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Photo # S-511-51:  Preliminary design plan for what became the Allen M. Sumner (DD-692) class destroyers

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Bureau of Ships' "Spring Styles" Book # 3 (1939-1944) -- (Naval Historical Center Lot # S-511) --
Destroyer Preliminary Design Drawings

Nine of 1939-1944 "Spring Styles" Book's 75 preliminary design drawings concern destroyers. They represent only two design studies, one (from July 1941) a relatively modest (2 drawings) examination of updated versions of the Benson (DD-421) and Gleaves (DD-423) classes. The other, with seven drawings (six dated 30 September 1941 and one dated 10 March 1942), result from the effort that ultimately produced the Allen M. Sumner (DD-692) class, and features quite a variety of proposed armament configurations.

This page features those 1939-1944 Bureau of Ships "Spring Styles" plans that concern destroyers.

For general information on this album, see:

  • Bureau of Ships' "Spring Styles" Book # 3 (1939-1944) -- General Description.


    On the picture data sheets referenced from this page, click on the thumbnail image (small photograph) to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    The Destroyer drawings included in this album are:

    -- Two proposed designs for updated versions of the Benson (DD-421) and Gleaves (DD-423) classes, most significantly featuring enhanced anti-aircraft machine gun batteries and a different style of pilothouse:

  • S-511-39: "Scheme "A" - Destroyer Study". Plan dated July 1941. This 1810-ton design provides a pair of 40mm twin gun mounts and ten torpedo tubes.
  • S-511-40: "Scheme "A-I" - Destroyer Study". Plan dated July 1941. This 1795-ton design provides a pair of 40mm twin gun mounts, two 20mm single guns, five torpedo tubes and a generally less crowded arrangement.

    -- Seven drawings representing studies made during the development of the Allen M. Sumner (DD-692) class:

  • S-511-51-A: "Scheme "B"". Plan dated 30 September 1941 for a 2150-ton destroyer, not greatly different from the original Fletcher class design, but with a pair of 40mm twin A.A. gun mounts.
  • S-511-51-F: "Scheme "B-I"". Plan dated 30 September 1941 for a 2135-ton destroyer, not greatly different from the original Fletcher class design, but with a pair of 40mm twin A.A. gun mounts and only five torpedo tubes.
  • S-511-51-E: "Scheme "B-II"". Plan dated 30 September 1941 for a 2200-ton destroyer with three twin 5"/38 gun mounts (two forward, one aft), five torpedo tubes and a pair of twin 40mm A.A. gun mounts. This scheme, evolved into that seen in S-511-51 (listed below), became the basis for the eventual DD-692 class design.
  • S-511-51-D: "Scheme "B-III"". Plan dated 30 September 1941 for a 2180-ton destroyer with two twin 5"/38 gun mounts (one forward, one atop the after deckhouse), two banks of three torpedo tubes each, and four twin 40mm A.A. gun mounts (two forward, one amidships on the port side, one aft).
  • S-511-51-C: "Scheme "B-IV"". Plan dated 30 September 1941 for a 2185-ton destroyer with two twin 5"/38 gun mounts (both forward), two banks of three torpedo tubes each, and four twin 40mm A.A. gun mounts (one on each corner of the after deckhouse).
  • S-511-51-B: "Scheme "B-V"". Plan dated 30 September 1941 for a 2215-ton destroyer with two twin 5"/38 gun mounts forward and a single 5"/38 gun mount aft, two banks of three torpedo tubes each, and four twin 40mm A.A. gun mounts (one on each corner of the after deckhouse).
  • S-511-51: "Scheme "B-VII"" (a revision of Scheme "B-II"). Plan dated 10 March 1942 for a 2270-ton destroyer with three twin 5"/38 gun mounts (two forward, one aft), ten torpedo tubes and a pair of twin 40mm A.A. gun mounts. Its bridge arrangement has been changed from that seen in the September 1941 drawings. This scheme, derived from that seen in S-511-51-E (listed above), was the immediate basis for the eventual DD-692 class design.
  • Note: Drawing S-511-51-G was renumbered S-511-51-A after it was discovered that the original drawing number had been interpreted incorrectly.



    For general information on this album, see:

  • Bureau of Ships' "Spring Styles" Book # 3 (1939-1944) -- General Description.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 31 March 2005
    Link renumbered 6 October 2005