Worcester class with triple turrets.

[JFC Fuller]

The Worcester class were laid down for the USN at the very end of WW2 and ultimately only two entered service. Conceptually they were very similar the 6 inch cruisers being considered for the RN at the time in that they carried rapid firing DP guns. The ships had a rather awkward layout of 6 centre line turrets producing a very long vessel whilst only two of the turrets were super firing.

However, Navweaps makes reference to a planned development using an improved gun design similar to the 8 inch used on the Des Moines class in triple turrets that would have offered a higher RoF. Had this been adopted in a 4 turret configuration it woud have solved a number of issues.

http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_6-47DP_mk16.htm

Does anybody have any further information, details, or even better pictures?

Thank you in advance sealordlawrence.

 

[Hoo-2b-2day]

Conway's Warship number 14 (April 1980) has an excellent article on the troubled development of the Worcester class and its weapons written by Norman Friedman.

This article is also in the combined volume for 1980 Warship IV.

This article is an excellent example of the problems of conflicting requirements of a design including that of size and cost.

 

[Grey Havoc]

On a interesting side note, from another thread:

Off the direct topic, but there's some interesting stuff in that meeting between King and Forrestal, such as King* saying he doesn't really like the 6" DP cruisers (Worcester class) and would prefer the 5"/54 ones (CL-154 class), despite this meeting happening in the same month the CL-154s were cancelled.

* And Horne, who was VCNO.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Doesn't help that the 6"/47DP twin mount weighed a lot more than the 6"/47 triple:

These guns did not prove reliable in service, possibly because of the high rate of fire and need for any-elevation loading. Another contributing cause was that they used a dual projectile hoist system - one for AP and one for HC/AA shells - which proved to be a source of jamming. And the dual-purpose performance came at a steep price in weight, with these twin turrets weighing about 20% more than the triple turrets used on the previous Cleveland class.

Quote: http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_6-47DP_mk16.php

Can't imagine how heavy a 6"/47DP triple mount would be, probably as heavy as the 8"/55 turrets!

 

[Tzoli]

Doesn't help that the 6"/47DP twin mount weighed a lot more than the 6"/47 triple:


Quote: http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_6-47DP_mk16.php

Can't imagine how heavy a 6"/47DP triple mount would be, probably as heavy as the 8"/55 turrets!

Weight 2b	Brooklyn and St. Louis classes: 154 to 167 tons (156 to 170 mt) Cleveland and Fargo classes: 165 to 173 tons (168 to 176 mt)

 

[BlackBat242]

Weight 2b	Brooklyn and St. Louis classes: 154 to 167 tons (156 to 170 mt) Cleveland and Fargo classes: 165 to 173 tons (168 to 176 mt)

That's for the historic 6"/47 triple mounts - not the hypothetical fully-automatic triple version being proposed.

We need to take the Baltimore/Oregon City 8"/55 triple mount weight, compare it to the Des Moines' 8"/55 automatic triple mount weight - then apply that ratio to the Cleveland/Fargo 6"/47 triple mount to find a ballpark figure for the proposed 6"/47 fully-automatic version.

Bal/OC: 303 tons
DM: 451 tons

8" ratio: 1.5:1

Cl/Fa: 165-173 tons
Using 170 as an average weight, that gives 255-256 tons for the new 6"/47 fully-automatic turrets.

4x that gives 1,022 tons for a 4x3 layout vs the historic 1,251 tons for the 6x2 layout of the Worchesters.

 

[Firefinder]

That's for the historic 6"/47 triple mounts - not the hypothetical fully-automatic triple version being proposed.

We need to take the Baltimore/Oregon City 8"/55 triple mount weight, compare it to the Des Moines' 8"/55 automatic triple mount weight - then apply that ratio to the Cleveland/Fargo 6"/47 triple mount to find a ballpark figure for the proposed 6"/47 fully-automatic version.

Bal/OC: 303 tons
DM: 451 tons

8" ratio: 1.5:1

Cl/Fa: 165-173 tons
Using 170 as an average weight, that gives 255-256 tons for the new 6"/47 fully-automatic turrets.

4x that gives 1,022 tons for a 4x3 layout vs the historic 1,251 tons for the 6x2 layout of the Worchesters.

Then again thats for turrets made in tge mid 1940s.

The USN did design a light weight version of the DM Turrets in the 50s that they never could get the budget to put on anything.

 

[Tzoli]

Then again thats for turrets made in tge mid 1940s.

The USN did design a light weight version of the DM Turrets in the 50s that they never could get the budget to put on anything.

Intriguing!
Was it a complete redesign or just minimal armour version? say 0.5-1" splinter protection?

 

[Firefinder]

Intriguing!
Was it a complete redesign or just minimal armour version? say 0.5-1" splinter protection?

Not a damn clue, there is like 5 lines in Friedman Cruisers on it in one of the post WW2 sections and a handful of mentions else.

With the most on it in the Typhon cruiser section, specifically the Des Moines refit with one to replace turret on for the refut spec so the ship could have the 2 Tryphon LR launchers, 2 MR launchers, 2 twin 5s and an triple 8 inch automatic.


There mlbout as much information on it as the three barrel 6 inch autoloader this thread about.