Dutch Destroyers

[Korpen]

The reload of the gun could be certainly shorter , about 15sec because, the shells & pounder bags are near the gun, in light protected case, ready for use (no magazine, hoist & barbette).

Good point i did in fact not consider reloading during an attack. I wonder if it might be possible to fit a loading tray (like on field howitzers such as FH77) to give "burst" capacity, if a 15cm gun manages 3 rounds in less then 10sek, 3 rounds in 30sek might be possible with such a system... :)

BB guns on a DD...

Idea is interresting, so, I imagine the guns on the side of the little bridge to limite the weight at the stem. Your stem is too short
"...Forecastle (10 %)..."

There is a reason for that, i suspect that the deck of a DD cannot handle a 35cm gun fired at zero elevation less then 1m above it, so the guns stick out over the stem, see picture below (fixed the angle of the bow as well).

Your ship is also
"Poor seaboat..."

That i will simply live with it :)

Armoured gunboat

Displacement:
   1 000 t light; 1 035 t standard; 1 132 t normal; 1 210 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   278,87 ft / 278,87 ft x 26,25 ft x 9,84 ft (normal load)
   85,00 m / 85,00 m x 8,00 m  x 3,00 m

Armament:
     2 - 13,78" / 350 mm guns (1x2 guns), 1 322,77lbs / 600,00kg shells, 1912 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mount
     on bow with limited arc
     Main guns limited to end-on fire
   Weight of broadside 2 646 lbs / 1 200 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 8

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 15 624 shp / 11 655 Kw = 27,00 kts
   Range 3 000nm at 12,00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 176 tons
     Caution: Delicate, lightweight machinery

Complement:
   96 - 126

Cost:
   £0,343 million / $1,374 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 327 tons, 28,9 %
   Machinery: 241 tons, 21,3 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 422 tons, 37,3 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 132 tons, 11,7 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 10 tons, 0,9 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     127 lbs / 58 Kg = 0,1 x 13,8 " / 350 mm shells or 0,1 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1,44
   Metacentric height 1,3 ft / 0,4 m
   Roll period: 9,8 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 44 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 3,07
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 0,77

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0,550
   Length to Beam Ratio: 10,63 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 16,70 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 66 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -60,00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0,00 ft / 0,00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      13,12 ft / 4,00 m
      - Forecastle (22 %):   13,12 ft / 4,00 m
      - Mid (32 %):      13,12 ft / 4,00 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:   10,89 ft / 3,32 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 268,7 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 105,0 %
   Waterplane Area: 5 108 Square feet or 475 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 29 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 44 lbs/sq ft or 216 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0,50
      - Longitudinal: 2,23
      - Overall: 0,58
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is extremely poor
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
   Poor seaboat, wet and uncomfortable, reduced performance in heavy weather

[Korpen]

Problem is, aiming in even moderately heavy seas would be close to impossible. And torpedoes are much deadlier than one or two large caliber hits - a torpedo hit is always below the waterline, and damages vital stuff (flotation reserve at the least), while a gun shot can just go through the superstructure or the hull.

True that a torpedo might usally do more damage, but the guns are several times more accurate, and despite its primitive mounting, are much more likley to score hits from much longer ranges, especially against targets that tries to avoid being hit (such as by showing the tail to the boat).

[Borys]

Ahoj!
I suspect that the guns should cost several times more than the rest of the ship ...

Borys

[Desertfox]

Hmm kind of like the dynamite guns on Vesuvius. I was thinking of replacing torpedo tubes with 18" recoiless guns. Similar concept, probably easier to integrate, thought the guns would be more expensive and would need to be developed.

[Ithekro]

Rohan and the Swiss have a torpedo boat on that style design using a single 8" dynamite gun.  Rohan has been experimenting with using rocket assist to increase its range for almost ten years.  They'll likely scrap the project in a year or so and scrap all the remaining torpedo boats in the fleet.

[The Rock Doctor]

I was thinking of replacing torpedo tubes with 18" recoiless guns.

I look forward to the technical discussion on that.

[Borys]

Ahoj!
Soviets equiped a destroyer with a recoiless 12" gun. And took it off quite quickly, if that is anything to go by ...

Borys

[Korpen]

Ahoj!
Soviets equiped a destroyer with a recoiless 12" gun. And took it off quite quickly, if that is anything to go by ...

Borys

I have a suspicion that the fact that 2/3rd of the charge in a recoilless weapon goes out in the back-blast. So a 30cm gun would require a larger powder charge then the 45cm gun on Yamoto, with huge blast zones at both ends. So I suspect a DD would simply rip itself apart, but it would sure as hell be impressive to see!  ;D

[Borys]

Ahoj!
Your breakdown could be optmistic :)
Neertheless, the pics I've seen depicted the gun pointing to the side.

Borys

[Borys]

http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=734959gq.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=735010um.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=734993oe.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=734976tr.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=735035ix.jpg

[Carthaginian]

Awww... no pic of it firing?
I feel cheated!
I wanted to see a destroyer 'take off!'