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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Cruising formations for Dutch warships?

One question that I have is if the Dutch sailed in some cruising formation with their fleet when not engaged in actual fighting. I have speculated that the ships in the same squadron sailed as a clump and that the fleet consisted of clumps, grouped by squadron. Is there a more definitive answer?

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Another run at the GB/CB/1905 fast battlecruiser design

I have tended to be obsessed with Cliff's design for a fast British battlecruiser, what we called the GB/CB/1905 design. I just got a good result by using light weight machinery. I am mystified why the protection is so good, considering the armour basis of 4in:
GB/CB/1905, Great Britain Battlecruiser laid down 1905 (Engine 1910)

Displacement:
 23,677 t light; 24,490 t standard; 27,903 t normal; 30,632 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
 (778.00 ft / 770.00 ft) x 80.00 ft x (27.50 / 29.67 ft)
 (237.13 m / 234.70 m) x 24.38 m  x (8.38 / 9.04 m)

Armament:
      4 - 12.00" / 305 mm 45.0 cal guns - 850.00lbs / 385.55kg shells, 90 per gun
   Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1905 Model
   2 x Twin mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
  1 raised mount - superfiring
      9 - 6.00" / 152 mm 50.0 cal guns - 114.33lbs / 51.86kg shells, 150 per gun
   Quick firing guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1905 Model
   8 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
   1 x Single mount on centreline, aft deck aft
  1 raised mount
      Weight of broadside 4,429 lbs / 2,009 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 4.00" / 102 mm 580.00 ft / 176.78 m 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
   Main Belt covers 116 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Additional damage containing bulkheads:
  1.50" / 38 mm 580.00 ft / 176.78 m 27.00 ft / 8.23 m
 Beam between torpedo bulkheads 56.00 ft / 17.07 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 8.00" / 203 mm 5.00" / 127 mm  8.00" / 203 mm
 2nd: 4.00" / 102 mm 3.00" / 76 mm  4.00" / 102 mm

   - Armoured deck - multiple decks:
 For and Aft decks: 3.00" / 76 mm
 Forecastle: 2.00" / 51 mm  Quarter deck: 3.00" / 76 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 8.00" / 203 mm, Aft 5.00" / 127 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 168,353 shp / 125,591 Kw = 33.00 kts
 Range 6,500nm at 17.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 6,142 tons

Complement:
 1,079 - 1,403

Cost:
 £2.236 million / $8.944 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 923 tons, 3.3 %
    - Guns: 923 tons, 3.3 %
 Armour: 5,984 tons, 21.4 %
    - Belts: 1,501 tons, 5.4 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 869 tons, 3.1 %
    - Armament: 1,029 tons, 3.7 %
    - Armour Deck: 2,327 tons, 8.3 %
    - Conning Towers: 258 tons, 0.9 %
 Machinery: 6,957 tons, 24.9 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 9,813 tons, 35.2 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 4,226 tons, 15.1 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   36,559 lbs / 16,583 Kg = 42.3 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 4.1 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.17
 Metacentric height 4.8 ft / 1.5 m
 Roll period: 15.4 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 65 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.55
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.30

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has low quarterdeck ,
   a ram bow and a cruiser stern
 Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.577 / 0.587
 Length to Beam Ratio: 9.63 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 27.75 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 54 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -3.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: -2.00 ft / -0.61 m
 Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
    Fore end,  Aft end
    - Forecastle: 30.00 %,  33.00 ft / 10.06 m,  29.00 ft / 8.84 m
    - Forward deck: 30.00 %,  29.00 ft / 8.84 m,  29.00 ft / 8.84 m
    - Aft deck: 10.00 %,  29.00 ft / 8.84 m,  29.00 ft / 8.84 m
    - Quarter deck: 30.00 %,  21.00 ft / 6.40 m,  22.00 ft / 6.71 m
    - Average freeboard:  27.23 ft / 8.30 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 136.1 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 225.6 %
 Waterplane Area: 44,072 Square feet or 4,094 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 116 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 145 lbs/sq ft or 706 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.97
  - Longitudinal: 1.36
  - Overall: 1.00
 Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
 Excellent accommodation and workspace room
 Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Sadly, Alt_Naval seems to be gone

One of my inspiration for making imaginary ship photographs, Alt_Naval, seems to be gone. I tried to go there and found that the page was not there. I did a Google search and could not find a new URL for the site. It is gone. Thankfully, the "Wolf's Den" still exists. That was the first site that I had found with fake ship photographs. "Wolf's Den" has a new URL, but still lives on! I still like the classic Queen Victoria class pictures.

Friday, July 17, 2009

A super American battlecruiser: the US/CB/1943

I have been toying with very large battleship and battlecruiser designs since I was young. This is a fast battlecruiser armed with 12-21in/55 guns. I don't like the deep draft, but I don't see an alternative.
US-CB-1943, United States Battlecruiser laid down 1943

Displacement:
 192,480 t light; 201,981 t standard; 217,137 t normal; 229,261 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
 (1,366.74 ft / 1,350.00 ft) x 188.00 ft x (38.00 / 39.85 ft)
 (416.58 m / 411.48 m) x 57.30 m  x (11.58 / 12.15 m)

Armament:
      12 - 21.00" / 533 mm 55.0 cal guns - 5,000.00lbs / 2,267.96kg shells, 150 per gun
   Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1943 Model
   3 x Quad mounts on centreline ends, majority forward
  1 raised mount - superfiring
      24 - 5.00" / 127 mm 55.0 cal guns - 72.00lbs / 32.66kg shells, 150 per gun
   Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1943 Model
   12 x Twin mounts on sides, forward deck aft
  4 raised mounts - superfiring
      88 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm 60.0 cal guns - 2.00lbs / 0.91kg shells, 150 per gun
   Breech loading guns in deck mounts, 1943 Model
   22 x 4-gun mounts on sides, evenly spread
  12 raised mounts
      Weight of broadside 61,904 lbs / 28,079 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 18.0" / 457 mm 900.00 ft / 274.32 m 9.00 ft / 2.74 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
 Upper: 14.0" / 356 mm 900.00 ft / 274.32 m 9.00 ft / 2.74 m
   Main Belt covers 103 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces
   Main Belt inclined -17.00 degrees (positive = in)

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Additional damage containing bulkheads:
  8.00" / 203 mm 900.00 ft / 274.32 m 37.00 ft / 11.28 m
 Beam between torpedo bulkheads 80.00 ft / 24.38 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 20.0" / 508 mm 15.0" / 381 mm  20.0" / 508 mm
 2nd: 5.00" / 127 mm 4.00" / 102 mm  5.00" / 127 mm

   - Armoured deck - multiple decks:
 For and Aft decks: 8.00" / 203 mm
 Forecastle: 5.00" / 127 mm  Quarter deck: 8.00" / 203 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 20.00" / 508 mm, Aft 15.00" / 381 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Geared drive, 10 shafts, 637,542 shp / 475,606 Kw = 35.00 kts
 Range 12,000nm at 18.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 27,280 tons

Complement:
 5,029 - 6,538

Cost:
 £105.209 million / $420.837 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 11,042 tons, 5.1 %
    - Guns: 11,042 tons, 5.1 %
 Armour: 69,922 tons, 32.2 %
    - Belts: 11,396 tons, 5.2 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 9,857 tons, 4.5 %
    - Armament: 12,878 tons, 5.9 %
    - Armour Deck: 33,067 tons, 15.2 %
    - Conning Towers: 2,724 tons, 1.3 %
 Machinery: 16,465 tons, 7.6 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 95,051 tons, 43.8 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 24,657 tons, 11.4 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   495,302 lbs / 224,665 Kg = 107.0 x 21.0 " / 533 mm shells or 150.3 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.36
 Metacentric height 22.2 ft / 6.8 m
 Roll period: 16.8 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 58 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.32
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.15

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has a flush deck,
   an extended bulbous bow and large transom stern
 Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.788 / 0.793
 Length to Beam Ratio: 7.18 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 41.90 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 49 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
 Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
    Fore end,  Aft end
    - Forecastle: 20.00 %,  46.00 ft / 14.02 m,  40.00 ft / 12.19 m
    - Forward deck: 30.00 %,  40.00 ft / 12.19 m,  38.00 ft / 11.58 m
    - Aft deck: 35.00 %,  38.00 ft / 11.58 m,  37.00 ft / 11.28 m
    - Quarter deck: 15.00 %,  37.00 ft / 11.28 m,  38.00 ft / 11.58 m
    - Average freeboard:  38.93 ft / 11.87 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 129.5 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 332.2 %
 Waterplane Area: 229,646 Square feet or 21,335 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 128 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 352 lbs/sq ft or 1,718 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 1.18
  - Longitudinal: 0.95
  - Overall: 1.00
 Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
 Excellent accommodation and workspace room

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

The picture posted "May 31, 1916"

Rob pointed out to me that the picture I posted five weeks ago was actually from the Battle of the Dogger Bank. The Tiger is steaming at high speed towards the left of the picture while in the background, on the right, is the burning, sinking Blücher.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

May 31, 1916

In my younger years, I was focused on the Battle of Jutland and the events leading up to the war at sea (1905-1918). Today is the anniversary of the start of the Battle of Jutland. This seemed like a good Jutland picture.

Friday, May 29, 2009

A fast version of the Ger/CB/1905

The Ger/CB/1905 design is the classic light battlecruiser type. The design in anachronistic and looks British, but it works well. I wanted to see how much speed I could achieve with it, and the answer is that I could get 35 knots without a lot of trouble. Of course, it relies on very light machinery:
Ger/CB/1905 Fast, Germany Light Battlecruiser laid down 1905 (Engine 1923)

Displacement:
 18,384 t light; 19,004 t standard; 20,886 t normal; 22,392 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
 (707.00 ft / 700.00 ft) x 80.00 ft x (24.40 / 25.77 ft)
 (215.49 m / 213.36 m) x 24.38 m  x (7.44 / 7.85 m)

Armament:
      4 - 12.00" / 305 mm 45.0 cal guns - 850.00lbs / 385.55kg shells, 90 per gun
   Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1905 Model
   2 x Twin mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
      12 - 4.00" / 102 mm 45.0 cal guns - 32.27lbs / 14.64kg shells, 150 per gun
   Quick firing guns in casemate mounts, 1905 Model
   6 x Single mounts on sides, forward deck aft
   6 x Single mounts on sides, aft deck forward
      Weight of broadside 3,787 lbs / 1,718 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 4.00" / 102 mm 440.00 ft / 134.11 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
 Upper: 3.00" / 76 mm 440.00 ft / 134.11 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
   Main Belt covers 97 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 4.00" / 102 mm 4.00" / 102 mm  4.00" / 102 mm
 2nd: 4.00" / 102 mm 4.00" / 102 mm  4.00" / 102 mm

   - Armoured deck - multiple decks:
 For and Aft decks: 3.00" / 76 mm
 Forecastle: 3.00" / 76 mm  Quarter deck: 3.00" / 76 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 9.00" / 229 mm, Aft 4.00" / 102 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 185,595 shp / 138,454 Kw = 35.00 kts
 Range 6,500nm at 17.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 3,388 tons

Complement:
 868 - 1,129

Cost:
 £1.856 million / $7.424 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 689 tons, 3.3 %
    - Guns: 689 tons, 3.3 %
 Armour: 3,897 tons, 18.7 %
    - Belts: 1,032 tons, 4.9 %
    - Armament: 498 tons, 2.4 %
    - Armour Deck: 2,154 tons, 10.3 %
    - Conning Towers: 212 tons, 1.0 %
 Machinery: 6,203 tons, 29.7 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 7,596 tons, 36.4 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,502 tons, 12.0 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   21,714 lbs / 9,849 Kg = 25.1 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 2.0 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.30
 Metacentric height 5.8 ft / 1.8 m
 Roll period: 14.0 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 53 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.29
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.07

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has rise forward of midbreak,
   a ram bow and a cruiser stern
 Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.535 / 0.543
 Length to Beam Ratio: 8.75 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 26.46 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 60 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -3.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: -2.00 ft / -0.61 m
 Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
    Fore end,  Aft end
    - Forecastle: 32.00 %,  32.00 ft / 9.75 m,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m
    - Forward deck: 30.00 %,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m,  27.00 ft / 8.23 m
    - Aft deck: 23.00 %,  19.00 ft / 5.79 m,  19.00 ft / 5.79 m
    - Quarter deck: 15.00 %,  19.00 ft / 5.79 m,  19.00 ft / 5.79 m
    - Average freeboard:  24.94 ft / 7.60 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 111.3 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 201.4 %
 Waterplane Area: 38,537 Square feet or 3,580 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 107 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 133 lbs/sq ft or 650 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.96
  - Longitudinal: 1.48
  - Overall: 1.00
 Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
 Excellent accommodation and workspace room

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