This is a description of BuShips blueprints on microfilm in the US National Archives. These microfilms contain about 8971 blueprints for the original Cleveland class ships and the later wartime modifications, and 3023 blueprints for the guided missile conversions. All drawings are in Record Group 19. Microfilm is listed by Reel Number, but each "reel" may consist of many physical reels of film.

If you are looking for a particular drawing or drawings for a particular ship, contact me. I may have the drawing, or at least I may know where to get it.

Reel 5537

No Index reel (individual indexes on each reel), 19 reels, 4630 blueprints
Cleveland CL-55, Columbia CL-56, Montpelier CL-57, Denver CL-58, Santa Fe CL-60

This is the most complete set of drawings for the original Cleveland class ships.

Complete ship drawings, but some plans missing and many plans partially unreadable. Hull plans, deck plans, interior and exterior profile, deck houses, towers and compartment and access plans. Propeller drawings mostly unusable. Smoke stacks. Complete 6"/47 turret drawings (no gun drawings). No 5"/38 gun house drawings. No 40mm or 20mm gun drawings. No radar drawings. Detailed engineering space drawings, main propulsion system drawings, ammunition handling, interior details, aircraft hanger, wiring diagrams, labels and name plates, ventilation, heating, fire and flushing, lighting, communications systems.

Reel 32011

Index reel and 5 reels, 1272 blueprints
Birmingham CL-62, Mobile CL-63, Biloxi CL-80, Houston CL-81, Providence CL-82, Manchester CL-83, Vicksburg CL-86, Miami CL-89, Astoria CL-90, Oklahoma City CL-91, Little Rock CL-92, Galveston CL-93, Amsterdam CL-101, Portsmouth CL-102, Wilkes-Barre CL-103, Atlanta CL-104, Dayton CL-105, Fargo CL-106, Huntington CL-107.

The Index lists about 5550 drawings, nearly every drawing used for the construction of these ships. However, the microfilm reels contain only 1272 images of drawings that were modified from the original CL-55 blueprints. No hull, deck plan or superstructure drawings. Smoke pipes and propeller drawings. Mostly wiring diagrams, steam heat, fuel oil, distillation, refrigeration, electric, lighting, communications and degaussing systems. Includes some engineering space drawings.

Reel 32048

Index reel and 6 reels, 1708 blueprints
Miami CL-89, Astoria CL-90, Oklahoma City CL-91, Little Rock CL-92, Galveston CL-93.

No hull, deck plan or superstructure drawings. Propeller and propeller shaft. Engineering space drawings. Electrical, lighting, communications, fire control, and degaussing systems.

Reel 32099

Index reel and 6 reels, 1361 blueprints
Vincennes CL-64, Pasadena CL-65, Springfield CL-66, Topeka CL-67, Providence CL-82, Manchester CL-83

No hull, deck plan or superstructure drawings. Excellent drawings of propeller, propeller shafts and propeller strut fairwaters. Good smoke pipe (funnels) and uptake drawings. Detailed engineering space drawings, main propulsion system drawings, interior details, wiring diagrams, labels and name plates, ventilation, heating, fire and flushing, lighting, communications systems.

Reel 32880

Index reel and 12 reels, 2004 blueprints
Little Rock CLG-4, CLG TALOS, Talos missile and flagship modifications.

This set of drawings is for the Talos CLGs with fleet flagship modifications forward. Some CLG-3 drawings.

Inboard and outboard profiles and all deck plans. No hull plans. No smoke pipes (funnels). Rudder. Docking diagram. Radar towers (no radar drawings). Kingposts. Deckhouse plans. Modifications to 5"/38 and 6"/47 ammunition handling. No 6"/47 turret or 5"/38 gun house drawings. Some missile house machinery. Mostly interior modifications, wiring diagrams, lighting, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, fire and flushing, deck drains, crew berthing and messing and miscellaneous equipment lists.

Reel 32887

Index reel and 7 reels, 820 blueprints
Springfield CLG-7 Terrier missile and flagship modifications.

This set of drawings is for the Terrier CLGs with fleet flagship modifications forward.

No hull details. Deck plans and deck house sides. Radar towers (no radar drawings). Kingpost. Boat stowage. Some Terrier missile handling equipment and arrangements. Radio and radar antenna arrangement. Compartment and access plans. Docking diagram. Mostly interior modifications, wiring diagrams, lighting, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, fire and flushing, deck drains, crew berthing and messing and miscellaneous equipment lists.

Reel 33533

1 reel, 199 blueprints
Galveston CLG-3, Oklahoma City CLG-5, Providence CLG-6, Springfield CLG-7, Topeka CLG-8, Boston CAG-1, Canberra CAG-2, Albany CG-10, Chicago CG-11

This reel contains 81 drawings of the turbo generator hydraulic over speed trip systems for 750/1000 KW generators on CAG1 & 2 and CG10 & 11, and 118 drawings for 600/750 KW generators on CLG3 - 8. All drawings are from General Electric Corp. No other drawings.

Miscellaneous

The Historic Naval Ships Association web site has a huge amount of information about ships and ships' sytems.