Aztec Ship Designs 1929-1934

[Jefgte]

...Primarily to escort and support these forces so the limited number of fast carriers can operate detached from the battle line.

And if the squadron carriers are damaged, they could collect the planes and the precious pilots.

[TacCovert4]

And looking at my large battleline that's limited to 24kts (7 ships in total), plus other ships limited to slower speeds, an escort carrier that's cheap, cheerful, and gives a modestly decent airgroup of 32 aircraft (probably even split between fighters and strike).  Primarily to escort and support these forces so the limited number of fast carriers can operate detached from the battle line.

Escort Carrier, Aztec Escort Carrier laid down 1935

Displacement:
   7,804 t light; 8,113 t standard; 8,900 t normal; 9,530 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (492.13 ft / 492.13 ft) x 59.06 ft x (19.49 / 20.57 ft)
   (150.00 m / 150.00 m) x 18.00 m  x (5.94 / 6.27 m)

* the 20 tons of arrestor equipment is unneeded. That is most definitely included in the classification.
* the torpedo bulkhead- with 1.5m depth & 15mm should not be expected to stop much of anything. Flooding control for a bomb near miss perhaps.
* 1884/65 = 28.9, so 28.   She can't hold 32 planes.

Short and at 25 knots, she'll run into the same limitations my vessels will be facing.
Which I think is entirely reasonable for a bi-plane era design.

I will note that if your battleline ever does need to sprint, and this needs to turn into the wind for launching for 30minutes or so, it could take a very long time to 'catch up' with only 1 knot of overtake.

Armored carrier- may look later.
But yes, I think the Med/Carrib correlation works well.
Frankly, I think the "Early warning systems don't exist so I'm armoring the flight deck" logic works well too.

I played with tonnage AFTER setting the air group.   So the hullform changed a bit.  I'll readjust, it's a WIP.

[Kaiser Kirk]

I have to be careful with both carriers and destroyers as tinkering with hull form can turn a valid design into invalid quite easily.  Sometimes it works another way, ot was a bit of a surprise to me to discover the 13,750ton design I was working on could hold more aircraft than I had budgeted for - hull form tinkering, or perhaps I used the wrong /55,/65 formula. That's why it inflated to the 14,500 Kam Baz- 10 AC for an opportunity cost of 750t.

[TacCovert4]

I have to be careful with both carriers and destroyers as tinkering with hull form can turn a valid design into invalid quite easily.  Sometimes it works another way, ot was a bit of a surprise to me to discover the 13,750ton design I was working on could hold more aircraft than I had budgeted for - hull form tinkering, or perhaps I used the wrong /55,/65 formula. That's why it inflated to the 14,500 Kam Baz- 10 AC for an opportunity cost of 750t.

Yeah, I finally got my head wrapped around DDs.  Generally speaking, my carrier designs have about 10% more aircraft possible than it has in air group.  I started chopping tonnage to get a certain tonnage per HY, which jacked up the air group.  I'm going to revisit the whole thing, cutting some of that misc weight out, and doing a few other things to see what I can do to get the design a bit better balanced.  The concept of an escort carrier to handle all the other jobs I might want aircraft involved in that isn't fleet scouting/screening or strike is the essence of the design....after that, as cheap and cheerful as possible.

[TacCovert4]

I have to be careful with both carriers and destroyers as tinkering with hull form can turn a valid design into invalid quite easily.  Sometimes it works another way, ot was a bit of a surprise to me to discover the 13,750ton design I was working on could hold more aircraft than I had budgeted for - hull form tinkering, or perhaps I used the wrong /55,/65 formula. That's why it inflated to the 14,500 Kam Baz- 10 AC for an opportunity cost of 750t.

Did some work.  Slight change to the guns, mostly just cutting a few of the 30s that would have a hard time finding physical space on the sponsons.

The interesting thing is that my escort carriers have the more efficient ABXY mount arrangement fore and aft of the island, while my light and strike carriers have the less efficient (for gunnery) sponson arrangement where half the gun battery isn't useful against low angle threats on the opposite side of the ship.  However, this is keeping with the Aztec philosophy for those ships of they are carriers first, and their guns are placed so that in no way do the gun batteries interfere with the flight deck.

Was able to change the armor scheme to a machinery/magazine box, which should reduce the chance of critical hits from HE or the bombs of this particular era.  Also bumped the TDS up to a 'barely' viable scheme, which combined with the depth of the blister should let the ship eat a torpedo.

Changed the aircraft to 28, which is still pretty darn good for this size.  Squeezed an extra knot out of her, plus a few other minor changes.  One of which is that the forward flight deck will have 4 catapults.  With her beam only 2 can be used at a time, she'll literally have 2 pairs of them.  But having two pairs of cats means that we can increase cycle time for off-wind launches of the alert flight.  These ships are designed to put up escorts for the surface action fleet first and foremost, so being able to catapult launch 4 fighters in a relatively short period of time no matter the direction of sailing is extremely important given the dearth of effective radar in this period.

As for flight group, I envision a single full squadron of fighters, and two partial squadrons of strike aircraft.  One being Fighter-Bombers, which will be dive bombers when that tech is finished....but they have a secondary role as second-line fighters and can contribute to the overall CAP in a defensive fight.  The other squadron are torpedo bombers, which for the wheeled naval aircraft are the primary scout aircraft.  Concept of operations is that the TB screen finds the enemy, the floatplanes on the BBs maintain eyes on, and the TBs return and arm up for a strike in support of the surface action, finishing off cripples or slowing down a fleeing enemy so that surface action groups can bring them down (very important for the slow BBs.....your 45,000t 32kt BB is suddenly very vulnerable when it's got a couple of torpedoes in it and is now forced to turn and fight a battle squadron of older 27,000t BBs that mostly traded speed for armor and firepower).

Escort Carrier, Aztec Escort Carrier laid down 1935

Displacement:
   7,985 t light; 8,295 t standard; 9,091 t normal; 9,729 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (492.13 ft / 492.13 ft) x 60.83 ft x (19.69 / 20.77 ft)
   (150.00 m / 150.00 m) x 18.54 m  x (6.00 / 6.33 m)

Armament:
      8 - 3.54" / 90.0 mm 55.0 cal guns - 24.01lbs / 10.89kg shells, 400 per gun
     Dual purpose guns in deck mounts, 1935 Model
     2 x Twin mounts on sides amidships
      2 raised mounts
     2 x Single mounts on sides amidships
      2 double raised mounts
      16 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 2.07lbs / 0.94kg shells, 4,000 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1935 Model
     4 x 4 row quad mounts on sides, evenly spread
      16 - 1.18" / 30.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 0.86lbs / 0.39kg shells, 1,500 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1935 Model
     16 x Single mounts on sides, evenly spread
      Weight of broadside 239 lbs / 108 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Ends:   Unarmoured

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Additional damage containing bulkheads:
      0.79" / 20 mm   319.88 ft / 97.50 m   17.95 ft / 5.47 m
   Beam between torpedo bulkheads 47.57 ft / 14.50 m

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.98" / 25 mm   0.98" / 25 mm            -
   2nd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.79" / 20 mm      0.79" / 20 mm

   - Box over machinery & magazines:
   1.57" / 40 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 1.57" / 40 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 38,968 shp / 29,070 Kw = 26.00 kts
   Range 8,000nm at 14.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 1,434 tons

Complement:
   465 - 605

Cost:
   £2.300 million / $9.200 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 61 tons, 0.7 %
      - Guns: 61 tons, 0.7 %
   Armour: 541 tons, 5.9 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 167 tons, 1.8 %
      - Armament: 41 tons, 0.5 %
      - Armour Deck: 317 tons, 3.5 %
      - Conning Tower: 15 tons, 0.2 %
   Machinery: 1,107 tons, 12.2 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,405 tons, 37.4 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,106 tons, 12.2 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 2,872 tons, 31.6 %
      - Hull below water: 1,380 tons
      - Hull above water: 1,380 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 45 tons
      - Above deck: 67 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     18,396 lbs / 8,344 Kg = 827.0 x 3.5 " / 90 mm shells or 2.7 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.13
   Metacentric height 3.0 ft / 0.9 m
   Roll period: 14.8 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.09
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.540 / 0.548
   Length to Beam Ratio: 8.09 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 22.18 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 54 %
   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 (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  29.53 ft / 9.00 m,  29.53 ft / 9.00 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  29.53 ft / 9.00 m,  29.53 ft / 9.00 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  29.53 ft / 9.00 m,  29.53 ft / 9.00 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  29.53 ft / 9.00 m,  29.53 ft / 9.00 m
      - Average freeboard:      29.53 ft / 9.00 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 97.6 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 250.3 %
   Waterplane Area: 20,696 Square feet or 1,923 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 157 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 81 lbs/sq ft or 394 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.83
      - Longitudinal: 5.17
      - Overall: 1.00
   Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

7t - 1930 FC
25t - NF Devices
10t - Additional SR Radio
25t - LR Radio

20t - 4 x Catapult in Deck
25t - Firefighting Equipment

50t - Firefighting Equipment in Hangar

50t - Additional DC Equipment

2660t - 28 x Aircraft 1933+
(Standard Mix:  12 x F, 8 x F/B, 8 x TB/S)

[TacCovert4]

Looking at OPVs, the MS-28 class are a good class of ships.  But I'm looking at the next class and wondering if the little trio of torpedoes is worth the tonnage, or if the tonnage would be better spent on a 6t launch (about the size of a modern USCG Small Response Boat) for more general coast guard/rescue missions....or even more ASW or Mines....

Thoughts?

(For Reference)

OPV-33, Aztec Offshore Patrol Vessel laid down 1933

Displacement:
   679 t light; 730 t standard; 832 t normal; 915 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (240.64 ft / 236.22 ft) x 26.90 ft x (8.37 / 9.02 ft)
   (73.35 m / 72.00 m) x 8.20 m  x (2.55 / 2.75 m)

Armament:
      4 - 3.54" / 90.0 mm 55.0 cal guns - 24.01lbs / 10.89kg shells, 400 per gun
     Dual purpose guns in deck mounts, 1933 Model
     2 x Twin mounts on centreline, forward evenly spread
      1 raised mount
      4 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 2.07lbs / 0.94kg shells, 1,000 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1933 Model
     2 x Twin mounts on sides, forward deck aft
      8 - 1.18" / 30.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 0.86lbs / 0.39kg shells, 2,000 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1933 Model
     8 x Single mounts on sides, aft evenly spread
      Weight of broadside 111 lbs / 50 kg

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.06" / 27 mm   1.06" / 27 mm            -

   - Box over magazines:
   1.06" / 27 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 1.06" / 27 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
   Diesel Internal combustion motors,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 6,131 shp / 4,573 Kw = 22.00 kts
   Range 4,000nm at 14.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 185 tons

Complement:
   76 - 100

Cost:
   £0.263 million / $1.053 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 23 tons, 2.8 %
      - Guns: 23 tons, 2.8 %
   Armour: 28 tons, 3.4 %
      - Armament: 12 tons, 1.5 %
      - Armour Deck: 14 tons, 1.7 %
      - Conning Tower: 2 tons, 0.2 %
   Machinery: 179 tons, 21.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 208 tons, 25.0 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 153 tons, 18.4 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 241 tons, 29.0 %
      - Hull below water: 79 tons
      - Hull above water: 40 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 69 tons
      - Above deck: 53 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     863 lbs / 391 Kg = 38.8 x 3.5 " / 90 mm shells or 0.5 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.12
   Metacentric height 0.9 ft / 0.3 m
   Roll period: 12.1 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.23
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.08

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.548 / 0.559
   Length to Beam Ratio: 8.78 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 15.37 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 62 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 56
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  12.14 ft / 3.70 m,  12.14 ft / 3.70 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  12.14 ft / 3.70 m,  12.14 ft / 3.70 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  8.20 ft / 2.50 m,  8.20 ft / 2.50 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  8.20 ft / 2.50 m,  8.20 ft / 2.50 m
      - Average freeboard:      10.17 ft / 3.10 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 96.9 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 111.2 %
   Waterplane Area: 4,427 Square feet or 411 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 120 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 30 lbs/sq ft or 146 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.69
      - Longitudinal: 1.58
      - Overall: 0.75
   Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
   Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Adequate accommodation and workspace room

54t - Diesel Engines
15t - Enhanced Hydrophones
10t - Sonar

40t - Crew Comfort Improvements (Air Conditioning, recreation space)

25t - Minesweeping Equipment
2t - 2 x Y Throwers
30t - Depth Charges
12t - 1x3x21in HW TT


3t - 1930 FC
25t - LR Radio
25t - NF Devices

Range:  8050nm @ 14kts

[The Rock Doctor]

Take the tonnage out of crew comfort; 40 t is a lot for a vessel that size.

[TacCovert4]

Take the tonnage out of crew comfort; 40 t is a lot for a vessel that size.

OPV-33, Aztec Offshore Patrol Vessel laid down 1933

Displacement:
   672 t light; 722 t standard; 832 t normal; 921 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (240.64 ft / 236.22 ft) x 26.90 ft x (8.37 / 9.06 ft)
   (73.35 m / 72.00 m) x 8.20 m  x (2.55 / 2.76 m)

Armament:
      4 - 3.54" / 90.0 mm 55.0 cal guns - 24.01lbs / 10.89kg shells, 400 per gun
     Dual purpose guns in deck mounts, 1933 Model
     2 x Twin mounts on centreline, forward evenly spread
      1 raised mount
      4 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 2.07lbs / 0.94kg shells, 1,000 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1933 Model
     2 x Twin mounts on sides, forward deck aft
      8 - 1.18" / 30.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 0.86lbs / 0.39kg shells, 2,000 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1933 Model
     8 x Single mounts on sides, aft evenly spread
      Weight of broadside 111 lbs / 50 kg

Armour:
   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.06" / 27 mm   1.06" / 27 mm            -

   - Box over magazines:
   1.06" / 27 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 1.06" / 27 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
   Diesel Internal combustion motors,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 6,131 shp / 4,573 Kw = 22.00 kts
   Range 4,300nm at 14.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 199 tons

Complement:
   76 - 100

Cost:
   £0.262 million / $1.049 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 23 tons, 2.8 %
      - Guns: 23 tons, 2.8 %
   Armour: 28 tons, 3.4 %
      - Armament: 12 tons, 1.5 %
      - Armour Deck: 14 tons, 1.7 %
      - Conning Tower: 2 tons, 0.2 %
   Machinery: 179 tons, 21.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 207 tons, 24.8 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 161 tons, 19.3 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 235 tons, 28.2 %
      - Hull below water: 79 tons
      - Hull above water: 10 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 93 tons
      - Above deck: 53 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     891 lbs / 404 Kg = 40.0 x 3.5 " / 90 mm shells or 0.6 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.12
   Metacentric height 0.9 ft / 0.3 m
   Roll period: 12.2 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.23
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.08

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.548 / 0.559
   Length to Beam Ratio: 8.78 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 15.37 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 62 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 56
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  12.14 ft / 3.70 m,  12.14 ft / 3.70 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  12.14 ft / 3.70 m,  12.14 ft / 3.70 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  8.20 ft / 2.50 m,  8.20 ft / 2.50 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  8.20 ft / 2.50 m,  8.20 ft / 2.50 m
      - Average freeboard:      10.17 ft / 3.10 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 93.0 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 111.2 %
   Waterplane Area: 4,427 Square feet or 411 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 121 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 30 lbs/sq ft or 145 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.69
      - Longitudinal: 1.57
      - Overall: 0.75
   Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
   Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Adequate accommodation and workspace room

54t - Diesel Engines
15t - Enhanced Hydrophones
10t - Sonar

10t - Crew Comfort Improvements (Air Conditioning, recreation space)

25t - Minesweeping Equipment
2t - 2 x Y Throwers
30t - Depth Charges or Mines
12t - 1x3x21in HW TT
24t - 2 x 6t Motor Launches


3t - 1930 FC
25t - LR Radio
25t - NF Devices

Range:  8653nm @ 14kts

[TacCovert4]

Working on other designs, with the OPVs taking away the minelayer function, that job goes to the tiny number of GMBs....500t minelayers built on large torpedo boat hulls.  There's just not much ability to pack mines on such a hull. 

Alternatively, going with a relatively light armament for a small cruiser of only 6 x 120mm DP guns, but with torpedoes to give a bit of an offensive threat as a stand-off weapon, we get a 3000t minelayer with speed, range, and more survivability than a destroyer, though admittedly not by much.  In peacetime it can fulfill some of the roles being done by the River-class sloops, general colonial courier and station ship duties.....

Salmon-Class, Aztec Sloop-Minelayer laid down 1934

Displacement:
   2,972 t light; 3,164 t standard; 3,683 t normal; 4,099 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (398.98 ft / 393.70 ft) x 42.65 ft x (14.76 / 16.04 ft)
   (121.61 m / 120.00 m) x 13.00 m  x (4.50 / 4.89 m)

Armament:
      6 - 4.72" / 120 mm 55.0 cal guns - 56.91lbs / 25.81kg shells, 400 per gun
     Dual purpose guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1934 Model
     3 x Twin mounts on centreline ends, majority aft
      1 raised mount aft - superfiring
      8 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 2.07lbs / 0.94kg shells, 4,000 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1934 Model
     1 x 4 row quad mount on centreline, aft deck forward
      1 raised mount
     1 x 4 row quad mount on centreline, forward deck centre
      1 raised mount
      12 - 1.18" / 30.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 0.87lbs / 0.40kg shells, 1,000 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1934 Model
     4 x Twin mounts on side ends, evenly spread
      Weight of broadside 368 lbs / 167 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Ends:   Unarmoured

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Additional damage containing bulkheads:
      0.98" / 25 mm   255.91 ft / 78.00 m   13.39 ft / 4.08 m
   Beam between torpedo bulkheads 29.53 ft / 9.00 m

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   1.97" / 50 mm   1.38" / 35 mm      1.97" / 50 mm
   2nd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.79" / 20 mm      0.79" / 20 mm

   - Box over magazines:
   1.97" / 50 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 1.97" / 50 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Geared drive, 2 shafts, 43,002 shp / 32,079 Kw = 30.00 kts
   Range 9,000nm at 14.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 935 tons

Complement:
   236 - 307

Cost:
   £1.572 million / $6.289 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 106 tons, 2.9 %
      - Guns: 106 tons, 2.9 %
   Armour: 219 tons, 5.9 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 125 tons, 3.4 %
      - Armament: 40 tons, 1.1 %
      - Armour Deck: 44 tons, 1.2 %
      - Conning Tower: 10 tons, 0.3 %
   Machinery: 1,237 tons, 33.6 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,039 tons, 28.2 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 712 tons, 19.3 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 371 tons, 10.1 %
      - Hull above water: 106 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 210 tons
      - Above deck: 55 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     2,329 lbs / 1,056 Kg = 44.2 x 4.7 " / 120 mm shells or 0.7 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
   Metacentric height 1.8 ft / 0.5 m
   Roll period: 13.4 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 60 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.36
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.06

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.520 / 0.533
   Length to Beam Ratio: 9.23 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 19.84 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 64 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 57
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 15.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m,  18.04 ft / 5.50 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  18.04 ft / 5.50 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m,  16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Average freeboard:      17.11 ft / 5.22 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 181.0 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 154.4 %
   Waterplane Area: 11,395 Square feet or 1,059 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 106 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 53 lbs/sq ft or 259 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.68
      - Longitudinal: 1.82
      - Overall: 0.75
   Cramped machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room

25t - LR Radio
25t - NF Devices 1918
11t - 1918 FC

40t - 2 x 5 x 21in HW TT Fore Deck Aft
30t - 1 x Armed Floatplane and Catapult Amidships
40t - 2 x 10t Motor Launch

200t - Mines

[TacCovert4]

Looking at updates and whatnot.  The Princess Royal is powerful with 4x3x9in guns, but really a bit heavy and a one off.  Looking at taking the Uhlan and making it more heavily armored so that it can shrug off hits from 10in guns at battle ranges (10in being a gun size that's not uncommon in the Mayan fleet), the tonnage goes up compared to the vanilla Uhlan design, but it's a much more survivable ship.

Orizaba, Aztec Razee laid down 1934

Displacement:
   18,479 t light; 19,480 t standard; 21,184 t normal; 22,548 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
   (654.52 ft / 649.61 ft) x 88.58 ft x (22.60 / 23.77 ft)
   (199.50 m / 198.00 m) x 27.00 m  x (6.89 / 7.25 m)

Armament:
      9 - 9.45" / 240 mm 50.0 cal guns - 446.52lbs / 202.54kg shells, 120 per gun
     Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1934 Model
     3 x 3-gun mounts on centreline ends, majority forward
      1 raised mount - superfiring
      14 - 4.72" / 120 mm 55.0 cal guns - 56.90lbs / 25.81kg shells, 500 per gun
     Dual purpose guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1934 Model
     6 x Twin mounts on sides, evenly spread
     1 x Twin mount on centreline, aft deck centre
      1 raised mount
      16 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 2.07lbs / 0.94kg shells, 4,000 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1934 Model
     4 x 4 row quad mounts on centreline, evenly spread
      4 raised mounts
      20 - 1.18" / 30.0 mm 50.0 cal guns - 0.86lbs / 0.39kg shells, 1,500 per gun
     Anti-air guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1934 Model
     10 x Twin mounts on sides, evenly spread
      Weight of broadside 4,866 lbs / 2,207 kg

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   7.87" / 200 mm   422.24 ft / 128.70 m   13.12 ft / 4.00 m
   Ends:   3.54" / 90 mm   227.33 ft / 69.29 m   11.48 ft / 3.50 m
     Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length

   - Torpedo Bulkhead - Additional damage containing bulkheads:
      1.57" / 40 mm   422.24 ft / 128.70 m   20.96 ft / 6.39 m
   Beam between torpedo bulkheads 72.18 ft / 22.00 m

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   7.09" / 180 mm   4.33" / 110 mm      6.69" / 170 mm
   2nd:   2.76" / 70 mm   1.57" / 40 mm      2.76" / 70 mm
   3rd:   0.79" / 20 mm   0.79" / 20 mm      0.79" / 20 mm
   4th:   0.79" / 20 mm         -         0.79" / 20 mm

   - Armoured deck - multiple decks:
   For and Aft decks: 3.54" / 90 mm
   Forecastle: 1.38" / 35 mm  Quarter deck: 1.57" / 40 mm

   - Conning towers: Forward 4.72" / 120 mm, Aft 4.72" / 120 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Geared drive, 4 shafts, 108,411 shp / 80,875 Kw = 30.00 kts
   Range 10,000nm at 14.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 3,068 tons

Complement:
   877 - 1,141

Cost:
   £7.864 million / $31.454 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 1,488 tons, 7.0 %
      - Guns: 1,488 tons, 7.0 %
   Armour: 6,215 tons, 29.3 %
      - Belts: 2,202 tons, 10.4 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 516 tons, 2.4 %
      - Armament: 931 tons, 4.4 %
      - Armour Deck: 2,411 tons, 11.4 %
      - Conning Towers: 156 tons, 0.7 %
   Machinery: 3,119 tons, 14.7 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 7,157 tons, 33.8 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,705 tons, 12.8 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 499 tons, 2.4 %
      - Hull below water: 100 tons
      - Hull above water: 150 tons
      - On freeboard deck: 100 tons
      - Above deck: 149 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     32,978 lbs / 14,959 Kg = 78.2 x 9.4 " / 240 mm shells or 5.3 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.13
   Metacentric height 5.2 ft / 1.6 m
   Roll period: 16.3 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.38
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck,
     a normal bow and a cruiser stern
   Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.570 / 0.577
   Length to Beam Ratio: 7.33 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 25.49 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 56 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 70
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
   Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
            Fore end,    Aft end
      - Forecastle:   20.00 %,  27.89 ft / 8.50 m,  24.61 ft / 7.50 m
      - Forward deck:   30.00 %,  24.61 ft / 7.50 m,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m
      - Aft deck:   35.00 %,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m
      - Quarter deck:   15.00 %,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m,  19.69 ft / 6.00 m
      - Average freeboard:      21.67 ft / 6.60 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 89.7 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 185.0 %
   Waterplane Area: 40,920 Square feet or 3,802 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 118 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 142 lbs/sq ft or 692 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.97
      - Longitudinal: 1.24
      - Overall: 1.00
   Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
   Excellent accommodation and workspace room
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform

Main Deck is 70mm on top of belt w/ 20mm Splinter Deck at waterline


149t - 1930 FC
25t - LR Radio
50t - NF Devices x 2

60t - 2 x Catapult and Armed Floatplane Amidships
40t - 2 x 5 x 21in HW TT Aft

100t - Additional DC Equipment

[TacCovert4]

Looking at my 1920 Baja-class Frigates, they're a 'unicorn'.  Not only are they the biggest ships I have without a TDS, they, and their soon to be scrapped Eagle-class cousins, are the only ones equipped with oddball guns.  In this case, 210/45s of a very old design. 

Of course I'm trying to figure out whether I want to just scrap them, or do some serious modifications.  On the cheap end, I could spend the development funding for a 2 gun 180mm turret, and simply change the guns out on these.  That plus a swap to the 90mm DP gun for secondaries, and add on a modern AA suite, would make these 2nd line cruisers of the same size as the towns but without the firepower or durability.  With all of the new BBs, and the Implacable refit, I don't particularly have a need for 2nd line colonial cruisers, as I have small colonial cruisers, and the operating cost for a 1920s vintage heavy cruiser wouldn't be far off from the operating costs of a fully modernized small battleship.  The battleship also has the benefit of flag facilities, a much heavier main and secondary battery, heavy armor, and a full TDS.

My other option, which I've spitballed (this morning, I'll post it this evening) would be to do a reconstruction.  Modern geared turbines are smaller and would allow for more internal space.  The forward armament could be replaced with the bog-standard triple 180mm turrets.  90mm DP, 40mm AA and 30mm AA put on.  And the funnels retrunked and everything aft razed and replaced with a large superstructure to make the Bajas into flight deck cruisers with 10 aircraft launched from catapults.  In essence turning them into a slightly less good version of the Condor-class that's hitting the docks in 1932 (10 aircraft as opposed to 16, no TDS but slightly better belt).

Estimating total cost to be $15 and 6 BP, as opposed to the 13 and 13 of the Condors.  Time differential is about 15 months vs 24 months.  Just got to decide if it's even worth it.

[The Rock Doctor]

It would be a lot of investment to get ten aircraft to sea, especially since you'll be paying for aircraft capability as a conversion.

The reconstruction value, plus the scrap value of the ship, would come close to getting you a new-build CVE or CLV.  If you were to recycle the machinery into the new CVE, maybe you'd come out ahead.  Sure, 1931 machinery is more compact, but free machinery has its own value.

If they are oddballs but have value, maybe assign them as dedicated fire-support ships?  Or keep a couple of the 210mm mountings and park them on little monitors for that sort of tasking?

[TacCovert4]

It would be a lot of investment to get ten aircraft to sea, especially since you'll be paying for aircraft capability as a conversion.

The reconstruction value, plus the scrap value of the ship, would come close to getting you a new-build CVE or CLV.  If you were to recycle the machinery into the new CVE, maybe you'd come out ahead.  Sure, 1931 machinery is more compact, but free machinery has its own value.

If they are oddballs but have value, maybe assign them as dedicated fire-support ships?  Or keep a couple of the 210mm mountings and park them on little monitors for that sort of tasking?

Reviewing it, I might, at most, just do a pierside refit to update FC and change the secondaries and AA from 100s, 70s, 12s to 90s, 40s, and 30s.  All of those have pure deck mount options.  In that guise they could continue as a cruiser in second-line roles for another decade or so and be scrapped in the early-mid 40s.

[The Rock Doctor]

Might be more efficient, yeah.

[The Rock Doctor]

It is a bummer that you've got a modern, capable, and kind of expensive hull that just doesn't really work for you any more.