Well That’s it for us. Have had enough abuse from Social Media (particularly Reddit). Site will run until current subscription expires. Had just hoped to share pictures and our travels with people . Was also a great help with my mental health, but just can’t take the shit anymore. Enjoy the existing pages while they last.
BB-66 USS Kentucky
BB-66 USS Kentucky
BB-66 USS Kentucky was an uncompleted battleship originally intended to be the second ship of the Montana class. However, the urgent need for more warships at the outbreak of World War II and the U.S. Navy’s experiences in the Pacific theater led it to conclude that rather than battleships larger and more heavily armed than the Iowa class, it quickly needed more fast battleships of that class to escort the new Essex-class aircraft carriers being built. As a result, hulls BB-65 and BB-66 were reordered and laid down as Iowa-class battleships in 1942. As such, she was intended to be the sixth and final member of theIowa-class constructed.
Like her sister ship Illinois BB-65, laid down as one of the last pair of Iowa-class ahead of her, Kentucky was still under construction at the end of hostilities and became caught up in the post-war draw-down of the armed services. Her construction was suspended twice, during which times she served as a parts hulk. In the 1950s, several proposals were made to complete the ship as a guided missile battleship, abandoned primarily due to cost concerns and the rampant pace of evolving missile technology. Kentucky ultimately was sold for scrap in 1958.
First Rivet For BB-66 USS KentuckyKeel Laying For BB-66 USS Kentucky4 February 1946 photo of the Kentucky’s BB-66 construction22 October 1945 photo of the Kentucky’s BB-66 forward turrets showing the lower armor belt installed between themKentucky’s BB-66 construction as seen on 26 March 1946The Kentucky BB-66 on 11 June 1945USS Kentucky (BB-66) under construction, Feb 4, 1946Kentucky’s BB-66 construction as seen on 26 March 1946BB-66 Under Construction at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, 11 September 19463 inch STS plate for Turret No. 2Installation of the lower armor belt on the Kentucky BB-66Installation of the lower armor belt on the Kentucky BB-66Construction showing the torpedo defense systemBB-66 First LaunchingFebruary 1946 Kentucky BB-66 under construction at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia.USS Kentucky BB-66 under construction at Norfolk Navy Yard11 January 1945 photo of the Kentucky’s BB-66 constructionKentucky’s BB-66 twin skegs as seen on 16 January 1950 just prior to her launchingUSS Kentucky BowUSS Kentucky BB-66October 31, 1958 Kentucky BB-66 being towed to Boston Metals in Baltimore, Maryland for scrap.Kentucky BB-66 dockside shot dated 13 March 1955October 24, 1956 Kentucky BB-66 at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Her stem was removed and used to repair WisconsinJanuary 20, 1950 Kentucky BB-66 being pulled from the slipway to make room to repair the damaged MissouriJanuary 20, 1950 Kentucky BB-66 being pulled from the slipway to make room to repair the damaged MissouriKentucky BB-66 being moved for removal of her engines prior to scrapping in July, 1958Docking here at Norfolk Navy Yard on 16 July 1958 for removal of her engines prior to scrappingHulk of the battleship Kentucky being towed to a salvage yard, October 1958
