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MAHAN CLASS DESTROYERS
The Mahan
class were 18 standard fleet destroyers, all
commissioned in 1936-1937. They had a new steam propulsion
system, lighter and more efficient and soon a standard
of USN destroyers. All Mahan class ships saw action in the Pacific, earning collectively 111 battle stars.
The Mahan
class
typically had a tripod foremast with a pole mainmast. To
improve the anti-aircraft field of fire, their tripod
foremast was constructed without nautical rigging. The
Mahans were fitted with the first emergency generators.
Gun crew shelters were built for the superimposed
weapons, one shelter before the bridge and one atop the
shelter deck aft.
The Mahan
class destroyer's overall length was 341 feet 3 inches. They were powered
by General Electric geared steam turbines that gave a
maximum speed of 37 knots. Their wartime complement was
approximately 250 officers and enlisted men.
In January
1945, as part of the anti-Kamikaze refit program,
removal of the two waist torpedo tubes was authorized,
providing enough weight margin to replace the two 40 mm
twin mounts with quads. Ultimately only USS Lamson was
modified to this configuration. In June, removal of the
third centerline tube was authorized to make way for two
40 mm twin mounts abreast of the aft stack for a total
of two quad and two twin mounts. All Oerlikons were
removed except two mounts forward of the bridge,
upgraded from singles to twins. Only Shaw received the
twelve Bofors configuration, and when inclined after the
refit she was found to be too top-heavy and had to land
one of her 5-inch/38s. This largely negated the improved
anti-aircraft armament and Commander Destroyers Pacific
insisted she be reassigned to the Atlantic Fleet. All Mahan
class
ships receiving these AA modifications were to have
additional directors installed with their new 40 mm
mounts; these Mark 51s were to be replaced by new
blind-firing GFFC Mark 63 installations with radar, but
USS Shaw at minimum retained four Mark 51s.
There were
some unique modifications to individual Mahan class
destroyers, but the
most noteworthy are the rebuilt USS Cassin and USS Downes. The
original hulls were damaged beyond repair at Pearl
Harbor and scrapped, but the machinery and main
batteries were largely undamaged and installed in two
new-built hulls at Mare Island. These rebuilt ships
retained only two quadruple torpedo tubes (both mounted
on the centerline above the main deck) and had six
rather than five Oerlikons (four rather than three on
the bridge), but otherwise had the same four 5-inch/38s
and two twin Bofors of a typical Mahan class in 1943/1944.
These ships also had a new British-style bridge like
those being mounted on 5-inch destroyer escorts, rebuilt
1,850 ton "leaders", and the new Sumner class
destroyers. These were also the only two Mahans to mount
the Mark 37 director for their 5-inch guns.
USS Cassin
(DD-372) was commissioned on April 21, 1937. After
reconstruction, USS Cassin was fitted with a SC radar, a
SG and Mk 12.22 radars. During World War II, Cassin
served in the Atlantic theater, participating in the
Neutrality Patrol, the invasion of North Africa, the
invasion of Sicily, and the invasion of Italy. She also
took part in the Normandy landings and the invasion of
southern France.
Cassin was heavily damaged during the Normandy landings
when she was hit by a German shore battery. She was
repaired and returned to service in 1944. She earned six
battle stars for her service during World War II. After
the war,USS Cassin served as a training ship and was
eventually decommissioned in 1946.
We accept
commissions to build any ships of the Mahan class in two
sizes: 28.5" long (1/144 scale) and A 41" long
(1/100 scale). An USS Cassin model will be completed
soon.
Learn more about the
Mahan class ship here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahan-class_destroyer
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