In 1938, Lexington and Saratoga will begin a major refit that will last two years. Main battery will be changed to twin 16" turrets, with 5"/38 secondaries. Superstructure is a hybrid of North Carolina with Iowa funnels.
USS Lexington, United States Battlecruiser laid down 1919 (Engine 1938)
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