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BB-66 KENTUCKY
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106k | The keel of the Kentucky (BB-66) is seen being laid on 7 March 1942 at Norfolk Navy Yard. Work progressed until June, 1942, when the completed section that would be the base for the machinery spaces was launched to clear the shipway for higher priority construction. This section remained at a nearby dock until work resumed over two years later. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Kentucky (BB-66) Green. | |
 | 3.94k | The Star of a Sea-Fortress. Rear Admiral Felix Xerxes Gygax, Commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, is pictured, second from left, driving the first rivet into the keel of what would have been Kentucky (BB-66), on 7 March 1942. | USN photo #Lot-9425-6, courtesy of the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, via flickr.com. | |
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118k | Bottom structure is prepared for launching, at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, 10 June 1942. It was launched to clear the shipway for landing ship tank (LST) construction. Work was not resumed on Kentucky's (BB-66) hull for nearly thirty more months. | Copied from History of the Norfolk Navy Yard in World War II, page 157, in the collections of the Navy Department Library, 1987, photo Naval History and Heritage Command # NH 96327. | |
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394k | For whom the bell of the battleship Kentucky (BB-66) would toll, it would have only one six in it's number. | Photo courtesy of Tom Herwer. | |
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148k | 11 January 1945 photo of the Kentucky's (BB-66) construction showing a section of the triple bottom. The foundations are for boilers Nos. 5 and 6 in No. 3 boiler room and the bulkhead is located at frame 119. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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112k | The Kentucky (BB-66) on 11 June 1945. The carrier fitting out in the background is the Lake Champlain (CV-39). | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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140k | 4 July 1945 photo of the installation of the lower armor belt on the Kentucky (BB-66) . The pin brackets used to attach the upper belt to the lower belt are evident. While the first four ships of the class were completed with their upper and lower armored belts secured by key ways, the Illinois (BB-65) and Kentucky were designed with a pin securing arrangement. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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98k | 4 July 1945 photo of the installation of the lower armor belt on the Kentucky (BB-66) . The pin brackets used to attach the upper belt to the lower belt are evident. While the first four ships of the class were completed with their upper and lower belts secured by key ways, the Illinois (BB-65) and Kentucky were designed with a pin.The 19 degree slope of the armor can be easily seen here. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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173k | 7 September 1945 photo of the Kentucky's (BB-66) construction showing the torpedo defense system, as seen looking towards the bow. The lower armor belt has been installed to the No. 1 turret area of the ship, and forms Torpedo Bulkhead No. 3. Torpedo Bulkhead No. 2 is seen further aft (towards the camera) along with the framing supports for Torpedo Bulkhead No. 1. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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140k | 7 September 1945 photo of the Kentucky's (BB-66) construction construction showing the 3 inch STS plate for Turret No. 2 lower barbette being fitted to the 3rd deck. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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226k | 22 October 1945 photo of the Kentucky's (BB-66) forward turrets showing the lower armor belt installed between them. Both barbettes appear to be mostly complete, awaiting the lower roller track and training rack installation while work is progressing on the main armor deck supports at this area of the ship. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak,submitted by Mike Green. | |
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462k | 4 February 1946 photo of the Kentucky (BB-66) as seen from the bow looking towards the stern. The twin rudder stock housings are easily seen in the foreground along with the port side lower armor belt and the aft torpedo defense system framing. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak,submitted by Mike Green. | |
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117k | 4 February 1946 photo of the Kentucky's (BB-66) construction looking aft from the bow area of the ship. The forward armor bulkhead is easily visible and consists of five pieces of armor attached to a lower sixth, not visible, horizontal piece. This bulkhead tapers from 14.5 inches thick at the top to 11.7 inches thick at the bottom. The first two ships of the class, Iowa (BB-61) and New Jersey (BB-62), had a thinner bulkhead here, tapering from 11.3 inches to 8.5. inches. Treaty restrictions were responsible for this difference and the armor had already been ordered for the two lead ships when these restrictions were lifted. The original, thinner armor provided only marginal protection at expected battle ranges and then only for oblique, not straight on shell hits. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak,submitted by Mike Green. | |
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89k | Kentucky (BB-66) under construction at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia. Photograph was released for publication in February 1946. | Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # 80-G-701942, now in the collections of the National Archives. | |
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1.70k | High resolution photo of the Kentucky (BB-66) under construction at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia. | USN photo via USNIP submitted by Pieter Bakels. | |
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153k | The Kentucky's (BB-66) construction as seen on 26 March 1946 looking aft from the forward area of the ship. The lower belt is complete to the forward armor bulkhead and can be distinguished by the holes for the upper armored belt alignment pins. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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152k | The Kentucky's (BB-66) construction as seen on 26 March 1946 looking forward from the stern area of the ship. The after portion of the torpedo defense system can be seen here and the lower armor belt has been completed to the after armor bulkhead, just aft of turret No. 3. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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99k | Kentucky (BB-66) under construction at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, 11 September 1946. Her construction was suspended five months later, on 17 February 1947. | Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # 80-G-703023, now in the collections of the National Archives. | |
 | 354k | Kentucky (BB-66) circa 1947. | USN photo courtesy of usnavymuseums.org. | |
 016632 |
NR | PORTSMOUTH, VA. BATTLESHIP CONVERTED TO FIRE ROCKETS View of the Kentucky (BB-66), a 45.000-ton Iowa class fighting ship now under construction at the Navy Yard. The ship was originally designed as a battleship, but it now will be completed as a new-type craft for the firing of rockets. It is about 70 per cent completed. | A.P. Wirephoto. Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo by Evening Star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 16 September 1947, Image 2, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. | |
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1.44k | Kentucky (BB-66) AP photo taken 21 December 1949. The AP caption states that she will be floated out of the dock at Norfolk Naval Shipyard the following February. What is interesting is that much has been written that Kentucky was floated out of her building dock in order to clear the dock for Missouri (BB-63), as if that was the only reason, but here the caption clearly states that the plan was to float her out on a planned date and stated as such months before Missouri went aground. Note the aircraft carrier in the background. |
Photo courtesy of David Buell. | |
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126k | The Kentucky's (BB-66) twin skegs as seen on 16 January 1950 just prior to her launching. The skeg mounted inner shaft tubes and the rudder posts are seen in this photo. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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63k | Kentucky (BB-66) is moved from her building dock at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia, circa 20 January 1950. The ship, completed only up to her second deck, was launched to clear the drydock, so that Missouri (BB-63) could undergo repairs there following her 17 January 1950 grounding. Note that Kentucky upper bow section is stowed on her deck, immediately in front of her forward barbette. | Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # 80-G-413972, now in the collections of the National Archives. | |
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76k | Kentucky (BB-66) is moved from her building dock at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia, circa 20 January 1950. The ship, completed only up to her second deck, was launched to clear the drydock, so that Missouri (BB-63) could undergo repairs for damage received when she went aground on 17 January 1950. | Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # 80-G-413973, now in the collections of the National Archives. | |
 016633 |
NR | Kentucky (BB-66) stranded when Hurricane Hazel strikes Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia, 15 October 1954. | Video courtesy of Daniel Hacker. | |
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405k | Kentucky (BB-66) dockside shot dated 13 March 1955. Note that she still has her bow, not having lost it yet to Wisconsin (BB-64). The caption on the back says that Rep. William E. Hess (R-Ohio) of the Armed Services Committee suggested that Kentucky be converted into a guided missile ship. |
A .P. Wirephoto courtesy of David Buell. | |
 | 5.74k | 17 page PDF of the INSURV - (The Board of Inspection and Survey) inspection for Kentucky (BB-66). It answers many questions about the whole ship as she existed in January 1956. | PDF courtesy of Ed Zajkowski. | |
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56k | Ship's bow being transported on a large crane barge from Newport News, Virginia, to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, circa May-June 1956. It was used to repair Wisconsin (BB-64), which had been damaged in a collision on 6 May 1956. Tug closest to camera is Alamingo (YTB-227). Tug on other side of barge is Apohola (YTB-502). | Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # 80-G-670850, now in the collections of the National Archives. | |
 016634 |
NR | BATTLESHIP GETS A NEW BOW A section of the Kentucky's (BB-66) bow hangs from a giant crane at the Naval Shipyard, awaiting transplanting to the Wisconsin (BB-64). The Wisconsin's bow was badly damaged in a collision with the Eaton (DD-510)....... | A.P. Wirephoto. Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo by Evening Star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 21 May 1956, Image 34, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. | |
 016449a | 2.23k | Operation Bow Transfer Grafting the Bow of Kentucky (BB-66) onto Wisconsin (BB-64) | USN photos courtesy of usswisconsin.org via Daniel Hacker. | |
 016449b | 1.06k | Operation Bow Transfer Grafting the Bow of Kentucky (BB-66) onto Wisconsin (BB-64) | USN photos courtesy of usswisconsin.org via Daniel Hacker. | |
 016635 |
628k | Kentucky (BB-66) in drydock at Norfolk Navy Yard. Dated to 2 July 1956. | Photo courtesy of Daniel Hacker. | |
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61k | Moored at Norfolk Navy Yard on 24 October 1956, the Kentucky (BB-66) is shown 72% complete and finished up to her second deck. She is missing her bow which was used to repair the Wisconsin (BB-64) after her 6 May 1955 collision with the Eaton (DD-510). The salvaged parts of the Wisconsin's bow and unused 5"/38 caliber gun mounts are stored on her deck. | Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # NH 93589, now in the collections of the National Archives. | |
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196k | Kentucky (BB-66) moored to the pier at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, 24 October 1956 with YO-145 & Crownblock (YO-48) alongside on the right. The Mississippi (AG-128) is moored to the other side of the pier. | Official USN photo # DSR-10187, courtesy of David Buell. | |
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235k | Suited man carrying a bucket walks down the deck of the Kentucky (BB-66) to a maintenance shack on the stern. Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, 24 October 1956. | Official USN photo # DSR-18092, courtesy of David Buell. | |
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196k | The Kentucky (BB-66) was considered for a number of conversions including an anti-aircraft battleship and a guided missile battleship. She was finally declared surplus and struck from the Navy List on 9 June 1958. She is docking here at Norfolk Navy Yard on 16 July 1958 for removal of her engines prior to scrapping. The upper portion of her bow is forward of No. 1 barbette and the undamaged portion of the Wisconsin's (BB-64) bow is just aft. Note the gunhouses for her entire secondary battery stored on her deck. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book "IOWA CLASS BATTLESHIPS-Their Design, Weapons and Equipment" by Robert F. Sumrall & Tom Walkowiak, submitted by Mike Green. | |
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298k | Artists conception of what the Kentucky (BB-66) would have looked like following the SCB 19 conversion as BBG-1, circa 1958. | Drawing courtesy of artbywayne.com | |
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82k | Kentucky (BB-66) being moved for removal of her engines prior to scrapping in July, 1958. | U. S. Navy photo & partial text from the book ""BATTLESHIPS-United States Battleships in World War Two" " by Robert O. Dulin, Jr. and William H. Garzke, Jr., submitted by Mike Green. | |
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49k | Kentucky (BB-66) being towed to the Boston Metals Company, Baltimore, Maryland, for scrapping, 31 October 1958. Note bow sections and 5"/38 gun shields on her deck. | Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # NH 89297, courtesy of the Boston Metals Company. | |
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636k | Baltimore MA., 6 February, 1959. Last Voyage. The battleship Kentucky (BB-66) whose keel was laid in 1942 but never was completed, is towed up Chesapeake Bay to a Baltimore scrap yard today, where it will be junked. Construction cost $55,000,000 before work on the ship was stopped with the end of WW II. The hull remained in the Norfolk VA. area until it was sold last year to the Boston Metals Company of Baltimore for $1,176,666. This picture was made from the Chesapeake Bay bridge by Sunpapers Photograper Ellis Malashuk. | AP Wirephoto courtesy of David Buell. | |
 | 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. | |
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