7060 USS KEARSARGE BB-5

USS Kearsarge (BB-5) was an American battleship (pre-dreadnought), the keel of which was laid in June 1896, launched in March 1898, and was completely completed in 1900. The total length of the ship at the time of launching was 114.4 m, width 22 m, with a full displacement of about 10,500 tons. The maximum speed, on the other hand, did not exceed 17 knots. The unit was armed with: 4 330 mm guns, 4 203 mm guns and 14 127 mm guns. USS Kearsarge (BB-5) was the first of two Kearsarge-class battleships. Units of this type were built primarily to defend the coasts, or to operate in the Caribbean Sea. Therefore, efforts were made to put emphasis on their best possible armor. A very unusual solution was also used, consisting in mounting the 305 mm guns and a turret with 203 mm guns on the turret. However, in practice, this solution turned out to be completely unsuccessful and not very ergonomic. The USS Kearsarge battleship also turned out to be the last ones to use the characteristic round artillery towers. USS Kearsarge (BB-5) spent a significant part of its service in the Atlantic, and in the period 1907-1909 was part of the so-called The Great White Fleet, which circumnavigated the globe, thus demonstrating the growing importance of the USA in world politics. During World War I, it served as a training ship, and in 1920 it was converted into a floating crane. He remained in service in this role until 1955.