How Screw Size Affects Landing Ship Tank Performance

screw size on landing ship tank

The Landing Ship Tank (LST) was first developed during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach. The LST was designed to deploy these troops and vehicles without the need for dock facilities.

The first LSTs were built to British requirements, with the UK and the US later collaborating on a joint design. The LST had a highly specialised design that enabled ocean crossings and shore groundings. The LST's shallow draft and bow doors and ramps enabled amphibious assaults on almost any beach.

The LST(2) was 328 feet in length and 50 feet wide, with a carrying capacity of 2,100 tons. The LST was powered by two diesel engines, with a maximum speed of 11.5 knots and a cruising speed of 8.75 knots. The LST(2) design was successful, with over 1,000 built during World War II.

Characteristics Values
Length 328 feet
Width 50 feet
Bow door width 14 feet
Weight 2,100 tons
Engines 2
Engine type Diesel
Speed 11.5 knots
Cruising speed 8.75 knots
Armament 7 40-mm and 12 20-mm antiaircraft guns

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The LST was first designed and built by the British

The first design for the LST was submitted by John C. Niedermair in November 1941. The sketch he produced became the basis for over 1,000 LSTs. The final design had a length of 328 ft, a 50 ft beam, and a draft of 3 ft 9.5 in. The ship was designed with a ballast system that allowed it to sit lower in the water during ocean travel and then raise up for shallow-draft landing operations. The LST had a flat keel, twin propellers, and twin rudders, which allowed it to be beached and remain upright.

The LST was a high priority during the war, with construction beginning before testing was complete. The ship was built in a variety of shipyards, including some in unlikely locations such as Seneca, Illinois, and Evansville, Indiana. The urgency of the LST program was such that the keel of an aircraft carrier was removed to make room for LST construction. A total of 18 shipyards produced over 1,000 LSTs in three years.

The LST played a vital role in World War II, participating in invasions in the Solomon Islands, Sicily, Italy, Normandy, Southern France, the Philippines, and Okinawa. The ship's ability to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and troops directly onto beaches made it a key asset. The LST's durability and versatility ensured its continued use in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

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The LST was designed to carry tanks, vehicles, cargo and troops

Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) were designed to carry tanks, vehicles, cargo, and troops directly onto beaches during amphibious assaults. The first LSTs were built to British requirements, with the UK and US later collaborating on a joint design.

The LST had a highly specialised design that enabled ocean crossings and shore groundings. The bow had a large door that could deploy a ramp to unload vehicles. The LST also had a flat keel that allowed the ship to be beached and stay upright, and twin propellers and rudders that were protected from grounding.

The LST-1 and LST-491 classes were built during World War II. The LST-1 class had a length of 280 feet (85 m) and could carry a load of 2,100 short tons (1,900 t) of tanks and vehicles. The LST-491 class included 51 vessels.

The LST-542 class, also built during World War II, featured several modifications to the LST-1 and LST-491 classes, including the substitution of ramps for elevators between the main and tank decks, and the addition of a conning station over the pilot house. The LST-542 class included 611 vessels.

The LST-1153 class included just two vessels, while the LST-1156 class included 15. The LST-1171 class included seven vessels and was known as the De Soto County class. These LSTs were considered the "ultimate" design attainable with the traditional LST bow door configuration and were capable of 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph).

The LST-1179 class, also known as the Newport class, was an improved class of LST designed for the United States Navy and featured a ramp over the bow that allowed them to surpass 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Twenty of these vessels were completed.

In addition to the classes mentioned above, there were several other LST classes, including the LST-1156 Terrebonne Parish class, which included 15 vessels, and the LST-3001 class, which included 45 vessels.

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The LST was designed to be ocean-going and to unload on beaches without docks

The LST, or Landing Ship Tank, was designed to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach without docks or piers. The ship's highly specialised design allowed it to cross oceans and unload on beaches.

The LST was first developed during World War II to meet the need for a vessel that could handle shore-to-shore delivery of tanks and other vehicles during amphibious assaults. The British evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940 highlighted this requirement, and the first LSTs were created by converting existing ships to meet British requirements. The UK and the US then collaborated on a joint design.

The LST had a flat keel, allowing it to be beached and remain upright. Its shallow draft, bow doors, and ramps enabled it to perform amphibious assaults on almost any beach. The bow had a large door that could deploy a ramp for unloading vehicles. The twin propellers and rudders were protected from grounding.

The LST's design also allowed it to cross oceans. To meet the conflicting requirements of deep draft for ocean travel and shallow draft for beaching, the ship was designed with a large ballast system. When at sea, the LST took on water for stability, and during landing operations, the water was pumped out to create a shallow-draft vessel.

The LST played a vital role during World War II, serving in the Pacific War and the European theatre. They were used in invasions of Sicily, Italy, Normandy, and southern France, as well as in island-hopping campaigns in the Pacific. The LST's ability to unload on beaches without docks provided strategic advantages, allowing the Allies to assault poorly defended sectors and achieve operational surprise.

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The LST was designed to be able to retreat from shore to sea to take another load

The LST, or Landing Ship, Tank, was designed to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach without docks or piers. The LST was first developed during World War II to enable ocean crossings and shore groundings.

The LST had a highly specialized design. The bow had a large door that could open and deploy a ramp to unload vehicles. The LST also had a flat keel that allowed the ship to be beached and stay upright. The twin propellers and rudders were protected from grounding.

The LST was designed to be able to retreat from shore to sea and take another load. This was achieved through its shallow draft, which allowed the ship to navigate in shallow waters close to the shore. The LST could then deploy its ramp and unload its cargo. Once unloaded, the LST could retreat to sea and take on another load of cargo or troops.

The LST played a crucial role in World War II, serving in the Pacific War and the European theatre. The LST's ability to navigate in shallow waters and deploy vehicles and troops directly onto beaches enabled amphibious assaults on almost any beach. This capability allowed the Allies to launch surprise attacks and assault poorly defended sectors.

The LST was highly versatile and served multiple functions during World War II. In addition to transporting troops and vehicles, the LST was used as a hospital ship, repair ship, and ammunition ship. The LST's design and capabilities made it a vital component of Allied amphibious operations during the war.

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The LST was designed to be able to pull itself off the beach

The LST was first developed during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach with no docks or piers. The LST had a highly specialized design that enabled ocean crossings as well as shore groundings. The bow had a large door that could open, deploy a ramp, and unload vehicles. The LST also had a flat keel that allowed the ship to be beached and stay upright.

The LST played a vital role in World War II, serving in the Pacific War and the European theatre. Over 1,000 LSTs were laid down in the United States during the war for use by the Allies, with the United Kingdom and Canada producing an additional 80. The LST participated in the Allied invasion of Algeria in 1942, the invasion of Sicily and mainland Italy in 1943, and the Normandy landings in June 1944.

The LST's ability to pull itself off the beach was a key feature that enabled its successful use in amphibious operations during World War II.

Frequently asked questions

A landing ship tank (LST) is a naval ship designed to support amphibious operations by carrying vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto shore.

The first tank landing ships were built to British requirements by converting existing ships. Three tankers were selected for conversion because of their shallow draft. These became the first tank landing ships, LST (1): HMS Misoa, Tasajera, and Bachaquero.

The first purpose-built LST was the HMS Boxer.

The LST Mk2, or LST(2), was designed by John Niedermair of the Bureau of Ships. It was 328 feet in length and 50 feet wide. It could carry 2,100 tons.

A total of 1,051 LST(2)s were produced in American shipyards during the war.

The LST(3) was designed and built in the UK and Canada. It was larger than its predecessor and featured a twin-screw displacement hull. It could carry fifteen 40-ton tanks or twenty-seven 25-ton tanks.

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