Iberian PDN Upgrade Project

[miketr]

OK here is the rebuild of the Alfonso into a uniform battery BB.  Cost would be about the same as the Pelayo.

Alfonso IV (refit 2), Iberia Battleship laid down 1899 (Engine 1922)

Displacement:
   12,501 t light; 13,185 t standard; 14,386 t normal; 15,348 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   403.87 ft / 403.54 ft x 91.86 ft x 22.64 ft (normal load)
   123.10 m / 123.00 m x 28.00 m  x 6.90 m

Armament:
      4 - 11.02" / 280 mm guns (2x2 guns), 669.80lbs / 303.82kg shells, 1899 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline ends, evenly spread
      4 - 11.02" / 280 mm guns in single mounts, 669.80lbs / 303.81kg shells, 1899 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on side, all amidships
      12 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns in single mounts, 102.98lbs / 46.71kg shells, 1899 Model
     Breech loading guns in casemate mounts
     on side, evenly spread
     8 guns in hull casemates - Limited use in all but light seas
      4 - 2.95" / 75.0 mm guns in single mounts, 12.87lbs / 5.84kg shells, 1899 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
      4 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns in single mounts, 1.95lbs / 0.88kg shells, 1899 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 6,653 lbs / 3,018 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 100

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   11.0" / 280 mm   264.80 ft / 80.71 m   11.52 ft / 3.51 m
   Ends:   5.91" / 150 mm   138.71 ft / 42.28 m   11.52 ft / 3.51 m
   Upper:   4.72" / 120 mm   264.80 ft / 80.71 m   8.01 ft / 2.44 m
     Main Belt covers 101 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   11.8" / 300 mm   6.50" / 165 mm      11.0" / 280 mm
   2nd:   9.84" / 250 mm   4.72" / 120 mm      9.06" / 230 mm
   3rd:   3.94" / 100 mm         -               -
   4th:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 2.95" / 75 mm, Conning tower: 11.81" / 300 mm

Machinery:
   Diesel Internal combustion motors,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 22,002 shp / 16,413 Kw = 20.00 kts
   Range 17,300nm at 10.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 2,163 tons

Complement:
   656 - 853

Cost:
   £1.241 million / $4.963 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 832 tons, 5.8 %
   Armour: 5,427 tons, 37.7 %
      - Belts: 2,337 tons, 16.2 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 1,459 tons, 10.1 %
      - Armour Deck: 1,481 tons, 10.3 %
      - Conning Tower: 151 tons, 1.0 %
   Machinery: 746 tons, 5.2 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 5,105 tons, 35.5 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,885 tons, 13.1 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 391 tons, 2.7 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     21,436 lbs / 9,723 Kg = 32.0 x 11.0 " / 280 mm shells or 3.6 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.10
   Metacentric height 5.3 ft / 1.6 m
   Roll period: 16.8 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.33
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.05

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.600
   Length to Beam Ratio: 4.39 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 20.09 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 55 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 67
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 1.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      18.70 ft / 5.70 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Mid (50 %):      15.58 ft / 4.75 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   13.94 ft / 4.25 m
      - Stern:      13.94 ft / 4.25 m
      - Average freeboard:   15.52 ft / 4.73 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 63.9 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 120.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 27,113 Square feet or 2,519 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 103 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 148 lbs/sq ft or 721 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.91
      - Longitudinal: 2.15
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform

Long Range Radio 25 tons,
Fire Control 250 tons
115 tons construction reserve.

[P3D]

I'd just recycle the turrets (and barbette+belt armor) and build brand new ships. One pair with 8x280mm and one pair with 8x250mm.

The Alfonsos should be reconstructed 10x250 - just replace the 280mm guns with the smaller ones in the old turret. Get the guns from the Pelayos. Or just place new twin 250mm turrets there.
If you want to keep the Pelayos, reduce armament to just 4x280, perhaps a few extra 6" secondaries, but no additional efforts worth it to install further big guns. I'd scrap them. You'd be left with 4 or 8 twin 280mm turrets and even some belt armor. Use it to construct two slow ships or a single fast one.

[miketr]

Thanks for the input P3D.

I agree that I could reuse the guns and build more effective ships but only get 1 or perhaps 2.  Heck I could spend the 12 BP's can get an entire new cruiser thats way more effective.  Four ships even if less effective would be more useful to me.  Also I like the advantage of having more ships with similiar tactical traits, in this cause two pairs.  Besides I like the idea of keeping the rust buckets around

[P3D]

I just have doubts of gutting out a 30-year-old ship and installing extra turrets. Keeping the two Alfonsos with uniform 250mm battery (~3BP each) is fine, but the Pelayos' layout is just suboptimal for reconstruction.