Confederate Ships - 1920

[Carthaginian]

The El Paso class art is finally more or less completed, so here are the stats, as promised. Five have been building during the course of 1919 and will enter service early in 1920. It's currently unknown if more will be built, or if a newer design will be developed. The Confederate Admiralty feels that a cruiser with only 6 main guns is a bit light in these times. The Confederate Congress feels that larger ships are too expensive. Only time will tell which side wins out.

El Paso, Confederate States of America 3rd Class Cruiser laid down 1919 (Engine 1916)

Displacement:
   4,450 t light; 4,589 t standard; 5,000 t normal; 5,329 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   445.00 ft / 435.00 ft x 38.00 ft x 20.00 ft (normal load)
   135.63 m / 132.59 m x 11.58 m  x 6.10 m

Armament:
      6 - 5.50" / 140 mm guns (3x2 guns), 75.00lbs / 34.02kg shells, 1919 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
     on centreline ends, majority aft, 1 raised mount aft - superfiring
      4 - 1.58" / 40.1 mm guns (2x2 guns), 2.00lbs / 0.91kg shells, 1919 Model
     Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
   Weight of broadside 458 lbs / 208 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150
   6 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   3.00" / 76 mm   370.00 ft / 112.78 m   12.00 ft / 3.66 m
   Ends:   Unarmoured
     Main Belt covers 131 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.50" / 38 mm   0.50" / 13 mm      1.50" / 38 mm

   - Armour deck: 1.00" / 25 mm, Conning tower: 2.00" / 51 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 49,000 shp / 36,554 Kw = 30.12 kts
   Range 6,100nm at 12.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 741 tons

Complement:
   296 - 386

Cost:
   £1.014 million / $4.054 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 63 tons, 1.3 %
   Armour: 772 tons, 15.4 %
      - Belts: 530 tons, 10.6 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 20 tons, 0.4 %
      - Armour Deck: 209 tons, 4.2 %
      - Conning Tower: 13 tons, 0.3 %
   Machinery: 1,826 tons, 36.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,677 tons, 33.5 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 550 tons, 11.0 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 112 tons, 2.2 %
      100t - Cruiser Fire Control
        12t - 2x3x21" Torpedoes

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     3,189 lbs / 1,446 Kg = 38.3 x 5.5 " / 140 mm shells or 0.7 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.11
   Metacentric height 1.4 ft / 0.4 m
   Roll period: 13.3 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.57
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.35

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0.529
   Length to Beam Ratio: 11.45 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 20.86 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 60 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 52
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 21.03 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      26.00 ft / 7.92 m
      - Forecastle (15 %):   23.00 ft / 7.01 m
      - Mid (35 %):      22.00 ft / 6.71 m (14.00 ft / 4.27 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Stern:      14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Average freeboard:   17.23 ft / 5.25 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 130.5 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 89.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 11,316 Square feet or 1,051 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 99 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 68 lbs/sq ft or 332 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.89
      - Longitudinal: 2.70
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is cramped
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

[TexanCowboy]

Rather like it, very nice for a small cruiser...

One thing I was thinking of, for the drawing, at least, would be to move the aft guns aft a tad bit more, so you have a little more space to get both triple torpedo tubes to be able to fire on either beam...and perhaps install one of those new-fangled 'black-powder catapults' that Rohan is installing on their new cruiser. ;D

[Borys]

I love it!

[miketr]

It is nice to be sure.

[Jefgte]

Nice drawing, I like the concept.


Jef

[damocles]

Reminds me of the Dutch interwar cruisers.

D.

[P3D]

Yes, about right for a 5.5" ship.

[TexanCowboy]

Wooh! That's a very skinny cruiser you have there....I think it's skinnier than the Tomozuru that had the stablity problems.

[Guinness]

Wooh! That's a very skinny cruiser you have there....I think it's skinnier than the Tomozuru that had the stablity problems.

Tomozuru was an overloaded TB. Her beam figured into the incident, but only in that she had little reserve stability. I don't see that as an issue here.

[Borys]

Ahoj!
Once I figure out how to put two 5,3" guns into enclosed mounts with hoists :) I'll build something similar :D
Borys

[Guinness]

Now actually looking in detail: she's a logical development of the 2nd flight of Chattanoogas. That's a good thing, IMHO. :)

One question: are the AA guns supposed to be in 2 mounts, or 4? They don't jibe, in my eye, with the illustration.

[Carthaginian]

Yeah, the SS is wrong... the line drawing is right. It won't make any difference in the SS, though.

I used the Chatanoogas as a base for the class.
Of course, the 6 gun protected cruiser is becoming VERY outgunned these days. It seems that the El Paso and her sisters will likely be the last of their kind. Something very akin to the British Royal Navy's 6" cruisers will be next in line for the Admiralty's building plans.

Of course, there is a need for the Confederacyto have some better high-seas scouts...
perhaps something a bit more 'advanced' should be in order.

[Carthaginian]

A quick and dirty sim of what would happen if the crew at La Paz got their hands on an unfinished El Paso class. The 5.5" guns are replaced with twin 4.75" guns forward to retain some self-defense capabilities. A pair (on flyable, one disassembled) of Sopwith Baby's are carried in a hanger aft with a catapult launch system and a recovery crane; all of this replaces the aft 5.5" turrets. The decrease in combat capabilities makes this pretty much unthinkable (it's a lousy tradeoff) but I was just going over some ideas in my head and this seemed like a logical (if outlandish) thing I could do to a ship already in service to make a fast floatplane carrier.

Pensacola, Confederate States of America 3rd Class Cruiser laid down 1919 (Engine 1916)

Displacement:
   4,450 t light; 4,589 t standard; 5,000 t normal; 5,329 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   445.00 ft / 435.00 ft x 38.00 ft x 20.00 ft (normal load)
   135.63 m / 132.59 m x 11.58 m  x 6.10 m

Armament:
     4 - 4.75" / 121 mm guns (2x2 guns), 50.00lbs / 22.68kg shells, 1919 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
     on centreline, all forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
     4 - 1.58" / 40.1 mm guns (2x2 guns), 2.00lbs / 0.91kg shells, 1919 Model
     Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
   Weight of broadside 208 lbs / 94 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 325
   6 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
  - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   3.00" / 76 mm   370.00 ft / 112.78 m   12.00 ft / 3.66 m
   Ends:   Unarmoured
     Main Belt covers 131 % of normal length

  - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.50" / 38 mm   0.50" / 13 mm      1.50" / 38 mm

  - Armour deck: 1.00" / 25 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 49,000 shp / 36,554 Kw = 30.12 kts
   Range 6,100nm at 12.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 741 tons

Complement:
   296 - 386

Cost:
   £0.948 million / $3.794 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 28 tons, 0.6 %
   Armour: 751 tons, 15.0 %
      - Belts: 530 tons, 10.6 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 12 tons, 0.2 %
      - Armour Deck: 209 tons, 4.2 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 1,826 tons, 36.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,596 tons, 31.9 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 550 tons, 11.0 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 250 tons, 5.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     3,278 lbs / 1,487 Kg = 61.2 x 4.8 " / 121 mm shells or 0.7 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.11
   Metacentric height 1.4 ft / 0.4 m
   Roll period: 13.4 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 71 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.27
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.37

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0.529
   Length to Beam Ratio: 11.45 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 20.86 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 60 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 52
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 21.03 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      26.00 ft / 7.92 m
      - Forecastle (15 %):   23.00 ft / 7.01 m
      - Mid (35 %):      22.00 ft / 6.71 m (14.00 ft / 4.27 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Stern:      14.00 ft / 4.27 m
      - Average freeboard:   17.23 ft / 5.25 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 128.6 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 89.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 11,316 Square feet or 1,051 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 103 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 65 lbs/sq ft or 316 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.90
      - Longitudinal: 2.66
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is cramped
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

[Carthaginian]

Another study moving through the Confederate Admiralty- a long-range fleet screen vessel.
They are deliberately designed to protect fleets at sea from destroyers, and nothing but...

though they they could, possibly... maybe, serve as scouts.

laid down 1920

Displacement:
   2,825 t light; 2,951 t standard; 3,450 t normal; 3,849 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   425.00 ft / 425.00 ft x 42.00 ft x 12.00 ft (normal load)
   129.54 m / 129.54 m x 12.80 m  x 3.66 m

Armament:
      8 - 4.75" / 121 mm guns (4x2 guns), 50.00lbs / 22.68kg shells, 1920 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
      8 - 1.00" / 25.4 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.50lbs / 0.23kg shells, 1920 Model
     Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
   Weight of broadside 404 lbs / 183 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 250
   6 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.00" / 25 mm         -               -

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 41,000 shp / 30,586 Kw = 30.14 kts
   Range 7,660nm at 14.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 899 tons

Complement:
   224 - 292

Cost:
   £0.815 million / $3.262 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 54 tons, 1.6 %
   Armour: 18 tons, 0.5 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 18 tons, 0.5 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 1,434 tons, 41.6 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,207 tons, 35.0 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 625 tons, 18.1 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 112 tons, 3.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     2,107 lbs / 956 Kg = 39.3 x 4.8 " / 121 mm shells or 0.5 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.45
   Metacentric height 2.6 ft / 0.8 m
   Roll period: 11.0 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.11
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 0.79

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0.564
   Length to Beam Ratio: 10.12 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 20.62 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 62 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 63
   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:      23.00 ft / 7.01 m
      - Forecastle (15 %):   19.00 ft / 5.79 m
      - Mid (35 %):      18.00 ft / 5.49 m (10.00 ft / 3.05 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   10.00 ft / 3.05 m
      - Stern:      10.00 ft / 3.05 m
      - Average freeboard:   13.29 ft / 4.05 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 150.6 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 102.5 %
   Waterplane Area: 12,619 Square feet or 1,172 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 101 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 63 lbs/sq ft or 310 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 1.00
      - Longitudinal: 1.04
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
   Poor seaboat, wet and uncomfortable, reduced performance in heavy weather

[The Rock Doctor]

I like the concept, but the hull form could be tweaked - drop the BC down to about 0.5, then nudge the length/beam up a bit.  It's not like you're trying to wedge it into a Type 1 slip.