USS Baltimore - Guide 426

The Baltimore class, heavy cruisers of the United States Navy, are today's subject.
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'Legionnaire' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

[@Drachinifel]

Pinned post for Q&A :)

[@bkjeong4302]

Why did the Japanese never outright try to cheat with their heavy cruisers? Sure, their later heavy cruisers broke treaty limits, but they at least made an attempt to come in under them, to the point the ships were overarmed for their displacement and had to be rebuilt to above treaty limits. If they were going to lie about how much their cruisers displaced anyways why even bother to honestly meet treaty requirements to start with?

[@bkjeong4302]

Why did the IJN even try (though fail) to meet treaty limits for their cruisers if they were still planning to lie about their displacements?

[@erichammond9308]

What ships did Britain send to the US in 1942 to help combat the U-boat threat along the US coast? Also, how effective were they and where were they most effective?

[@patrickreid3408]

What happens to the kriegsmarina in the case of operation unthinkable? Is everything scrapped for the materials or do the allies try to make use of whatever is left?

[@randomwarehouse4702]

Because the carriers didn't work out, would it have been effective for Germany to disregard the V-1 and V-2 projects and instead hasten development of guided anti- shipping munitions like the Fritz X to add a long- range air component to their submarine blockades? It seems like that compensates for their lack of aircraft carriers for long- range naval strikes and had a greater impact than the high-tech fires development they focused on IRL. Obviously it'd still be at risk of planes but there weren't many at the time in question and the range and precision mean you'd need fewer planes to launch farther away from danger to succeed compared to the maritime bombing the Germans were ALREADY doing. I'm also not suggesting an anti-ship V1 or V2 but a glide bomb completed earlier, with the R&D from those projects instead spent on making better developments of anti- shipping weapons.

[@paulsteaven]

I love how the US Navy managed to create the best looking (Boston class) and hideous looking (Albany class) guided missile cruiser conversion with the Baltimore class hull. Gotta love their ingenuity.

[@cartmann94]

5:13 “But Some ships found themselves briefly carrying Regulus nuclear-armed cruise missiles, while others found themselves converted to carry LESS apocalyptic missile fits.” There goes the Drachism of the day.

[@SvenMl78]

I hear "Regulus ", the Name of the Missile...

[@CharlesStearman]

"Regulus" not "regular".

[@bartsanders1553]

My favorite are his weather reports: "The skies were largely traditional grey, with occasional heretical blue."

[@HM2SGT]

😅 Indeed. For a brief moment I thought this was _Tank Chat_ & he was Mr. Fletcher.

[@richardthomas5362]

How about "stayed generally upright". LOL!

[@DJackson531]

A beautiful vessel, and one of my favorites to play in World of Warships. Quick enough to get where she's needed, the firepower to smash whatever needs smashing when she gets there, and just enough armor to survive the experience so long as you don't do anything too dumb. Happy to see Drach giving the class their due.

[@mhmt1453]

USS Pittsburgh! “Longest ship in the world-something like 1000km bow to stern!” My hometown’s pride and joy. I’ve been waiting for this. Other than battleships (and the intermediary Alaska-class, whatever they are), I really like the Baltimores.

[@brandonmastin7823]

I believe someone nicknamed the severed bow USS Mckeesport

[@christopheryoung3356]

When I was a kid, I had a model of the USS Boston in its guided missile cruiser configuration and always thought it was the coolest thing ever. Proudly, she was built here in the nearby Fore River Shipyard, where USS Salem is moored now. Thanks for highlighting all the other various refits of the Baltimore class cruisers; I didn't know how versatile the class had been for experimenting with so many different configurations.

[@randomwarehouse4702]

5:00 Holy shit, all of the modernized/modified WW2 ships look so cool. It's up there with the time the Japanese stuck an aircraft hangar and flight deck on the back halves of two battleships.

[@nx9100]

Chicago and Albany had such tall superstructures because the missile radars in front if them. The radar's had to have clear fields of view (hence their stacted arrangement), and the navigation bridge needed to see over them.

[@davidpnewton]

That tall superstructure looks like some mutant offspring of a pagoda and a queen anne.

[@robertmills8640]

The Baltimore's are beautiful.

[@Pepsicolatruefan]

How could youtube hide this from me for 36 seconds?

[@mrsansen8619]

The skill that comes with a lot of practice.

[@CS-zn6pp]

It hid it for over an hour for me despite having the bell checked....

[@bartsanders1553]

​@@CS-zn6pp Hence why I don't check the bell. Manual sub checking is necessary.

[@AptWaffleMantis2278]

Better than me having fallen back asleep and missed this for an hour, my day is immeasurably ruined

[@diqweed69]

I wish KZbin would hide the same tired comment being used on every single video on the platform

[@Maddog3060]

The Baltimores were always my favorite heavy cruiser class out of any navy. They just look like smart ships-well, in their original configuration-and had enough dakka to blot out a small air force. Them being much better balanced thanks to ditching treaty restrictions made them pretty good at what they could do as heavy cruisers, as well. Pity the aircraft carrier made them obsolete alongside just about every other surface combatant that isn't an ASW frigate or an air defense destroyer.

[@bkjeong4302]

Aka: how to PROPERLY build a 14,000 ton cruiser (which the Germans failed at and nobody else really tried). Though they did come a tad late with most of them serving as giant destroyers (still far more sensible than the Iowas or Alaskas, though, especially considering how the Baltimores had almost as much AA as an Iowa on a far smaller and cheaper platform)

[@neilbuckley1613]

Weren't the Japanese Treaty cruisers actually well over the !0,000 tons they claimed to be?

[@d.olivergutierrez8690]

Probably one of the guides that I was more exited waiting for, very good properly armed and protected heavy cruiser, overall one of my favorites ship designs, and also one of my preferred ships to play in wows. And my girl Bremerton is also part of them ❤

[@Bluebottlenose]

Naw the iowas where awesome

[@fidjeenjanrjsnsfh]

Not having the automatic 8inch, they're definitely not more sensible than the Iowas.

[@mattf4u-496]

Numerous others were trying. The Baltimores are just the only one in a position of luxury enough to be completed.

[@nomar5spaulding]

The Talos missile system is so cool. No idea if it was any good, but hot damn, the missiles could go a long way and they look dank AF.

[@issacfoster1113]

That's one Gorgeous ship

[@bollonious]

My dad served on the Columbus in the late 40's, early 50's while that ship was in the 6th fleet. I have his cruise book full of pictures and the chronology of their cruise through the Mediterranean and Atlantic. I have always found that book interesting since my childhood, and still now in the "Autumn Years". For me the Columbus was the most beautiful ship ever and I was always so proud that my dad served on it as a radar tech. Unfortunately their modernization of that once beautiful ship can only be described as "criminally ugly". Oh well, I guess they got a some more use out of her.

[@reginaldpasao8390]

The tomboy shipgirl that could.

[@earllamerica9348]

And a fine one at that

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

Anyone facing off against this class will be screaming the first 2 seconds of the Big Bill Hell's Cars ad

[@adamhilton5677]

The best era of KZbin.

[@charliezw3287]

Thats right CHALLENGE PISSING

[@SonOfAB_tch2ndClass]

Warning Tomboy Heavy Cruiser is sensitive to special touch! :3

[@ph89787]

Also, Gyaru counselor cruiser.

[@ahseaton8353]

Are you violating the new DEI rules?

[@hammer1349]

Special touch is not very Justice of you lol

[@themanformerlyknownascomme777]

@@ph89787 Brem isn't a Gyaru, cause she isn't posing, she *is* an American.

[@NuclearBomb-ow4zf]

Azur lane? Idk but if so yeah

[@joepinehill]

Well balanced and beautiful for a warship. St Paul was used in the movie “In Harms Way”., there is a lot of good footage of her.

[@maximilliancunningham6091]

Consistently excellent descriptions and analysis.

[@0ld.Richard]

My favorite duty station was in Engineering on the mighty Chicago. I would say that a nation that produced a pair of 16"-armed canal barges has little room for stylistic mockery.

[@fooman2108]

I have been aboard Albany at Inactive Ships, in Portsmouth, VA. for parts, because her terrier launchers were the same as ours. A singularly EERIE experience, but fascinating. Cooks actually found more useful stuff than we did!

[@scooterdescooter4018]

1:05 drach says 5/38 everyone do a shot!

[@oneninetyseven]

Hi everyone

[@Uncle_Neil]

Howdy!

[@oneninetyseven]

@@Uncle_Neil Good morning from NYC

[@davidg3944]

Hi, Doctor Nick!

[@historytank5673]

Hello

[@erichammond9308]

@@oneninetyseven good morning!

[@korbell1089]

USS Pittsburgh lost her bow! If it didn't lose it's bow, could it even be called an American cruiser?😂

[@CAP198462]

How could I resist watching this for 55 minutes?

[@Stendec4]

- How many cruisers you need? - Yes.

[@williamgreen7415]

Thanks!

[@robm4834]

33 minutes after posting video and just over 2500 views. !! Top work Drach.

[@44WarmocK77]

6:30 it also kinda looks like some (somewhat) dim bulb in the upgrade department had the bright idea to provide an emergency propulsion system in case the ship ran out of fuel by using the superstructure as a large sail to hobble along and back to port - although it can be argued that having been towed back to port would be somewhat less embarassing than going into port sideways as the wind is blowing against the makeshift metallic sail and everyone around you witnessing this starts considering if they had juuust a little bit too much rum last night. ^^

[@jeffbybee5207]

I guess I could of missed it but did Drach ever actually mention the Baltimore? Anyway good video.

[@AgentTasmania]

Have we really not covered the Baltimore class yet?

[@aquilarossa5191]

I am less of a warship nerd these days, but when I was a Cold War kid and knew the names of most WWII ships, I liked the British cruisers best. They just looked smart. But the Baltimore cruisers looked far more capable and modern. No treaty limits is what I know now.

[@SoloRenegade]

US WW2 cruisers look great, but so often overlooked. But I do understand why they get overlooked. But they just look so good.

[@bz3020]

Chicago doesn't look so bad until you see how good she used to look.

[@douglasplatt7083]

Q&A: 5 ugliest postwar conversions? Full missile Baltimore or Tigers?

[@anumeon]

In reality,, they managed to stay mostly upright.. Sure sounds like a solid aspiration for a ship if you ask me. Unless it is named the USS Poseidon or something similar

[@timschoenberger242]

Interesting. At least one of the early ships had dual seaplane cranes at the start. Never seen that on any stern-mounted cranes before.

[@ssanneru]

The first handful did. It was reduced to one crane in later ships to make space for more 40mm AA.

[@AndyM_323YYY]

Beautiful ships, but with a complement larger than a Renown-class battlecruiser.

[@Ricky40369]

The last few images remind me of the movie THE BEDFORD INCIDENT.

[@airjordan1325]

I was literally reading about the USS Baltimore like an hour ago

[@madogllewellyn]

Nice quick overview.... You mislabeled the Albany class missile layout....the port and starboard side Mk11 twin missile launchers are for Tarter missiles not Terrier.... I wish the USN had upgraded 12 to the Boston standard they could've served into the 80s or even 90s with NTU upgrades. We could've had proper cruises... And maybe 12x Virginia CGNs or 12x Long Beach Aegis platforms in the early 80s.

[@oneninetyseven]

Let's go Mets

[@klipsfilmsmelbourne]

Uss Los Angeles appeared in tintin Red Sea shark comic and cartoon if it was adapted as live action uss Salem as uss Los Angeles

[@HM2SGT]

_Seeing the subject title & wondering _*_"When did the bow fall off THIS one?"_*

[@ph89787]

Chicago and Albany: WE DEMAND YOU RETURN OUR SUPERSTRUCTURES TO THEIR FORMER GLORY!!!

[@randomwarehouse4702]

Because the carriers didn't work out, would it have been effective for Germany to disregard the V-1 and V-2 projects and instead hasten development of guided anti- shipping munitions like the Fritz X to add a long- range air component to their submarine blockades? It seems like that compensates for their lack of aircraft carriers for long- range naval strikes and had a greater impact than the high-tech fires development they focused on IRL. Obviously it'd still be at risk of planes but there weren't many at the time in question and the range and precision mean you'd need fewer planes to launch farther away from danger to succeed compared to the maritime bombing the Germans were ALREADY doing. I'm also not suggesting an anti-ship V1 or V2 but a glide bomb completed earlier, with the R&D from those projects instead spent on making better developments of anti- shipping weapons.

[@neilbuckley1613]

I think the aircraft that carried the Fritz X would have been highly vulnerable to carrier borne fighters from Escort carriers if deployed out in the Atlantic. In the Mediterranean the bombers could receivea fighter escort.

[@randomwarehouse4702]

@@neilbuckley1613 The thing is, there was already maritime bombing during the Battle of the Atlantic. More advanced munitions would increase its effectiveness and push the advantage Germany had at a time where there were few escort carriers and CAM ships available.

[@rivetjoint9628]

As abominations go, this takes the American missile ship biscuit.

[@0ld.Richard]

Looks don't kill MiGs and SAM batteries, but the Mighty Chi did. Form follows function.

[@andrewreynolds4949]

Peak balance heavy cruiser

[@TheRealSugarPants]

Some saw service in WWII. Did they see action? If so, how well did they perform.

[@ph89787]

Isn't Canberra (CA-70) and (LCS-30) the only USN ships named after a foreign city?

[@imprisongroverfurr5252]

Just as an aside, how come a lot of questions I have asked in previous Q&As never get answered? I've had one answered so far while some people get addressed and their questions answered every week (BK Jeong and Josh Thomas Moore seem to be named and one of their questions read out every single drydock, for example). I've asked questions in dozens of Q&As so far.

[@ph89787]

Interesting how in neither ADM Spurance's sortie of Truk, Task Group 58.7 at the Philippine Sea and Task Force 34 at Leyte Gulf had Baltimore-Class Cruisers. Just the older New Orleans-Class and Wichita. With the formations i mentioned either did or were expected to engage other ships.

[@davidg3944]

I'm so early that there's still spambots to be squashed.

[@TheDagraner4576]

The front fell off of the pitsburgh. Thats not suppose to happen.

[@flaviosalatino8192]

Chicago and Columbus refit is nightmare fuel! They look like something out of Warhammer 40k

[@0ld.Richard]

The Chicago's looks were the last thing about her giving North Vietnamese/Soviet MiG pilots and SAM operators nightmares. When call sign Red Crown was on PIRAZ duty, the fleet could sleep soundly.

[@Jadegreif]

Ok... am I going crazy.. or did he not mention the actual name, Baltimore, a single time?

[@DavidBrown-yd9le]

1 hour after posting and nearly 6000 views, amazing

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

Anyone ever figure out why American Cruisers continued to get their Bows Blown Off

[@davidg3944]

They had the temerity to go into the environment. And as everyone knows, the environment tends to make fronts of ships fall off.

[@garylaufer6332]

From what i have been able to find. It was a design choice. due to weight and citadel. If you look at the DD,s and CL,s same story. Easier to replace a bow then have performance issues and too much weight on the nose

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

@ I had wrote that a bit tongue-in-cheek, going against the IJN then was a dangerous endeavor, just having the bow blown off is one of the better scenarios

[@matrinezkevin11492]

The US Navy took the "all or nothing" armor scheme a little too literally lol. Though all jokes aside that was one of the big reasons for the bows falling off. US Navy ships at the time had enough reserve buoyancy to stay afloat even if they lost their bow or large parts of their stern. They were basically just floating armored citadels with a bow (optional) and stern stuck on.

[@star5398]

Bro couldn't have uploaded this when I was trying to build the damn ship in minecraft

[@GrahamWKidd]

Watch this and then bed ...

[@ThePeperjack]

How could Sony screw me like this?

[@Archaeus_777]

After all these years Drach has finally done a guide about my second (or third) favourite heavy cruiser class. Still tho, when Akizuki 5 min guide i have been waiting for ages

[@Jimorian]

9 seconds after going live!

[@StabbySabby]

3 minutes ago hell yea

[@NathanStickney-xv6dy]

Junk