Kingdom Korvettes

[Korpen]

A look to see if a ship such as this is worthwhile.

Type II, Netherlands Korvette laid down 1913 (Engine 1912)

Displacement:
   3 000 t light; 3 103 t standard; 3 605 t normal; 4 006 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   393,70 ft / 393,70 ft x 42,65 ft x 15,65 ft (normal load)
   120,00 m / 120,00 m x 13,00 m  x 4,77 m

Armament:
      6 - 4,72" / 120 mm guns (3x2 guns), 61,73lbs / 28,00kg shells, 1913 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts with hoists
     on centreline ends, majority forward, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
   Weight of broadside 370 lbs / 168 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1,38" / 35 mm   0,59" / 15 mm      1,97" / 50 mm

   - Armour deck: 0,87" / 22 mm, Conning tower: 2,95" / 75 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 28 000 shp / 20 888 Kw = 27,29 kts
   Range 8 000nm at 12,00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 904 tons

Complement:
   232 - 302

Cost:
   £0,321 million / $1,285 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 40 tons, 1,1 %
   Armour: 209 tons, 5,8 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0,0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0,0 %
      - Armament: 18 tons, 0,5 %
      - Armour Deck: 176 tons, 4,9 %
      - Conning Tower: 15 tons, 0,4 %
   Machinery: 1 116 tons, 31,0 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1 275 tons, 35,4 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 605 tons, 16,8 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 360 tons, 10,0 %
      - 35ton 2x Radio (large&small)
      - 300ton Mines
      - 25ton Anti-collision device

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     3 055 lbs / 1 386 Kg = 57,9 x 4,7 " / 120 mm shells or 0,7 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1,19
   Metacentric height 1,9 ft / 0,6 m
   Roll period: 12,9 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 54 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0,29
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1,08

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0,480
   Length to Beam Ratio: 9,23 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 19,84 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 58 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0,00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0,00 ft / 0,00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      22,31 ft / 6,80 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   18,04 ft / 5,50 m
      - Mid (55 %):      18,04 ft / 5,50 m (9,84 ft / 3,00 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   9,84 ft / 3,00 m
      - Stern:      9,84 ft / 3,00 m
      - Average freeboard:   14,69 ft / 4,48 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 120,0 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 128,6 %
   Waterplane Area: 10 989 Square feet or 1 021 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 116 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 69 lbs/sq ft or 336 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0,94
      - Longitudinal: 1,75
      - Overall: 1,00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

Should one change 100 tons of mines for FC?

[Borys]

Do protected cruisers make sense with oil firing?
Maybe a 1" belt, proecting against 3-4" guns?
I see potential for use a Fleet Cruiser/Flotilla Leader in North Sea or NOI.
Borys

[miketr]

That 300 tons of misc weight costs a bit on such a small ship.  See others complaints about such a ship should be armed with atleast a 150mm gun and or have some armor.  Speed is also a bit on the low side, 28 knots or more would be better.  Otherwise very nice IMHO.

[Korpen]

That 300 tons of misc weight costs a bit on such a small ship.  See others complaints about such a ship should be armed with atleast a 150mm gun and or have some armor.  Speed is also a bit on the low side, 28 knots or more would be better.  Otherwise very nice IMHO.

Well, those 300 ton of mines is the reason for the ship in the first place. The guns are purely there for self-defence purposes.
Real armour was dispensed with as it would eat up too much weight that could be used to carry ordnance. While it would make the ship better for ship-to-ship actions, it would make it much worse for its main missions. In fact I consider cutting speed to get more range. Not as much to increas the operating radius as much as increase the amount of time she can spend at top speed.

EDIT: Quick check: Droping speed to 27 kts would allow for increasing range to 10 500nm @ 12kts, or 1250nm at 27kts (up from 950@27kts).

[Borys]

BTW - shouldn't the guns be singles?
Borys