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USS Alabama
Commander: Richard Simpson, Sydney Battle Squadron.
USS Alabama at the June 2003 AusBG Nationals in Canberra

USS Alabama

A 'treaty' battleship of the South Dakota class, USS Alabama is a very powerful battleship in the 'Biggun' format. Built by Scott Darcy on a Bowning Shipyard hull, USS Alabama was sold incomplete to Richard Simpson when Scott discovered that she would not fit in the boot of his car. Richard refitted her and she was commissioned at the Australian Battle Group's January 2001 National Meet.

USS Alabama is currently owned by Richard Simpson of the Sydney Battle Squadron but sails regularly with the Newcastle Battle Squadron.

National Battle Honours
January 2001 AusBG National Meet, Bowning NSW
June 2001 AusBG National Meet, Newcastle NSW

Stats
Armour: 1/8th inch balsa
Armourment: 3 turrets, each a Neubauer 'Indiana' style cannon with 3 1/4" barrels on a 4" magazine,
A & B turrets rotate and depress, X is fixed
Pump: 2 litres per 29 seconds
Speed: 40.2 seconds per 100 feet (27.5 knots)
Combat Factor: 56

The South Dakota Class

With a 35,000 ton plus displacment, 12+ inch belt armour, 9 16" guns, 27.5 knot speed, twin rudders and lots of room inside the hull, the South Dakota class battleships are very popular in the AusBG and are dangerous opponents. They are not the fastest of the treaty battleships, but they are the most manouverable and, being 1440mm long, are relatively easy to transport.

For more information on the original South Dakota class battleships, please visit: The US Navy's page on the South Dakota class.