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Click On Image For Full Size	Size	Image Description		Source
Planning & Models 1910 / 1920
014941	3.85k	Bridge Deck & Stowage of Boats South Dakota (BB-49), 20 September 1910.		National Archives Identifier: 109182441 Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
014940	2.87k	Bridges Plans for the South Dakota (BB-49), September 1911.		National Archives Identifier: 109182443 Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
	NR	GIGANTIC PROJECTED AMERICAN WARSHIPS WILL OUTCLASS WORLD'S GREATEST VESSELS With the picture of the battle cruiser (upper picture) is shown that of the new projected battleship of the Colorado (BB-45), Maryland (BB-46), West Virginia (BB-48) and Washington (BB-47). They will be vessels of 32,600 tons, With twenty-one knots speed and carrying eight sixteen inch guns each. There will be twenty-two smaller guns besides four anti-air craft guns and torpedo tubes. Big as these ships will be they will be outclassed by the three still newer battleships already authorized, the ships of the 49, 50, 51 class.		Image and text provided by Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, OH. Photo from The Democratic Banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 26 December 1916, Image 1, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	60k	Artwork of a (BB-49 / 54) class battleship design, by F. Muller. The ships of this class, whose construction was canceled in 1922 under the terms of the Naval Limitations Treaty, were: South Dakota (BB-49); Indiana (BB-50); Montana (BB-51); North Carolina (BB-52); Iowa (BB-53); Massachusetts (BB-54).		USN Historical Center # NH 44895.
	69k	Plan one of three proposed versions of South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) of December 1916 portray different possible versions for the Fiscal Year of 1918. Note the projected use of twin mounts for the secondary battery in Schemes 1 & 3. The latter was quite radical; the greatly enlarged No.2 barbette would have doubled as a conning tower, with conning tower functions limited to an annulus around the barbette proper. The very limited secondary battery would have been raised on platforms. The other two schemes show the unsatisfactory location of the foremast directly on top of the conning tower, which it would have fouled had it been damaged in action. All of these designs show four separate smoke stacks.		Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	109k	Plan two of three proposed versions of South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) of December 1916 portray different possible versions for the Fiscal Year of 1918. Note the projected use of twin mounts for the secondary battery in Schemes 1 & 3. The latter was quite radical; the greatly enlarged No.2 barbette would have doubled as a conning tower, with conning tower functions limited to an annulus around the barbette proper. The very limited secondary battery would have been raised on platforms. The other two schemes show the unsatisfactory location of the foremast directly on top of the conning tower, which it would have fouled had it been damaged in action. All of these designs show four separate smoke stacks.		Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	78k	Plan three of three proposed versions of South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) of December 1916 portray different possible versions for the Fiscal Year of 1918. Note the projected use of twin mounts for the secondary battery in Schemes 1 & 3. The latter was quite radical; the greatly enlarged No.2 barbette would have doubled as a conning tower, with conning tower functions limited to an annulus around the barbette proper. The very limited secondary battery would have been raised on platforms. The other two schemes show the unsatisfactory location of the foremast directly on top of the conning tower, which it would have fouled had it been damaged in action. All of these designs show four separate smoke stacks.		Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	133k	Starboard and overhead views of the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54), 1919 line drawing by A.L. Raven.		Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	144k	Inboard profile view and cutout of the propulsion system of the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54), 1919 line drawing by A.L. Raven.		Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	133k	Battleship 1919, the South Dakota as designed, dated 3 May 1918. The letter "A" indicates that this is design A, to be compared with a range of fast capital ships. They were rejected by the General Board, which felt that a true fast battleship would be so revolutionary as to make all existing capital ships obsolete. This wartime design was substantially that chosen when the ships were actually laid down.		Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	970k	The following eight photos are appropriately battleship size. Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51401 shows Contract Plan No.1 for the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships; entitled "Lines and Molded Offsets", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside and a bottom view of this class's keel plus size's of the ships interior compartments. Note that the signature of the Acting Sec. of Navy in the bottom right section was the soon to be 32nd President of the U.S., Franklin Delano Roosevelt.		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	1.70k	Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51402A shows Contract Plan No.2 for the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships; entitled "Midship Section & Type Details", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside and a bottom view of this class's keel plus size's of the ships interior compartments.		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	1.20k	Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51402B shows Contract Plan No.2 for the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships; entitled "Midship Section & Type Details", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside and a bottom view of this class's keel plus size's of the ships interior compartments.		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	611k	Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51403 shows Contract Plan No.3 for the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships; entitled "Outboard Profile", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside view of this class and is the same drawing as above, but in much more detail.		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	1.00k	Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51404 shows Contract Plan No.4 for the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships; entitled "Inboard Profile", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features a broadside view of this class and is the same drawing as above, but in much more detail. Note also the very unique rudder cross-head details designed for these ships.		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo & partial text courtesy of Bob Darby.
	2.40k	Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51405 shows Contract Plan No.5 for the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships; entitled "Structure, Upper Decks & Bridges", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features detailed views of these areas.		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	2.70k	Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51406 shows Contract Plan No.6 for the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships; entitled "Main & Second Decks", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features detailed views of these areas.		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	2.40k	Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51407 shows Contract Plan No.7 for the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships; entitled "Third Deck & First Platform", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features detailed views of these areas.		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	4.00k	Bureau of Construction and Repair drawing # 51409 shows Contract Plan No.9 for the South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships; entitled "Cross Sections", and is dated 25 April 1919. It features detailed views of these areas.		NARA RG19: South Dakota BB-49 (Alph File) Records of the Bureau of Ships documents. Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	106k	"What the Navy is Doing" poster, cica 1919.		USN Historical Center # 80-WP-975.
	103k	"16 Inch Guns for Our Dreadnoughts" Poster from the "What the Navy is Doing" series, published by the Navy Recruiting Bureau, New York, circa 1919. It depicts the manufacture of 16"/50 guns at the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., for installation in the Lexington (CC-1) class battle cruisers and South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships then planned or in early stages of construction. Also shown are pictures of the battle cruiser design, a firing test at Indian Head, Maryland, and the effect of 16-inch shells on heavy armor.		USN Historical Center # 80-WP-1002.
	1.36k	An announcement issued by Acting Secretary Roosevelt said: "Today the navy placed with the Carnegie Steel Company an order for about 14,000 tons of steel required for beginning construction before 1 July 1919, of battleships 49, 50, 51 and 52, ordered constructed at the New York, Norfolk and Mare Island navy yards.		Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New York Tribune (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 15 May 1919, Image 10, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	NR	THE WORLD'S GREATEST SUPER DREADNOUGHTS Above is the silhouette of the new heavily armored battleships. South Dakota (BB-49), Indiana (BB-50), Montana (BB-51), North Carolina (BB-52), Iowa (BB-53) & Massachusetts (BB-54).		Image and text provided by University of Florida. Photo from The Ocala Evening Star (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 21 July 1920, Image 1, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	62k	Official model of a South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleship, circa 1920.		Photo from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19N) Box 33. Courtesy of Dan Treadwell.
	NR	SECRETARY DENBY MAKES TOUR OF INSPECTION OF WASHINGTON NAVY YARD. As a result of the conference on limitation of armament, this spot in the Washington navy yard may become the "graveyard" of the Navy Department. Photograph shows finished guns of various calibers. Intended for battleships yet to be built by Uncle Sam. The Secretary is accompanied by Admiral Coontz, chief of naval operations; Admiral McVay, chief of the bureau of ordnance, and other Navy officials.		Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo & text by Evening Star.([volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 19 December 1921, Image 2, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
015405	441k	One of the turret shells of Massachusetts (BB-54) at the Bethlehem Steel factory, 1920's.		Photo courtesy of 64.media.tumblr.com via Daniel Hacker.
	64k	Artist's sketch of this class of ship underway. Painting by Rose Stokes, 1922.		USN Historical Center # NH 63502-KN.
	63k	Bow view of a computer generated model based on the earlier drawings of South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships.		Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	62k	Starboard stern view computer generated model based on the earlier drawings of South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships.		Photo courtesy of Bob Darby.
	945k	South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleship. As the model appears at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Carderock, Bethesda, MD.		Photo courtesy of Dan Treadwell.