USS Orion (AC-11)
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| History | |
|---|---|
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| Name: | USS Orion |
| Builder: | Maryland Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Maryland |
| Laid down: | 6 October 1911 |
| Launched: | 23 March 1912 |
| Commissioned: | 29 July 1912 |
| Decommissioned: | 18 June 1926 |
| Struck: | 10 July 1931 |
| Fate: | Sold, 30 August 1933 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Collier |
| Displacement: | 19,132 long tons (19,439 t) |
| Length: | 536 ft (163 m) |
| Beam: | 65 ft (20 m) |
| Draft: | 27 ft 8 in (8.43 m) |
| Speed: | 14 kn (16 mph; 26 km/h) |
| Complement: | 179 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: | 4 × 3 in (76 mm) guns |
USS Orion (AC–11) was a collier of the United States Navy. The ship was laid down by the Maryland Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Maryland, on 6 October 1911, launched on 23 March 1912, and commissioned at Norfolk on 29 July 1912.
The ship's launch set a new world's record for rapid construction. The ship, and sister Jason, were built on the patented Isherwood System of longitudinal framing with propulsion machinery in the stern. Cargo space was provided by six large, self trimming, coal holds for 2,248 short tons (2,039,351 kg) of coal and four deep tanks forward under the lower deck combined with tanks in the inner bottom under the holds for 772,400 US gallons (2,923,852 l) of oil cargo. The coal holds had two hatches each, except for the one hatch for the forward hold, and the contract requirement was for each hatch being able to handle 100 short tons (90,718 kg) per hour which was met in the official test by a figure of 137.5 short tons (124,738 kg) per hour. An advantage of the Isherwood framing was a weight saving that allowed Orion to carry the specified deadweight on a draft of 26 feet 10.5 inches (8.2 m) instead of the contracted draft at that load of 27 feet 7.5 inches (8.4 m) allowing for an increase of 500 short tons (453,592 kg) of coal at specified draft. Propulsion was by two triple expansion steam engines with cylinders of 27 inches (68.6 cm), 46 inches (116.8 cm) and 76 inches (193.0 cm) diameter and a 48 inches (121.9 cm) stroke with steam from three double ended Scotch boilers driving two 16 feet 6 inches (5.0 m) three bladed propellers with 18 feet (5.5 m) mean pitch with average trial speed of 14.468 knots (16.649 miles per hour; 26.795 kilometres per hour) achieved.
Assigned to general collier duty with the Atlantic Fleet in September, Orion remained in the western Atlantic until placed in reserve at Norfolk on 9 October 1914. Recommissioned on 28 December, she continued to serve the Atlantic Fleet until ordered to Cavite in January 1917.
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