Gearing Class - Gyrodyne

GEARING CLASS DESTROYER POST-FRAM SPECIFICATIONS ; Displacement: 2,425 tons standard (3,479 tons full load) ; Dimensions: 390 1/2 x 40' 10" beam x 18'6" maximum ...    With theDD692SUMNERclasscontinuingtobeoverloadedwithanti-aircraft capabilitiestoprotectthecarrierforces,theresultingeffectwasalackof speedandrequiredrange.By1943,Adm.KingacceptedtheBuShipsrecommendation thattheSUMNERhullbelengthenedby14feetsothatanadditional160tonsof fuelcouldbecarriedresultinginanincreaseofrangeoverthebasicSUMNERby 30percent.Thefirstshiptoreceivethisnewhull,was theGEARING(DD-710)anditbecametheleadshipofthe2,200tonGEARINGclass destroyers. Ofthe98commissionedGEARINGclass destroyers,47retainedtheirDDclassificationpriortoFRAMwiththreebeing disqualifiedduetohavingbeenmodifiedforimprovedsteammachinerytesting(TIMMERMAN), advancesinmissiletechnologies(GYATT)andtestingofanadvancedpropulsion system(WITEK).Oftheremaining44,ALLGEARINGSreceivedtheFRAMMKI reconstruction.    Withthe14footextensionprovidedinthemiddleofthe ship,theaddedspaceprovedvitalinrelocatingsomemachineryforbetter balancewhereastheSumnerswerenotedforbeing"Bowheavy".Other thanthe14footextension,theSUMNERsandGEARINGclassdestroyerswere visuallyidentical.     HOWFRAMEVOLVEDFortheGEARINGclass: ByFY1959,thereremained44originalGEARINGclassdestroyers thathadnotbeenconvertedintoeitherdedicatedsubmarinewarfaredestroyers (DDE),hunter-killerdestroyers(DDK),radarpicketdestroyers(DDR)orfor specializedresearch.Further, severalGEARINGSweresimplynotcompletedwiththeirvariouspartsgoingto otherGEARINGsdamagedinthecourseofoperations(see"notes" below).ThelongerlengthGEARINGclassmadeexcellentcandidatesfortheFRAM programandwhileonly49ofALL variantsofGEARINGclassdestroyerswerescheduledfor FRAM,thatnumbereventuallygrewtoinclude80vesselsofthe98commissioned. Oftheremaining18,15vesselsreceivedtheMK2modernization.     ThefirstGEARINGtoreceiveFRAMwasthe PERRY(seenleft)whoseconversioncommencedon1May1959andwas completedon1April1960attheBostonNavalShipyard.Atacostof$ 7,700,000,theFRAMMK1reconstructionlevelPERRYreceivedsetthelevelfor allGEARINGS,excepttheWITEK.Thisreconstructionincludedtheinstallationof ASROCaftofthefirststack,theDASHhangarandflightdeck,thenewSQS-23 sonarsystemanddomewhichhadadetectionrangeof40,000yardsaswellas eithertheSPS-29,-37or-40air-searchradarwhichwasneededtotrackthe DASHhelicopterinflight.AlsoincludedwastheinstallationoftwoMK-32 tripletorpedolaunchersaswellasanewsuperstructurewiththemainmachinery eitherbeingreplacedoroverhauled.Fromthepropellerstotheshaftstothe distillingplanttofuelsystems,allmachinerysystemswereeitheroverhauled orreplacedwhilemaintainingbelowdecksarrangement.Thetopdeckhowever, withtheinstallationoftheDASHflightdeckandhangaralongwiththeASROC launcherinstalledrequiredacompleterearrangement.      TheFRAMMK1 reconstructionwassomewhatdifferentforthetopdeck arrangementoftheGEARINGS.Therewere2variantsoftheFRAMMK-1forthe GEARINGS: GROUPAShips:RemovalofaftTwin5inch/38caliber Gunmount(mount53).GROUPAshipsalsoreceivedtwoMK10/11Hedgehogs fittedoneachsideofthebridgeattheO-1levelandhadtheirMK-32 tripletorpedolaunchersaftofthesecondstack. GROUPBShips:Theykepttheirmoreforward5inch mount(mount51),lostthesecondmount(Mount52)behinditandkepttheir aft5inchmount(mount53).Inplaceofmount52,apractice5inch reloadingmachinewasinstalledwiththeMK-32tripletorpedolaunchersaft oftheloader.GroupBshipsalsoreceivedgreaterASROCandtorpedostorage areasnexttotheportsideoftheDASHhangar.    HereinisthelistingofALLnon-converted44GEARINGClassdestroyers (DD)existing asof1960;thoseshipsthatreceivedeithertheGROUPAorBvariationofFRAM MKIarenotedassuch.TotalcosttoFRAMthisclass:$338,500,000.  GEARINGCLASSDESTROYERS  (allreceivedFRAMMkI) NameofShip HullNo.  GroupVariant Builder Launched StrickenDate AGERHOLM 826 A BathIronWorks,BathME 30Mar1946 01Dec.1978 ARNOLDJ.ISBEL 869 B BethlehemSteel,StatenIsland,NewYork 06Aug.1945 01Feb.1974 BAUSSELL 845 A BathIronWorks,BathME 19Nov.1945 30May1978 BRINKLEYBASS 887 B ConsolidatedSteel,OrangeTX 26May1945 03Dec.1973 BROWNSON 868 A BethlehemSteel,StatenIsland,NewYork 07July1945 30Sept.1976 CHARLESH.ROAN 853 B BethlehemSteel,Quincy 15Mar.1946 21Sept.1973 CHARLESR.WARE 865 B BethlehemSteel,StatenIsland,NewYork 12Apr.1945 30Nov.1974 CONE 866 B BethlehemSteel,StatenIsland,NewYork 10May1945 01Oct.1982 EVERSOLE 789 B ToddPacificShipyards,Seattle 08Jan.1946 21Sept.1973 FLOYDB.PARKS 884 B ConsolidatedSteel,OrangeTX 31Mar.1945 02July1983 FORRESTROYAL 872 B BethlehemSteel,StatenIsland,NewYork 17Jan.1946 01Feb.1973 GEARING 710 B FederalShipBuilding&D.D.Co.Newark,NJ  05Mar.1944 01July1973 GEORGEK.MACKENZIE 836 B BathIronWorks,BathME 13May1945 01Oct.1976 GLENNON 840 B BathIronWorks,BathME 14July1945 01Oct.1976 GURKE 783 B ToddPacificShipyards,Seattle 15Feb.1945 30Jan.1976 HAMNER 718 B FederalShipBuilding&D.D.Co.Newark,NJ  24Nov.1945 01Oct.1979 HAROLDJ.ELLISON 864 B BethlehemSteel,StatenIsland,NewYork 14Mar.1945 01Oct.1983 HENDERSON 785 B ToddPacificShipyards,Seattle 28May1945 30Sept.1980 HOLLISTER 788 B ToddPacificShipyards,Seattle 09Oct.1945 31Aug.1979 JAMESE.KYES 787 B ToddPacificShipyards,Seattle 04Aug.1945 31Mar.1973 JOHNR.CRAIG 885 B ConsolidatedSteel,OrangeTX 14Apr.1945 27July1979 JOHNSTON 821 B ConsolidatedSteel,OrangeTX 19Oct.1945 27Feb.1981 JOSEPHP.KENNEDY,JR. 850 B BethlehemSteel,Quincy Preservedasmemorial;berthedatFallRiver,Mass 26July1945 01July1973 LEONARDF.MASON 852 B BethlehemSteel,Quincy 04Jan.1946 02Nov.1976 MEREDITH 890 A ConsolidatedSteel,OrangeTX 28June1945 07Dec.1979 NOA 841 A BathIronWorks,BathME 30July1945 02June1975 ORLECK 886 B ConsolidatedSteel,OrangeTX Preservedasmemorial;berthedatOrange, Texas 12May1945 06Aug.1987 OZBOURN 846 B BathIronWorks,BathME 22Dec.1945 01June1975 PERRY 844 A BathIronWorks,BathME 25Nov.1945 01July1973 POWER 839 B BathIronWorks,BathME 30June1945 01Oct.1977 RICHARDB.ANDERSON 786 A ToddPacificShipyards,Seattle 07July1945 30Jan.1976 RICHARDE.KRAUS 849 B BathIronWorks,BathME 02Mar.1946 01July1976 ROBERTH.McCARD 822 B ConsolidatedSteel,Orange,TX 09Nov.1945 06Aug.1987 ROWAN 782 B ToddPacificShipyards,Seattle 29Dec.1944 30Jan.1976 RUPERTUS 851 B BethlehemSteel,Quincy 21Sept.1945 10July1973 SAMUELB.ROBERTS 823 B ConsolidatedSteel,Orange,TX 30Nov.1945 02Nov.1970 SARSFIELD 837 B BathIronWorks,BathME 27May1945 01Oct.1977 SHELTON 790 A ToddPacificShipyards,Seattle 08Mar.1946 31Mar.1973 STRIBLING 867 B BethlehemSteel,StatenIsland,NewYork 08June1945 01July1976 THEODOREE.CHANDLER 717 B FederalShipBuilding&D.D.Co.Newark,NJ  20Oct.1945 01Apr.1975 VOGELGESANG 862 B BethlehemSteel,StatenIsland,NewYork 15Jan.1945 24Feb.1982 WARRINGTON 843 B BathIronWorks,BathME 27Sept.1945 01Oct.1972 WILLIAMC.LAWE 763 B BethlehemSteel,SanFrancisco 21May1945 01Oct.1983 WILTSIE 716 B FederalShipBuilding&D.D.Co.Newark,NJ  31Aug.1945 30Jan.1976 *NOTESconcerningGEARINGclass destroyers:  LANDSDALE(DD-766):Althoughlaiddownby BethlehemSteelofSanFranciscoonApril2,1944withlaunchingbyDecember 20,1946,constructionwashaltedwiththeuncompletedLANDSDALEbeing storedatSuisunBay,Ca.TheuncompletedLANDSDALEeventuallylosta60-ton portionofitsbowtorepairtheFloydB.Parks(DD-884)whichwasdamaged on11March1956whenshecollidedwithheavycruiser,USSColumbus(CA74). Landsdalewasnevercompletedorcommissionedandsubsequentlystrickenon9June1956. SEYMOURO.OWENS(DD-767):Theuncompleted OWENSlostits165-tonbowtorepairtheErnestG.Small(DDR-838)whichwas damaged whenthatshipstruckamineoffSonjin,Koreaon7Oct.1951. Owenswasnevercompletedorcommissionedandsubsequentlystrickenon9June1956. SEAMAN(DD-791):Although laiddownbyToddShipyardsofSeattleonJuly10,1945andlaunchedMay29, 1946,herconstructionwasstoppedwithherincompletehulkstoreduntilshe wasstricken1March1961andsubsequentlysoldandbrokenupforscrap. TIMMERMAN(EDD-828):Although laiddownbyBathIronworks,Bath,MEonOctober1,1945asaGEARINGclass destroyer,workonTIMMERMAN (seenright)ceasedthreemonthslater. Shewasreclassifiedasanexperimentaldestroyer(EDD828)totestnewandmore efficientsteam-propulsion.Designedtooccupythesame spaceinstandardGEARINGenginespaces,theTIMMERMAN'smachinerywasdesignedto generate100,000SHPvs.theGEARING's60,000SHP.Thiswasdonebyhaving ontheportside,aGeneralElectricTurbine2,000PSI/1,050degreesF operatingsteam-propulsionplantandonthestarboardside,aWestinghouse turbine875PSI/1,050degreesFsteam-propulsionplant.Withconstruction workresumingbyMay1946andcommissioning bySeptember26,1952,theTIMMERMANtestedandevaluatedits'newsteam machinerytechnologiesextensively,yetitsservicelifewasshort.Dueto extensivemodificationstotheshiptoaccomplishitssteamtesting,itwas deemednotworthreceivingFRAM.ReclassifiedasAG152in1954,shewas decommissionedon27July1956andstricken4April1958andsoldforscrap. WITEK(EDD-848):Although laiddownbyBathIronworks,Bath,MEon16July1945asaGEARINGclass destroyerandlaunched2February1946withcommissioning25April1946, WITEKservedasaExperimentalDestroyerformostofhercareer.WITEK receiveda "pumpjet"typepropulsionsystemreclassifyingitasEDD848in 1959.Whilequieter,ItneverreceivedFRAMduetoits'propulsionsystem andcosttoconverttostandardmachinery.WITEKwasstricken17September 1968andsunkasatargeton4June1969,offthecoastofVirginia.  GEARINGClassDestroyersnotcommissionedandSCRAPPED beforecomplete:  CASTLE(DD-720)(seenright) laiddownon11July1945byFederalShipBuilding&D.D.Co.Kearny,NJ, shewasneverofficiallylaunched,notcompletedandstricken2November1954andsoldforscrapon 29August1955. WOODROWR.THOMPSON(DD-721)laiddownon1August1945byFederalShipBuilding&D.D.Co.Kearny,NJ, shewaslaunched16March1946butnever commissioned.Stricken2 November1954andsoldforscrapon29August1955. ABNERREAD(DD-769)laiddown21May1944byBethlehemSteel,SanFrancisco shewasneverlaunchedandsubsequentlystricken/brokenup13Sept.1946 intheshipways.  HOEL(DD-768)laiddown21April1944byBethlehemSteel,SanFrancisco shewasneverlaunchedandsubsequentlystricken/brokenup13Sept.1946 intheshipways.    CANCELLATIONS-Thefollowinghullswere cancelledbeforebeinglaiddown:DD809-816,854-856,and891-926.   GEARINGCLASSDESTROYERPOST-FRAM SPECIFICATIONS Displacement: 2,425tonsstandard(3,479 tonsfullload) Dimensions: 3901/2x40'10"beamx18'6"maximumdraft  SONAR: SQS-23SonarSystem AirSearchRadar: SPS-29,-37or-40  HeightFindingRadar SPS-8or-30 SurfaceSearchRadar SPS-10 Guns: 2qty,TWIN5inch/38caliberMK12mod1gunsinstalledonMK38gun mount Weapons: ASROCand2qty,DASHHelicopters,6 homingtorpedotubes(2MK32TripleTorpedomounts).TWOMark-10, 7.2"HEDGEHOGProjector("ahead-thrown-missiles"launches 24-7.2inchmissileswithcontactfuses)locationdependentonGroup modelofFRAMI. Machinery: 2Westinghouseturbinescoupledto2DeLavallocked-traindouble reductiongears.2shafts,350RPM,SHP:60,000=34.5knots Boilers: FOURBabcock&Wilcoxworkingpressure565PSIat850degreesF OilFuel: 4,647barrelsNSFOand167barrelsofDieselOil=650tons Radius:    At2,425tonsstandard  maximumspeedis 34.5knotswithenduranceof6,500milesat15knots    At3,479tonsfullload   maximum speedis31.3knotswithenduranceof5,370milesat 15knots Complement: Allowance:355(20officers,325enlistedmen)   BEFOREandAFTERFRAM  BEFORE:Atleft, asseenbeforeherFRAMMKIreconstruction,theUSSGURKE(DD-783)showing herdistinctivetriple,twinbarrel5inch/38calibermountsaswellas the2x3"/50calmachineguns,3x40mmand10x20mmanti-aircraft batteriesaswellastheMK151x5tubetorpedolauncheramidship.Along withitsMK6K-gundepthchargeprojectoraswellastwoMK9depthcharge racks,thiswasthepost-WorldWarIIconfigurationfortheGEARINGclass destroyer. AFTERitreceiveditsFRAMreconstructioninMay1964, theGURKElostalloftheabove,savefortwo5inch/38calibermounts. AFTER: Atright,theUSSGEORGEK.MACKENZIE(DD 836)isshowafterherFRAMMKIreconstructionshereceivedattheNew YorkNavalshipyardinDecember1963.NotetheMK-112ASROClauncher betweenthestacksaswellastheDASHHangaraftoftheno.2stack.Both MACKENZIEandGURKEwere"GroupB"variantsoftheFRAMMKI programinthattheykepttheirmoreforward5inch mount(mount51),lostthesecondmountbehindit(Mount52)andkepttheir aft5inchmount(mount53).Inplaceofmount52,apractice5inch reloadingmachinewasinstalledwiththeMK-32tripletorpedolaunchersaft oftheloader.GroupBshipsalsoreceivedgreaterASROCandtorpedostorage areasnexttotheportsideoftheDASHhangar.   TheUSSMEREDITH(DD-890) inherpostFRAMoutfitshowingtheaftHangarandlandingdeckforher newlyinstalledDASHsystemaswellasnewsuperstructure.MEREDITHwasa "GROUPA"variantoftheFRAMMKIreconstructioninthatthey hadtheaftTwin5inch/38caliber Gunmount(mount53)removed.GROUPAshipsalsoreceivedtwoMK10/11Hedgehogs fittedoneachsideofthebridgeattheO-1levelandhadtheirMK-32 tripletorpedolaunchersaftofthesecondstack.   LaiddownbyConsolidated SteelinOrangeTexasonJanuary27,1945,launchedonJune28,1945, CommissioningonDecember31,1945,completedFRAMatthePhiladelphia NavyYardinJune1961,sheservedfor34yearsuntilbeingstrickenon December7,1979.ShewassubsequentlysoldtoTurkeyon20March1980and renamedSavastepe.ShewaseventuallybrokenupforscrapinMarch 1995.    HelicopterHistoricalFoundation P.O.Box3838,Reno,NevadaUSA89505 BecauseofSPAM,weaskthatyoucopythebelowaddress intoyourmailprogramandsendusyourcomments! 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