New Colombian Ships for 1920

[The Rock Doctor]

May as well post something now that I'm done with war sims for a couple days.

So...first up, the mid-life modernization of the Triunfante class battleships.  They will receive new machinery and bunkerage, new deck armor, and new miscellaneous weight (FC and such).  The superstructure is being revised somewhat to improve spacing for fire control, additional personnel, and so forth.  A general refurbishment is included.

Part of this comes at the expense of the secondary battery, trimmed to fourteen guns.  It's thought by the Colombians that larger, longer-ranged torpedoes make a heavy secondary less critical because they'll have a small engagement envelope against would-be torpedoers.  The emphasis for defence will shift more strongly to cruiser escorts.

I'm also revised the hull shape just because I don't care for the one I had before.  The actual ship's dimensions do not change - it just looks more consistent with later Colombian hulls.

Costs:  Refurbishment

-Machinery  1.339 BP / $2.68
-Bunkerage 0 BP / $0.98
-Misc. Weight 0.300 BP / $.30
-Deck 2.221 BP / $2.22
-20% Refurb  0 BP / $4.54
Total cost 5.814 BP, $10.72, eleven months

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1920

Displacement:
   23,004 t light; 24,199 t standard; 25,284 t normal; 26,153 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   560.01 ft / 557.74 ft x 95.14 ft x 25.66 ft (normal load)
   170.69 m / 170.00 m x 29.00 m  x 7.82 m

Armament:
      4 - 12.01" / 305 mm guns (2x2 guns), 865.70lbs / 392.68kg shells, 1920 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline, all forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
      8 - 12.01" / 305 mm guns (4x2 guns), 865.70lbs / 392.68kg shells, 1920 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline, all aft, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
      14 - 5.51" / 140 mm guns in single mounts, 83.72lbs / 37.98kg shells, 1920 Model
     Breech loading guns in casemate mounts
     on side, all forward
     14 guns in hull casemates - Limited use in heavy seas
      4 - 2.56" / 65.0 mm guns in single mounts, 8.38lbs / 3.80kg shells, 1920 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
      4 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns in single mounts, 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1920 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
   Weight of broadside 11,600 lbs / 5,262 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 100

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   12.6" / 320 mm   396.98 ft / 121.00 m   12.00 ft / 3.66 m
   Ends:   3.94" / 100 mm   160.76 ft / 49.00 m   12.00 ft / 3.66 m
   Upper:   5.91" / 150 mm   396.98 ft / 121.00 m   8.00 ft / 2.44 m
     Main Belt covers 110 % of normal length

   - Torpedo Bulkhead:
      1.57" / 40 mm   396.98 ft / 121.00 m   24.31 ft / 7.41 m

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   12.6" / 320 mm   7.87" / 200 mm      12.6" / 320 mm
   2nd:   12.6" / 320 mm   7.87" / 200 mm      12.6" / 320 mm
   3rd:   5.91" / 150 mm         -               -
   4th:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -
   5th:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 2.95" / 75 mm, Conning tower: 12.60" / 320 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 4 shafts, 40,000 shp / 29,840 Kw = 22.06 kts
   Range 10,000nm at 10.00 kts (Bunkerage = 1,954 tons)

Complement:
   1,002 - 1,303

Cost:
   £5.245 million / $20.979 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 1,450 tons, 5.7 %
   Armour: 10,000 tons, 39.6 %
      - Belts: 3,699 tons, 14.6 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 562 tons, 2.2 %
      - Armament: 3,285 tons, 13.0 %
      - Armour Deck: 2,221 tons, 8.8 %
      - Conning Tower: 234 tons, 0.9 %
   Machinery: 1,399 tons, 5.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 9,664 tons, 38.2 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,280 tons, 9.0 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 491 tons, 1.9 %
   250 FC
   25 Wirless
   25 Flag
   191 Reserve

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     30,732 lbs / 13,940 Kg = 35.5 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 4.9 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.13
   Metacentric height 5.8 ft / 1.8 m
   Roll period: 16.6 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.52
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.26

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0.650
   Length to Beam Ratio: 5.86 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 23.62 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 49 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 40
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: -3.28 ft / -1.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      25.92 ft / 7.90 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   22.97 ft / 7.00 m
      - Mid (50 %):      22.97 ft / 7.00 m (15.09 ft / 4.60 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   15.09 ft / 4.60 m
      - Stern:      15.09 ft / 4.60 m
      - Average freeboard:   19.27 ft / 5.87 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 80.8 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 144.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 40,652 Square feet or 3,777 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 102 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 179 lbs/sq ft or 874 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.94
      - Longitudinal: 1.63
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily


Upper pic as built; lower as refurbished.

[The Rock Doctor]

When it purchased the Congo from the Dutch, Gran Colombia also picked up the ten Dutch gunboats based on the Congo rivershed (for extra cash, since the frugal Dutch were quite prepared to dismantle them and transport them elsewhere otherwise).  What the Colombians did not find was any kind of supporting infrastructure for those gunboats.

With a river port now built at Villa Leopold (~Kinshasa) and two small drydocks installed there, the gunboats have a good base of operations; however, there will be times when they need to work for extended periods a long ways away from Villa Leopold.  

Building other river ports is an option, but not one to be pursued immediately.  Rather, the Colombians will build a small number of riverine depot ships to support up to four of the ex-Dutch gunboats.  They will be coal-fired and use easily repaired VTE engines.

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1920

Displacement:
   824 t light; 847 t standard; 1,086 t normal; 1,277 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   226.38 ft / 226.38 ft x 39.37 ft x 6.56 ft (normal load)
   69.00 m / 69.00 m x 12.00 m  x 2.00 m

Armament:
     1 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns in single mounts, 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1920 Model
     Breech loading gun in deck mount
     on centreline aft
     3 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1920 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
   Weight of broadside 14 lbs / 6 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150

Armour:
  - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -
   2nd:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 750 ihp / 560 Kw = 11.80 kts
   Range 8,000nm at 10.00 kts (Bunkerage = 430 tons)

Complement:
   93 - 122

Cost:
   £0.088 million / $0.350 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 2 tons, 0.2 %
   Armour: 2 tons, 0.1 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 2 tons, 0.1 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 48 tons, 4.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 400 tons, 36.8 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 262 tons, 24.1 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 373 tons, 34.3 %
   -250 t:  Accommodation for 125 personnel
   -50 t:  Stores and ammunition
   -30 t:  Crew amenities
   -25 t:  Long-range wireless
   -15 t:  Command facilities
   -3 t:  Weight reserve


Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     3,904 lbs / 1,771 Kg = 289.2 x 3.0 " / 76 mm shells or 1.6 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.31
   Metacentric height 2.0 ft / 0.6 m
   Roll period: 11.7 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 71 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.01
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.87

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has raised forecastle, rise aft of midbreak, low quarterdeck
   Block coefficient: 0.650
   Length to Beam Ratio: 5.75 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 15.05 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 35 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 38
   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:      9.84 ft / 3.00 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   9.84 ft / 3.00 m (9.19 ft / 2.80 m aft of break)
      - Mid (50 %):      9.19 ft / 2.80 m (17.06 ft / 5.20 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   9.19 ft / 2.80 m (17.06 ft / 5.20 m before break)
      - Stern:      9.19 ft / 2.80 m
      - Average freeboard:   12.07 ft / 3.68 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 54.1 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 187.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 6,828 Square feet or 634 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 224 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 43 lbs/sq ft or 212 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.92
      - Longitudinal: 2.12
      - 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
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

[Guinness]

Usefull for housing and supporting small garrisons too, I should think.

[The Rock Doctor]

Possibly, but I'm contemplating a small run of landing craft similar to the Condor class, currently operated on the Amazon, for that purpose.

http://www.navalism.org/index.php?topic=52.msg17763#msg17763

[maddox]

For river use, why not a stern-wheeler?  Easy to repair, doesn't bother about sandbars and stuff.

[The Rock Doctor]

They haven't used any previously, I'm not sure how they'd be simmed, and I understand the paddlewheel to be quite vulnerable to enemy fire.

[maddox]

Stern-wheel, it's just storywise.

And vurnable.  As if something heavy enough to damage the wheel enough in a short time ain't a danger to the whole ship?

[damocles]

Stern-wheel, it's just storywise.

And vurnable.  As if something heavy enough to damage the wheel enough in a short time ain't a danger to the whole ship?

Log and sandbar will ding a screw and reduce its thrust I think. Those objects will definitely destroy a paddle wheel completely. 

Grounding a paddle wheel could be exiting!

[The Rock Doctor]

Note to self:  add shallow-draft river tugs to building plan.

[Guinness]

So called tunnel sterns have been the answer in the recent past. I don't know about 1920 though.

The advantage of paddle wheels is the need only inches of water when designed for river use. Grounding one would be bad, but they can often be repaired quickly by ship's crew.

All that said sufficiently shallow screws ought to be fine.

[ctwaterman]

*wishes I had a navigable river*....

goes back to contimplating the benefits of Hydro Electirc power

[Guinness]

Looking around draft may be too deep. Here's an example of a Mississippi boat:



Note the draft is quite shallow. The hull would have a very high BC.

[Jefgte]

...  Miscellaneous weights: 373 tons, 34.3 %
   -250 t:  Accommodation for 125 personnel
   -50 t:  Stores and ammunition
   -30 t:  Crew amenities
   -25 t:  Long-range wireless
   -15 t:  Command facilities
   -3 t:  Weight reserve

...

Very good choices, useful to work alone in the jungle.

You could built this exellent class.


Jef

[TexanCowboy]

Looks like the Romanian Reports had some small effect....

[Carthaginian]

Stern-wheel, it's just storywise.

And vurnable.  As if something heavy enough to damage the wheel enough in a short time ain't a danger to the whole ship?

Log and sandbar will ding a screw and reduce its thrust I think. Those objects will definitely destroy a paddle wheel completely. 

Grounding a paddle wheel could be exiting!

Grounding a paddle wheel is NOT exciting. Grounding a screw boat is exciting... they are almost impossible to get off. A paddlewheel has only about 50% of the draft of a modern river towboat and isn't too much heavier in the long run, so they would be very improbable to ground out on a river with as nice a channel as the Amazon.

A sternwheeler is a nice idea- but a sidewheeler would be the ideal- draft is just as shallow, but it is FAR more maneuverable. A sidewheeler can literally pivot within it's own length.