Super Lion

The next page in the Red Book is a specification for a Super Lion-like British battle cruiser. The specification is not very good in the sense that too much was expected from too small of a ship. I adjusted the design so that the weights closely match what was originally specified for machinery and protection. The armament is 10-15in BLR and 16-5in QF guns. The belt is 6in and the maximum turret and barbette protection is 9in. I had hoped for 32 knots but 30 knots is what can be done for the power and size. This is the Springsharp report:

GB/CB/1914 Super Lion, Great Britain Battle Cruiser laid down 1914 (Engine 1933)

Displacement:
 29,761 t light; 31,235 t standard; 33,000 t normal; 34,412 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
 800.00 ft / 800.00 ft x 90.00 ft x 27.00 ft (normal load)
 243.84 m / 243.84 m x 27.43 m  x 8.23 m

Armament:
      8 - 15.00" / 381 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1,687.50lbs / 765.44kg shells, 1914 Model
   Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
   on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
   Main guns limited to end-on fire
      2 - 15.00" / 381 mm guns (1x2 guns), 1,687.50lbs / 765.44kg shells, 1914 Model
   Breech loading guns in a turret (on a barbette)
   on centreline amidships
      16 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns in single mounts, 62.50lbs / 28.35kg shells, 1914 Model
   Quick firing guns in casemate mounts 
   on side, evenly spread, 6 raised mounts
 Weight of broadside 17,875 lbs / 8,108 kg
 Shells per gun, main battery: 80

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 6.00" / 152 mm 520.00 ft / 158.50 m 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
   Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

   - Torpedo Bulkhead:
  1.30" / 33 mm 520.00 ft / 158.50 m 26.00 ft / 7.92 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 9.00" / 229 mm 6.00" / 152 mm  9.00" / 229 mm
 2nd: 9.00" / 229 mm 6.00" / 152 mm  9.00" / 229 mm
 3rd: 3.00" / 76 mm 3.00" / 76 mm  3.00" / 76 mm

   - Armour deck: 2.00" / 51 mm, Conning tower: 9.00" / 229 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 129,016 shp / 96,246 Kw = 30.00 kts
 Range 6,500nm at 15.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 3,177 tons

Complement:
 1,223 - 1,591

Cost:
 £4.384 million / $17.537 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 2,234 tons, 6.8 %
 Armour: 7,822 tons, 23.7 %
    - Belts: 2,109 tons, 6.4 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 650 tons, 2.0 %
    - Armament: 2,926 tons, 8.9 %
    - Armour Deck: 1,938 tons, 5.9 %
    - Conning Tower: 199 tons, 0.6 %
 Machinery: 3,759 tons, 11.4 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 15,946 tons, 48.3 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3,239 tons, 9.8 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   40,905 lbs / 18,554 Kg = 24.2 x 15.0 " / 381 mm shells or 5.0 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.04
 Metacentric height 4.6 ft / 1.4 m
 Roll period: 17.7 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 1.34
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.20

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has rise forward of midbreak
 Block coefficient: 0.594
 Length to Beam Ratio: 8.89 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 28.28 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 49 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -2.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: -2.00 ft / -0.61 m
 Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
    - Stem:  30.00 ft / 9.14 m
    - Forecastle (20 %): 27.00 ft / 8.23 m
    - Mid (67 %):  27.00 ft / 8.23 m (19.00 ft / 5.79 m aft of break)
    - Quarterdeck (15 %): 19.00 ft / 5.79 m
    - Stern:  19.00 ft / 5.79 m
    - Average freeboard: 24.60 ft / 7.50 m
 Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 112.1 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 202.2 %
 Waterplane Area: 52,372 Square feet or 4,865 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 99 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 209 lbs/sq ft or 1,018 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.98
  - Longitudinal: 1.21
  - Overall: 1.00
 Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
 Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent