700902 U.S. NAVY BATTLESHIP USS LOUISIANA BB-71 KIT

The USS Louisiana (BB-71) was a designed, but never built, American battleship of the Second World War. It was assumed that the total length of the ship would be 280.9 meters and a width of 37 meters. Full displacement would be up to about 71,000 tons, and maximum speed - up to about 28-29 knots. The on-board armament would consist of: 12 406 mm guns placed in four turrets of three guns, 20 127 mm guns or 56 20 mm AA guns. Probably the unit could use up to three seaplanes. USS Louisiana (BB-71) was to be the fifth and final Montana-class battleship. This type of battleships was to be complemented by the Iowa type units. Compared to their predecessors, the Montana-class ships would be much better armed and armored, but would have a slower maximum speed. Taking into account the design assumptions, the Montana-class battleships would undoubtedly be the most powerful ships of this type in the US Navy and one of the most powerful in the world. Their only real opponent could be the Japanese Yamato-class battleships. The construction of the USS Louisiana (BB-71) was approved in July 1940 as part of the US Navy's expansion plan called "Two Ocean Navy". The ship would be named the 18th of the United States and would be the third ship in the US Navy with that name. The vessel was to be built in a shipyard Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia. However, in the light of the experience of the battles in the Coral Sea and Midway, the American admiralty focused on the development of aircraft carriers. Thus, in July 1943, the construction of the USS Louisiana was canceled. Interestingly, it was the last American battleship approved for production so far.