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NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive

BB-71 LOUISIANA

Radio Call Sign: November - Foxtrot - Alpha - Mike

Montana Class Battleship: Displacement: 60,500 tons (standard); 70,965 tons (full load). Dimensions: 921' 3" (length overall); 121' 2" (maximum beam). Powerplant: 172,000 horsepower steam turbines, producing a 28 knot maximum speed. Armament (Main Battery): Twelve 16"/50 guns in four triple turrets. Armament (Secondary Battery): Twenty 5"/54 guns in ten twin mountings (ten guns on each side of the ship).

Operational and Building Data: From: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, Vol. IV, p. 148. The building of battleship Louisiana (BB-71), was authorized 19 July 1940, and assigned to the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va.; but, before her keel was laid, construction was canceled 21 July 1943.

Click On Image For Full Size	Size	Image Description	Source
016722	NR	Double Size Battleships Proposed In Navy Program Here is how one of the proposed 65,000-ton battleships would encompass one of the navy's largest modern warships now in service, the half-as-heavy Colorado (BB-45). Five super-battleships, to displace 65,000 tons when fully armed and loaded, are reported included in current naval appropriations	Image and text provided by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC. Photo & text by The Wilmington Morning Star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 24 March 1941, FINAL EDITION, Image 1, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
	108k	Artist's conception of the correct scale between the Iowa class (BB-61 / 66) and the Montana class (BB-67 / 71).	Photo courtesy of deviantart.com via Bryan Fisher.
	56k	Model representing the preliminary design, circa 1940-41. Photographed circa 1943.	Photo # NH 44529, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	62k	Artist's conception of the Montana class (BB-67 / 71) whose construction was cancelled on 21 July 1943. This artwork depicts the ship fitted with a heavy battery of anti-aircraft guns, as would have been the case had she been completed.	Photo # NH 61246, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	54k	Model photographed at the New York Navy Yard, 26 November 1941. It represents the ship with details somewhat changed from the preliminary design seen in the previous photo.	Photo # NH 93912, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	75k	Model photographed at the New York Navy Yard, 26 November 1941. It represents the ship with details somewhat changed from the preliminary design seen in the previous photo.	Photo # NH 93913, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	63k	Model photographed at the New York Navy Yard, 26 November 1941. It represents the ship with details somewhat changed from the preliminary design seen in Photo #2.	Photo # NH 93914, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	56k	Large official model of this abortive class of battleship, photographed at the New York Navy Yard, 7 October 1944. Construction of the five ships of the class had been cancelled in July 1943.	Photo # USN 1144964, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	57k	Battleship Study, *BB 65 - Scheme 1* and *BB 61-64* (Inclusive). Preliminary design plan prepared for the General Board comparing the outboard profile (including superstructure) of the Iowa class (BB-61 / 66) battleships with the hull profile of the Montana class (BB-67 / 71). This plan is dated 9 July 1940 and shows the Iowa class (BB-61 / 66) outboard profile in solid lines and the hull of the in Montana class (BB-67 / 71) dashed lines. At the time, the Montana class (BB-67 / 71) was planned to begin with hull number *BB-65, rather than BB-67* as it became after two more *Iowa's* were ordered as *BB-65* and *BB-66*. Scale of the original drawings is 1/32" = 1'. The original plan is in the 1939-1944 "Spring Styles Book" held by the Naval Historical Center.	Photo # S-511-21, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	75k	Battleship Design Study, *BB-65 - Scheme 3. Preliminary design plan prepared for the General Board as part of the process leading to the Montana class (BB-67 / 71)* battleship design. This plan, dated 6 February 1940, is for a ship of 52,500 tons standard displacement and 64,500 ton trial displacement, with a main battery of twelve 16"/50 guns, a secondary battery of twenty 5"/38 guns and a 130,000 horsepower powerplant for a speed of 28 knots. Ship's dimensions are: waterline length 860'; waterline beam 114'; draft 36'. Scale of the original drawing is 1/32" = 1'. Port side 5" gun arrangement is labeled "previous secondary battery arrangement". Starboard side has a "proposed secondary battery arrangement." The original plan is in the 1939-1944 "Spring Styles Book" held by the Naval Historical Center.	Photo # S-511-11, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	64k	Battleship Design Study, *BB-65 - Scheme 4. Preliminary design plan prepared for the General Board as part of the process leading to the Montana class (BB-67 / 71)* battleship design. This plan, dated 14 February 1940, is for a ship of 54,500 tons standard displacement and 64,500 tons trial displacement, with a main battery of twelve 16"/50 guns, a secondary battery of twenty 5"/54 guns and a 150,000 horsepower powerplant for a speed of 28 knots. Ship's dimensions are: waterline length 870'; waterline beam 114'; draft 36'. Scale of the original drawing is 1/32" = 1'. Port side 5" gun arrangement is labeled "previous secondary battery arrangement". Starboard side has a "proposed secondary battery arrangement. "The original plan is in the 1939-1944 "Spring Styles Book" held by the Naval Historical Center.	Photo # S-511-12, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	56k	Battleship Design Study, *BB-65 - Scheme 8. Preliminary design plan prepared for the General Board as part of the process leading to the Montana class (BB-67 / 71)* battleship design. This plan, dated 15 March 1940, is for a ship of 70,000 tons standard displacement and 82,000 ton trial displacement, with a main battery of twelve 16"/50 guns, a secondary battery of twenty 5"/54 guns and a 320,000 horsepower powerplant for a speed of 33 knots. Ship's dimensions are: waterline length 1050'; waterline beam 120'; draft 35'. Scale of the original drawing is 1/32" = 1'. Port side 5" gun arrangement is labeled "previous secondary battery arrangement". Starboard side has a "proposed secondary battery arrangement." The original plan is in the 1939-1944 "Spring Styles Book" held by the Naval Historical Center.	Photo # S-511-13, courtesy of the U.S. Naval Historical Center.
	72k	Montana class (BB-67 / 71) inboard profile as designed, 1941. Note the navigational range-finders atop turret No.3 and the bridge. The dashed lines indicate radar antennas as then planned.	Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	48k	Cross section of the Montana class (BB-67-71) engine room.	Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	756k	Louisiana (BB-71) as designed. Line drawing by A.L. Raven.	Text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	124k	Machinery arrangement of the Montana Class/Louisiana (BB-71) as designed.	Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	377k	Machinery arrangement of the Montana Class/Louisiana (BB-71) as designed.	Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
	177k	Artist's conception of the Montana class (BB-67/71) whose construction was cancelled on 21 July 1943. This and the next two drawings represents the Montana (BB-67) in early 1945 in a modified four color Ms-32 Camouflage scheme.	Drawing courtesy of Abram Joslin.
	236k	Artist's conception of the Montana class (BB-67/71) whose construction was cancelled on 21 July 1943. This drawing represents the Montana (BB-67) in late 1945, MS-22 camouflage scheme.	Drawing courtesy of Abram Joslin.
	181k	Artist's conception of the Montana class (BB-67/71) outline.	Drawing courtesy of Abram Joslin.
	61k	Norfolk Navy Yard, circa 1940's. The Louisiana (BB-71) would have been built here.	Courtesy of spec.lib.vt.edu
	382k	Oil on canvas painting by the artist Wayne Scarpaci showing the probable appearance of the Montana (BB-67) arriving in New York Harbor as flagship US Fleet with Flt Adm Nimitz aboard in the autumn of 1946 after the invasion and defeat of Japan.	Photo and text courtesy of artbywayne.com
	371k	A guest studies a painting depicting the history of battleships. The artwork was painted by George Skybeck and presented to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association during their annual banquet at Honolulu, Hawaii, on 8 December 1991.	USN photo # DN-SC-92-05391, by PHC Carolyn Harris, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.