Allied Battleships of World War II

beam � e most extreme width (or breadth) of a nautical vessel

class A group of ships of similar design

displacement � e weight of the water that a ship displaces when it is � oating with its fuel tanks full and all stores aboard

draught � e vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull

knot Nautical mile (1 knot = 1.150779 miles)

pdr Pounder (weight of shell � red by a gun)

sha� Propeller sha�

shp Sha� horsepower—the power delivered to the propeller sha� s

Naval Terminology

Ships Maryland, Colorado, Washington, and West Virginia

Launched 1920–1921

Dimensions Length: 624� Beam: 97� 5inDraught: 30� 2in

Displacement 32,600 tons

Armament Main: 8 x 16in gunsSecondary: 12 x 5in guns, 8 x 3in guns, and

2 x 21in torpedoes

Machinery 8 boilers, 4 sha� s, 26,800shp

Speed 21 knots

Crew 1,083 men

Colorado Class

Ships North Carolina and Washington

Launched 1940

Dimensions Length: 728� 9inBeam: 108� 4inDraught: 33�

Displacement 37,484 tons

Armament Main: 9 x 16in gunsSecondary: 20 x 5in guns, 16 x 1.1in guns, and

12 x .5in guns

Machinery 8 boilers, 4 sha� s, 121,000shp

Speed 28 knots

Crew 1,880 men

North Carolina Class

Ships South Dakota, Indiana, Massachusetts, and Alabama

Launched 1941-1942

Dimensions Length: 680� Beam: 108� Draught: 35�

Displacement 37,970 tons

Armament Main: 9 x 16in gunsSecondary: 20 x 5in guns and numerous

lighter guns

Machinery 8 boilers, 4 sha� s, 130,000shp

Speed 27.5 knots

Crew 1,793 men

South Dakota Class

Ships Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin

Launched 1942-1944

Dimensions Length: 887� Beam: 108� Draught: 36� 2in

Displacement 48,110 tons

Armament Main: 9 x 16in gunsSecondary: 20 x 5in guns, 80 x 1.57in guns,

and 50 x .79in guns

Machinery 8 boilers, 4 sha� s, 212,000shp

Speed 33 knots

Crew 1,921 men

Iowa Class

Ships Hood

Launched 1918

Dimensions Length: 860� Beam: 105� Draught: 28�

Displacement 42,670 tons

Armament Main: 8 x 15in gunsSecondary: 12 x 5.5in guns, 4 x 4in guns,

and 6x 21in torpedoes

Machinery 24 boilers, 4 sha� s, 144,00shp

Speed 31 knots

Crew 1,477 men

Admiral Class

Ships Queen Elizabeth, Warspite, Valiant, Barham, and Malaya

Launched 1913-1915

Dimensions Length: 645� 9inBeam: 90� 6inDraught: 28� 9in

Displacement 27,500 tons

Armament Main: 8 x 15in gunsSecondary: 16 x 6in guns, 2 x 3in guns, and

4 x 3pdr guns

Machinery 24 boilers, 4 sha� s, 75,000shp

Speed 25 knots

Crew 925 men

Queen Elizabeth Class

Ships Ramillies, Resolution, Revenge, Royal Oak, and Royal Sovereign

Launched 1914-1916

Dimensions Length: 624� Beam: 88� 6inDraught: 28� 6in

Displacement 28,000 tons

Armament Main: 8 x 15in gunsSecondary: 14 x 6in guns and 4 x 21in

torpedoes

Machinery 18 boilers, 4 sha� s, 40,000shp

Speed 21 knots

Crew 908-997 men

Revenge Class

Ships Nelson and Rodney

Launched 1925

Dimensions Length: 710� Beam: 106� Draught: 33� 6in

Displacement 33,313 tons

Armament Main: 9 x 16in gunsSecondary: 12 x 6in guns, 6 x 4.7in guns,

and 2 x 24.5in torpedoes

Machinery 8 boilers, 2 sha� s, 45,000shp

Speed 23 knots

Crew 1,314 men

Nelson Class

Ships King George V, Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Anson, and Howe

Launched 1939-40

Dimensions Length: 745� Beam: 103� Draught: 29�

Displacement 36,727 tons

Armament Main: 10 x 14in gunsSecondary: 16 x 5.25in guns and 32 x 2pdr

guns

Machinery 8 boilers, 4 sha� s, 110,00shp

Speed 28 knots

Crew 1,422 men

King George V Class