Introducing a thread for Fletcher Class Destroyers.
A recent tour of the U.S.S. Kidd, ( DD-661) moored, Baton Rouge, LA provided the motivation to create a thread addressing a specific class of naval ship that generally is accepted by students of warships to be well designed.
During the day long inspection of the Kidd, ( during low river stage) I was able to connect with the function of design for this class of naval vessel. Of note, many of the orginal features of the "as-built" Kidd remain today, or have been modified to "as built" condition.
The course of this thread will extend with limits insuring that abusing bandwidth does not occur.
Note for the academic historians, I'm not an expert on the Fletcher class, nor have I ever been charge with building a naval warship. The submittals that follow are for the viewer who desires to explore a ship they may not have access to in as great of detail as one would like (as will be provided through illustrations / pictures) or would care to join in participating with information that compliment the effort undertaken.
Enough said:
Step 1 : Introduction
I have read, and found in my own design exercises that it is harder to design a destroyer than it is to design a larger ship, getting everything to fit and juggling things on a small displacement is the issue.
I beleive the Fletcher class was an excellent design at the time, I look forward to your presentation
Last edited by USSWisconsin; 01 Oct 10, at 22:58.
"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children." -- Confucius
Originally Posted by USSWisconsin
and here we are, (have been for 30+ years) building "destroyers" that are the size of WW2 heavy cruisers.. (Arleigh Burke and Spruance class come to mind for size) and ,more firepower than any WW2 battleship could only have dreamed of (Arleigh Burke destroyers)
I suspect the Navy has found it hard to fit everything they need on a WWII destroyer displacement tooBut they do build the best destroyer in the world IMHO (AB).
I was just thinking about what made the Fletchers such great destroyers, and realized the Main Gun Director and the 5"/38 with its excellent ammunition - VT and AP, were both enough to make almost any destroyer good - especially in AA duties. It will be interesting to study some of the other features that made the Fletcher such a good design.
Last edited by USSWisconsin; 02 Oct 10, at 18:31.
If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children." -- Confucius
As the discussion of the Fletcher Class destroyer advances there will be many photographic illustrations which will provide the reader views not readily available when touring a naval warship. This is due to unique design undertaken by the USS Kidd Veterans Memorial Group in addressing the problems of silting and expense of a coffer dam when placing a ship on display with its O & M issues. The Kidd is "docked" @ Baton Rouge, Louisana on the Mississippi River. During those weeks when the River is running low, the Kidd rests on keel blocks and when the water is running high is floats while being "moored" to a structure permitting the Kidd to rise and fall. After inspecting the keel blocks I was left with the question if more ships being displayed could use this idea as a practical design to avoid the problem of resting in the mud. A significant event for a midwesterner landlocked from the sea is the opportunity to view the "as built" normally hidden below the water line.
One mean motor scooter there.
The best of all the destroyer classes beyongd doubt. (That is with exception to our latest)
Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.
This photo provides the starboard view of the USS Kidd's hull, roll chock and keel when the Mississippi River is low.
Last edited by blidgepump; 04 Oct 10, at 21:03.
On the port side the Kidd is secured fore and aft by two standards which allow the ship to rise and fall as the Mississippi River experiences seasonal stages. Orignally the design for mooring the Kidd was a cost saving effort to avoid the expense of a coffer dam. The design permits seasonal inspection of the hull and allows for scheduled repair. ( Note the barge used for painting and inspection tied off to the standard )
This design seems to work well for display and maintenance. Would it work for larger ships? BB's, CV's ????
Last edited by blidgepump; 05 Oct 10, at 15:01.
A closer examination details the tolerance for the "post & eye" permitting the Kidd to float or rest on its keel blocks while head fast.
Great pictures.
I have a question, are the small disks and block welded on the hull (post #7) anodes? If not what are they?
Comment, The mooring system on the USS Texas looks like it is similar in principle (ring and stake) - though I beleive the hull block part is different.
If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children." -- Confucius
no reason why it wouldn't work, except that all the BB/CV museums I know of are in salt water that dosn't rise/fall as much as the Mississippi river. Also her being in fresh water, none of the common problems you get with salt water and steel are going to happen, so she won't corrode anywhere near as fast nor will she get bottom fouling.
From a layman's observation, it appears the manmade fenders attach to the upper ends of the Kidd's cradle. A closer inspection revealed that the centerline of the keel landed squarely. The uniform compression of the fenders indicates that some one truely understood the compound curves of the Kidd's hull and expressed that with a cradle displaying a hand in glove fit.
Last edited by blidgepump; 05 Oct 10, at 20:12.
The scouring of the Kidd's hull with fresh water from the melting snowpack and microfine aggregrate carried from the sandhills of Kansas & Nebraska seem to favor the destruction of micro organisms on the ships coating. No evidence of Bac - T to promote fouling was noted.
I should of checked my photo stock of the Kidd. :smack:
This jpeg provides a more complete explanation of the Kidd's mooring.
At least it corrected the flatlander's use of the term dolphin in lieu of standard.
A Fletcher class destroyer even sank a battleship!
Second Salvo at Surigao Strait
Issue: Naval History Magazine - October 2010 Volume 24, Number 5
By Admiral James L. Holloway III, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Naval Historical Center
More than six decades after the largest naval battle in history, the U.S. destroyer Bennion now can claim her rightful credit in the sinking of a Japanese battleship.
Second Salvo at Surigao Strait | U.S. Naval Institute
If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children." -- Confucius
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