Drachinifel recalls a visible difference between the preserved American battleship classes. North Carolina and the Iowas have space to walk along the side passages despite their numerous twin 5-inch/38 mounts. Massachusetts and Alabama leave much narrower passages beside their secondary batteries. He describes those routes as effectively one-way, making the South Dakota class's compact arrangement apparent to a visitor walking the deck.
Notable Point · 1:58:17-1:59:01
South Dakota's compact layout left narrow deck passages
A comparison of preserved battleships shows how the South Dakota class's compact layout restricted movement beside its secondary gun mounts.