An 8-gun GB/CB/1909 design

I thought that the next step would be an 8-gun GB/CB/1909 design. The main problem with the design is the large size and cost. What you have, though, is essentially a fast battleship. This is the Springsharp report:

GB/CB/1909, Great Britain Battlecruiser laid down 1909

Displacement:
 29,288 t light; 30,599 t standard; 35,272 t normal; 39,010 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
 (736.00 ft / 728.00 ft) x 95.00 ft x (30.00 / 32.60 ft)
 (224.33 m / 221.89 m) x 28.96 m  x (9.14 / 9.94 m)

Armament:
      8 - 13.50" / 343 mm 45.0 cal guns - 1,240.67lbs / 562.76kg shells, 90 per gun
   Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1909 Model
   4 x Twin mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
  1 raised mount - superfiring
      12 - 6.00" / 152 mm 45.0 cal guns - 108.93lbs / 49.41kg shells, 150 per gun
   Quick firing guns in casemate mounts, 1909 Model
   12 x Single mounts on sides, forward deck aft
      Weight of broadside 11,233 lbs / 5,095 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 475.00 ft / 144.78 m 9.00 ft / 2.74 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
 Upper: 10.0" / 254 mm 475.00 ft / 144.78 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
   Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Strengthened structural bulkheads:
  2.00" / 51 mm 455.00 ft / 138.68 m 30.00 ft / 9.14 m
 Beam between torpedo bulkheads 95.00 ft / 28.96 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 9.00" / 229 mm  12.0" / 305 mm
 2nd: 4.00" / 102 mm 3.00" / 76 mm  4.00" / 102 mm

   - Protected deck - multiple decks:
 For and Aft decks: 4.00" / 102 mm
 Forecastle: 4.00" / 102 mm  Quarter deck: 4.00" / 102 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 12.00" / 305 mm, Aft 9.00" / 229 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 93,167 shp / 69,503 Kw = 27.00 kts
 Range 8,500nm at 16.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 8,411 tons

Complement:
 1,286 - 1,672

Cost:
 £2.606 million / $10.422 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 1,928 tons, 5.5 %
    - Guns: 1,928 tons, 5.5 %
 Armour: 11,946 tons, 33.9 %
    - Belts: 3,799 tons, 10.8 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 1,010 tons, 2.9 %
    - Armament: 2,902 tons, 8.2 %
    - Armour Deck: 3,747 tons, 10.6 %
    - Conning Towers: 487 tons, 1.4 %
 Machinery: 4,235 tons, 12.0 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 11,180 tons, 31.7 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,983 tons, 17.0 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   62,433 lbs / 28,319 Kg = 50.8 x 13.5 " / 343 mm shells or 9.2 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.15
 Metacentric height 6.0 ft / 1.8 m
 Roll period: 16.2 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 80 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.78
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.60

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has low quarterdeck ,
   a ram bow and a cruiser stern
 Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.595 / 0.606
 Length to Beam Ratio: 7.66 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 26.98 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 (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
    Fore end,  Aft end
    - Forecastle: 28.00 %,  30.00 ft / 9.14 m,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m
    - Forward deck: 30.00 %,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m
    - Aft deck: 9.00 %,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m
    - Quarter deck: 33.00 %,  20.00 ft / 6.10 m,  20.00 ft / 6.10 m
    - Average freeboard:  25.58 ft / 7.80 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 65.0 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 208.8 %
 Waterplane Area: 50,347 Square feet or 4,677 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 118 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 175 lbs/sq ft or 853 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.95
  - Longitudinal: 1.57
  - Overall: 1.00
 Excellent machinery, storage, compartmentation space
 Excellent accommodation and workspace room
 Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
 Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

The GB/CB/1909 design

I thought that it would be interesting to see the battlecruiser analog to the GB/BB/1905 design. The battlecruiser is also well-protected and only marginally faster at 27.5 knots:

GB/CB/1909, Great Britain Battlecruiser laid down 1909

Displacement:
 26,817 t light; 27,945 t standard; 32,366 t normal; 35,903 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
 (703.00 ft / 695.00 ft) x 94.00 ft x (30.00 / 32.64 ft)
 (214.27 m / 211.84 m) x 28.65 m  x (9.14 / 9.95 m)

Armament:
      6 - 13.50" / 343 mm 45.0 cal guns - 1,240.67lbs / 562.76kg shells, 90 per gun
   Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1909 Model
   3 x Twin mounts on centreline ends, majority forward
  1 raised mount - superfiring
      12 - 6.00" / 152 mm 45.0 cal guns - 108.93lbs / 49.41kg shells, 150 per gun
   Quick firing guns in casemate mounts, 1909 Model
   12 x Single mounts on sides, forward deck aft
      Weight of broadside 8,751 lbs / 3,969 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 455.00 ft / 138.68 m 9.00 ft / 2.74 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
 Upper: 10.0" / 254 mm 455.00 ft / 138.68 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
   Main Belt covers 101 % of normal length

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Strengthened structural bulkheads:
  2.00" / 51 mm 455.00 ft / 138.68 m 30.00 ft / 9.14 m
 Beam between torpedo bulkheads 62.00 ft / 18.90 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 9.00" / 229 mm  12.0" / 305 mm
 2nd: 4.00" / 102 mm 3.00" / 76 mm  4.00" / 102 mm

   - Protected deck - multiple decks:
 For and Aft decks: 4.00" / 102 mm
 Forecastle: 4.00" / 102 mm  Quarter deck: 4.00" / 102 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 12.00" / 305 mm, Aft 9.00" / 229 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 96,148 shp / 71,727 Kw = 27.50 kts
 Range 8,500nm at 16.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 7,958 tons

Complement:
 1,206 - 1,568

Cost:
 £2.307 million / $9.226 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 1,501 tons, 4.6 %
    - Guns: 1,501 tons, 4.6 %
 Armour: 10,858 tons, 33.5 %
    - Belts: 3,649 tons, 11.3 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 1,010 tons, 3.1 %
    - Armament: 2,256 tons, 7.0 %
    - Armour Deck: 3,484 tons, 10.8 %
    - Conning Towers: 459 tons, 1.4 %
 Machinery: 4,370 tons, 13.5 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 10,087 tons, 31.2 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,549 tons, 17.1 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   57,968 lbs / 26,294 Kg = 47.1 x 13.5 " / 343 mm shells or 8.7 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.19
 Metacentric height 6.3 ft / 1.9 m
 Roll period: 15.7 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 75 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.61
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.50

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has low quarterdeck ,
   a ram bow and a cruiser stern
 Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.578 / 0.589
 Length to Beam Ratio: 7.39 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 26.36 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 51 %
 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 (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
    Fore end,  Aft end
    - Forecastle: 28.00 %,  30.00 ft / 9.14 m,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m
    - Forward deck: 30.00 %,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m
    - Aft deck: 9.00 %,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m,  28.00 ft / 8.53 m
    - Quarter deck: 33.00 %,  20.00 ft / 6.10 m,  20.00 ft / 6.10 m
    - Average freeboard:  25.58 ft / 7.80 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 99.7 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 207.0 %
 Waterplane Area: 46,807 Square feet or 4,349 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 121 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 168 lbs/sq ft or 822 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.95
  - Longitudinal: 1.63
  - Overall: 1.00
 Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
 Excellent accommodation and workspace room
 Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
 Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

The GB/BB/1909 battleship design

This is a design that my friend Cliff had considered building as part of his program. It is just a 620ft long ship and has only 6-13.5in/45 and 12-6in QF guns. For a 29,000 ton ship (nominally), the ship is underarmed but well-protected, despite the belt being short. The real question is why the ship is as good as it is. I backed off coal-fired boilers as my photo is clearly an oil-fired ship, which is consistent with Cliff's plans. He often opted for speed and armour and sacrificed armament. Did I overlook something? In any case, here is the Springsharp report for those with sharp eyes to peruse:

GB/BB/1909, Great Britain Battleship laid down 1909

Displacement:
 23,901 t light; 24,964 t standard; 29,121 t normal; 32,447 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
 (628.00 ft / 620.00 ft) x 95.00 ft x (30.20 / 32.97 ft)
 (191.41 m / 188.98 m) x 28.96 m  x (9.20 / 10.05 m)

Armament:
      6 - 13.50" / 343 mm 45.0 cal guns - 1,240.67lbs / 562.76kg shells, 90 per gun
   Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1909 Model
   3 x Twin mounts on centreline ends, majority forward
  1 raised mount - superfiring
      12 - 6.00" / 152 mm 45.0 cal guns - 108.93lbs / 49.41kg shells, 150 per gun
   Quick firing guns in casemate mounts, 1909 Model
   12 x Single mounts on sides, forward deck aft
      Weight of broadside 8,751 lbs / 3,969 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 13.0" / 330 mm 385.00 ft / 117.35 m 9.00 ft / 2.74 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
 Upper: 10.0" / 254 mm 385.00 ft / 117.35 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
   Main Belt covers 96 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Strengthened structural bulkheads:
  2.00" / 51 mm 385.00 ft / 117.35 m 30.20 ft / 9.20 m
 Beam between torpedo bulkheads 62.00 ft / 18.90 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 12.0" / 305 mm 9.00" / 229 mm  12.0" / 305 mm
 2nd: 4.00" / 102 mm 3.00" / 76 mm  4.00" / 102 mm

   - Protected deck - multiple decks:
 For and Aft decks: 4.00" / 102 mm
 Forecastle: 4.00" / 102 mm  Quarter deck: 4.00" / 102 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 12.00" / 305 mm, Aft 9.00" / 229 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 76,183 shp / 56,832 Kw = 26.00 kts
 Range 8,500nm at 16.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 7,482 tons

Complement:
 1,114 - 1,449

Cost:
 £2.077 million / $8.310 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 1,501 tons, 5.2 %
    - Guns: 1,501 tons, 5.2 %
 Armour: 9,945 tons, 34.1 %
    - Belts: 3,325 tons, 11.4 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 860 tons, 3.0 %
    - Armament: 2,204 tons, 7.6 %
    - Armour Deck: 3,126 tons, 10.7 %
    - Conning Towers: 428 tons, 1.5 %
 Machinery: 3,463 tons, 11.9 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 8,992 tons, 30.9 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 5,220 tons, 17.9 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   54,031 lbs / 24,508 Kg = 43.9 x 13.5 " / 343 mm shells or 8.6 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.22
 Metacentric height 6.7 ft / 2.0 m
 Roll period: 15.5 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 74 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.57
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.47

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has low quarterdeck ,
   a ram bow and a cruiser stern
 Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.573 / 0.585
 Length to Beam Ratio: 6.53 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 24.90 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
 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 (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
    Fore end,  Aft end
    - Forecastle: 28.00 %,  29.00 ft / 8.84 m,  27.00 ft / 8.23 m
    - Forward deck: 30.00 %,  27.00 ft / 8.23 m,  27.00 ft / 8.23 m
    - Aft deck: 9.00 %,  27.00 ft / 8.23 m,  27.00 ft / 8.23 m
    - Quarter deck: 33.00 %,  19.00 ft / 5.79 m,  19.00 ft / 5.79 m
    - Average freeboard:  24.58 ft / 7.49 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 96.3 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 193.9 %
 Waterplane Area: 42,002 Square feet or 3,902 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 121 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 170 lbs/sq ft or 828 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.93
  - Longitudinal: 1.95
  - Overall: 1.00
 Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
 Excellent accommodation and workspace room
 Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
 Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

A rather unsatisfactory Viper design

I am not sure if it is possible to achieve a good result for an 1898 destroyer in Springsharp. We are going with the very low, but realistic freeboard. This is my rather lame attempt at HMS Viper, the turbine destroyer:

Viper, Great Britain Torpedo Boat Destroyer laid down 1898 (Engine 1917)

Displacement:
 284 t light; 295 t standard; 333 t normal; 365 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
 (210.00 ft / 210.00 ft) x 21.00 ft x (7.25 / 7.66 ft)
 (64.01 m / 64.01 m) x 6.40 m  x (2.21 / 2.33 m)

Armament:
      1 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm 45.0 cal gun - 13.62lbs / 6.18kg shells, 150 per gun
   Quick firing gun in deck mounts, 1898 Model
   2 x Single mounts on centreline, forward deck forward
  1 raised mount - superfiring
      5 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm 45.0 cal guns - 5.70lbs / 2.58kg shells, 150 per gun
   Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1898 Model
   4 x Single mounts on sides, forward deck aft
   1 x Single mount on centreline, aft deck aft
      Weight of broadside 42 lbs / 19 kg
      Main Torpedoes
      2 - 17.7" / 450 mm, 20.00 ft / 6.10 m torpedoes - 0.650 t each, 1.300 t total
 In 2 sets of deck mounted centre rotating tubes

Machinery:
 Coal fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Direct drive, 2 shafts, 11,992 shp / 8,946 Kw = 30.00 kts
 Range 2,200nm at 12.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 70 tons (100% coal)
   Caution: Delicate, lightweight machinery

Complement:
 38 - 50

Cost:
 £0.038 million / $0.153 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 11 tons, 3.3 %
    - Guns: 8 tons, 2.5 %
    - Weapons: 3 tons, 0.8 %
 Machinery: 186 tons, 55.7 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 87 tons, 26.2 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 49 tons, 14.7 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   69 lbs / 31 Kg = 5.1 x 3.0 " / 76 mm shells or 0.3 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.06
 Metacentric height 0.5 ft / 0.2 m
 Roll period: 12.0 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 51 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.18
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 0.51

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has a flush deck,
   a normal bow and a round stern
 Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.365 / 0.378
 Length to Beam Ratio: 10.00 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 14.49 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 71 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 100
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 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 %,  9.00 ft / 2.74 m,  8.00 ft / 2.44 m
    - Forward deck: 30.00 %,  8.00 ft / 2.44 m,  7.00 ft / 2.13 m
    - Aft deck: 35.00 %,  7.00 ft / 2.13 m,  7.00 ft / 2.13 m
    - Quarter deck: 15.00 %,  7.00 ft / 2.13 m,  7.00 ft / 2.13 m
    - Average freeboard:  7.43 ft / 2.26 m
 Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 186.5 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 65.7 %
 Waterplane Area: 2,654 Square feet or 247 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 34 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 21 lbs/sq ft or 100 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.48
  - Longitudinal: 1.19
  - Overall: 0.53
 Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
 Cramped accommodation and workspace room
 Caution: Lacks seaworthiness - very limited seakeeping ability

HMS Viper

When I first saw the photograph of the torpedo boat destroyer HMS Viper making 36 knots on trials in Marsh's book, it really captured my imagination. When I was in Minnesota in 2003, I painted this picture, based on the photograph, as I thought it would be colored. This is a slightly edited version of the painting.