Montana class battleships

The Montana class battleship was designed to be the successor to the four Iowa class fast battleships in service during World War II, a further two Iowa class battleships were under construction but scrapped at the end of the war. Although slower than the existing Iowa class battleships due to increased size and armour plating; the Montana class design had superior firepower with 12 x 16 inch main guns arranged in four turrets as opposed to the Iowa class 9 x 16 inch guns arranged in three turrets. 

Model of the Montana class battleship

Further firepower included 20 x 5 inch secondary guns, 10 x 40 mm bofor anti-aircraft guns and 56 x 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns. The Montana class battleships were designed to rival the Japanese Yamoto battleships in terms of firepower and armour. The battle of Jutland saw large battleship engagements in WW I: however, the operational requirements of the Pacific war placed a premium on aircraft carriers to attack both ground based troops and warships, not naval engagements with battleships of a previous era.

Scale model of Montana class battleship

As the Iowa class battleships were designed with the speed to escort the Essex class aircraft carriers; the Iowa class was retained as fleet support. The battleship was actually obsolete prior to World War II due to vulnerabilities to aircraft and restrictions imposed by the Washington Treaty. Instead battleships were utilised as naval artillery for shore bombardment to support the marine landings of the Pacific theatre of war. 

The attack on Pearl Harbor delayed the construction of the Montana class battleships as the North Carolina and South Dakota class battleships damaged at anchor required repair and refurbishment. In 1942 the design was approved and construction authorised with completion expected in late 1945. The battleship was cancelled following the Battle of Midway where the strategic focus changed to air supremacy and aircraft carriers.