tons, 2.7 %
- Armament: 3,326 tons, 11.6 %
- Armour Deck: 2,693 tons, 9.4 %
- Conning Tower: 324 tons, 1.1 %
Machinery: 1,234 tons, 4.3 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 12,439 tons, 43.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,089 tons, 10.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 150 tons, 0.5 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
37,331 lbs / 16,933 Kg = 18.2 x 16.0 " / 406 mm shells or 6.1 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.04
Metacentric height 5.2 ft / 1.6 m
Roll period: 18.0 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 62 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.98
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.51

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
Block coefficient: 0.571
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.16 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 24.49 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 43 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 41
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 44.50 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 24.50 ft / 7.47 m
- Forecastle (23 %): 24.50 ft / 7.47 m
- Mid (58 %): 24.50 ft / 7.47 m (16.60 ft / 5.06 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (19 %): 16.60 ft / 5.06 m
- Stern: 16.60 ft / 5.06 m
- Average freeboard: 21.21 ft / 6.47 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 93.1 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 153.6 %
Waterplane Area: 41,596 Square feet or 3,864 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 97 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 212 lbs/sq ft or 1,037 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.94
- Longitudinal: 1.86
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

These would have been America's most powerful and fastest battleships, but fell victim to Cleito. There was some consideration given to completing at least two of the ships as either fast battleships with 12x14" guns and a speed of 28kts, or with quadruple 14" turrets and increased armor. The Harding Administration wanted to cut costs in the post-war environment and instead ordered all six scrapped on the building ways.

South Dakota BB-49 Laid down 1919 Scrapped incomplete 1921
Indiana BB-50 Laid down 1919 Scrapped incomplete 1921
Montana BB-51 Laid down 1919 Scrapped incomplete 1921
North Carolina BB-52 Laid down 1919 Scrapped incomplete 1921
Iowa BB-53 Laid down 1920 Scrapped incomplete 1921
Massachusetts BB-54 Laid down 1920 Scrapped incomplete 1921

USS South Dakota, United States Battleship laid down 1919

Displacement:
36,528 t light; 39,573 t standard; 40,831 t normal; 41,837 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
684.32 ft / 660.00 ft x 106.00 ft x 33.00 ft (normal load)
208.58 m / 201.17 m x 32.31 m x 10.06 m

Armament:
12 - 16.00" / 406 mm guns (4x3 guns), 2,048.00lbs / 928.96kg shells, 1919 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
16 - 6.00" / 152 mm guns in single mounts, 108.00lbs / 48.99kg shells, 1919 Model
Breech loading guns in casemate mounts
on side, all amidships, 8 raised mounts - superfiring
8 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns in single mounts, 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1919 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 26,412 lbs / 11,980 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
2 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 13.5" / 343 mm 440.00 ft / 134.11 m 12.35 ft / 3.76 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 103 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead:
3.00" / 76 mm 440.00 ft / 134.11 m 31.46 ft / 9.59 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 18.0" / 457 mm 8.00" / 203 mm 13.5" / 343 mm

- Armour deck: 3.20" / 81 mm, Conning tower: 16.00" / 406 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 4 shafts, 58,209 shp / 43,424 Kw = 23.00 kts
Range 8,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 2,264 tons

Complement:
1,436 - 1,867

Cost:
£9.472 million / $37.886 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 3,302 tons, 8.1 %
Armour: 13,132 tons, 32.2 %
- Belts: 3,206 tons, 7.9 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 1,537 tons, 3.8 %
- Armament: 4,897 tons, 12.0 %
- Armour Deck: 3,083 tons, 7.6 %
- Conning Tower: 409 tons, 1.0 %
Machinery: 2,067 tons, 5.1 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 17,757 tons, 43.5 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 4,303 tons, 10.5 %
Miscellaneous weights: 271 tons, 0.7 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
49,563 lbs / 22,482 Kg = 24.2 x 16.0 " / 406 mm shells or 7.6 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.09
Metacentric height 6.4 ft / 2.0 m
Roll period: 17.5 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 45 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.99
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.37

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
Block coefficient: 0.619
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.23 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 25.69 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 46 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 30
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 37.50 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 (24 %): 30.00 ft / 9.14 m
- Mid (49 %): 29.20 ft / 8.90 m (20.00 ft / 6.10 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (18 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Stern: 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Average freeboard: 24.99 ft / 7.62 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 99.6 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 166.7 %
Waterplane Area: 52,081 Square feet or 4,839 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 93 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 240 lbs/sq ft or 1,174 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.94
- Longitudinal: 1.89
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily