Middle Kingdom Cruiser

[Phoenix]

I haven been meddling with Springsharp again. This is a design for a Cruiser. Any helpful suggestions ?

Middle kingdom cruiser laid down 1907 (Engine 1909)

Displacement:
   7.184 t light; 7.424 t standard; 8.168 t normal; 8.764 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   492,13 ft / 492,13 ft x 68,90 ft x 16,40 ft (normal load)
   150,00 m / 150,00 m x 21,00 m  x 5,00 m

Armament:
      2 - 9,84" / 250 mm guns in single mounts, 476,75lbs / 216,25kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline ends, evenly spread
      6 - 4,13" / 105 mm guns in single mounts, 35,32lbs / 16,02kg shells, 1907 Model
     Quick firing guns in casemate mounts
     on side, all amidships
      8 - 2,95" / 75,0 mm guns in single mounts, 12,87lbs / 5,84kg shells, 1907 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread
      20 - 0,98" / 25,0 mm guns in single mounts, 0,48lbs / 0,22kg shells, 1907 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, 10 raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 1.278 lbs / 580 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 100
   8 - 20,0" / 508 mm submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   5,91" / 150 mm   319,88 ft / 97,50 m   11,48 ft / 3,50 m
   Ends:   1,97" / 50 mm   172,21 ft / 52,49 m   9,97 ft / 3,04 m
   Upper:   1,97" / 50 mm   319,88 ft / 97,50 m   8,01 ft / 2,44 m
     Main Belt covers 100% of normal length

   - Torpedo Bulkhead:
      1,18" / 30 mm   319,88 ft / 97,50 m   15,06 ft / 4,59 m

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   9,84" / 250 mm   7,87" / 200 mm      9,84" / 250 mm
   2nd:   3,15" / 80 mm         -               -
   3rd:   1,57" / 40 mm         -               -
   4th:   0,79" / 20 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 1,97" / 50 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 4 shafts, 19.303 shp / 14.400 Kw = 22,00 kts
   Range 8.000nm at 9,00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 1.341 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   429 - 558

Cost:
   £0,521 million / $2,083 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 160 tons, 2,0%
   Armour: 2.754 tons, 33,7%
      - Belts: 1.274 tons, 15,6%
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 211 tons, 2,6%
      - Armament: 436 tons, 5,3%
      - Armour Deck: 833 tons, 10,2%
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0,0%
   Machinery: 965 tons, 11,8%
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 3.205 tons, 39,2%
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 984 tons, 12,1%
   Miscellaneous weights: 100 tons, 1,2%

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     18.519 lbs / 8.400 Kg = 38,8 x 9,8 " / 250 mm shells or 3,8 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1,29
   Metacentric height 4,5 ft / 1,4 m
   Roll period: 13,6 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 88 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0,21
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1,75

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0,514
   Length to Beam Ratio: 7,14 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 22,18 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 45 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -5,00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0,00 ft / 0,00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      26,25 ft / 8,00 m
      - Forecastle (20%):   26,25 ft / 8,00 m
      - Mid (50%):      15,52 ft / 4,73 m
      - Quarterdeck (15%):   15,52 ft / 4,73 m
      - Stern:      15,52 ft / 4,73 m
      - Average freeboard:   19,27 ft / 5,87 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 86,3%
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 182,8%
   Waterplane Area: 22.883 Square feet or 2.126 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 135%
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 98 lbs/sq ft or 480 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0,96
      - Longitudinal: 1,52
      - Overall: 1,01
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
   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

Miscellanous weight: towing unit and marconi unit

[Korpen]

While not a bad ship as such, i feel she i neither fish nor fowl. She is too slow to avoid armoured cruisers, and lacks the armament to really be effective against light cruisers.
Also i have some doubts about the use of a torpedo bulkhead, on such a small ship it does not really bring much benefit, as ship is too narrow to give much depth to the system.

[maddox]

Just took Korpens remarks and changed a bit.  Lighter armor, lighter but more main guns, but tweaked on the range and speed.

Main disadvantage, the 190mm guns won't scare a dedicated BB commander.

H Q Yongzi, Middle kingdom cruiser laid down 1907 (Engine 1909)

Displacement:
   6.834 t light; 7.043 t standard; 7.612 t normal; 8.067 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   492,13 ft / 492,13 ft x 68,90 ft x 16,40 ft (normal load)
   150,00 m / 150,00 m x 21,00 m  x 5,00 m

Armament:
      4 - 7,48" / 190 mm guns (2x2 guns), 209,28lbs / 94,93kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline ends, evenly spread
      10 - 4,13" / 105 mm guns in single mounts, 35,32lbs / 16,02kg shells, 1907 Model
     Quick firing guns in casemate mounts
     on side, all amidships
      12 - 0,98" / 25,0 mm guns in single mounts, 0,48lbs / 0,22kg shells, 1907 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 1.196 lbs / 543 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 80
   8 - 20,0" / 508 mm submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   5,91" / 150 mm   295,28 ft / 90,00 m   11,48 ft / 3,50 m
   Ends:   1,97" / 50 mm   196,82 ft / 59,99 m   9,97 ft / 3,04 m
   Upper:   1,97" / 50 mm   319,88 ft / 97,50 m   8,01 ft / 2,44 m
     Main Belt covers 92% of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   7,09" / 180 mm   6,69" / 170 mm      7,09" / 180 mm
   2nd:   2,36" / 60 mm         -               -
   3rd:   0,79" / 20 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 1,97" / 50 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 4 shafts, 21.571 shp / 16.092 Kw = 23,00 kts
   Range 8.000nm at 8,00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 1.024 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
   406 - 529

Cost:
   £0,516 million / $2,063 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 150 tons, 2,0%
   Armour: 2.441 tons, 32,1%
      - Belts: 1.233 tons, 16,2%
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0,0%
      - Armament: 401 tons, 5,3%
      - Armour Deck: 807 tons, 10,6%
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0,0%
   Machinery: 1.079 tons, 14,2%
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 3.065 tons, 40,3%
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 779 tons, 10,2%
   Miscellaneous weights: 100 tons, 1,3%

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     15.403 lbs / 6.986 Kg = 73,6 x 7,5 " / 190 mm shells or 2,5 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1,28
   Metacentric height 4,5 ft / 1,4 m
   Roll period: 13,7 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 84 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0,19
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1,68

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0,479
   Length to Beam Ratio: 7,14 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 22,18 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 46 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -5,00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 0,00 ft / 0,00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      26,25 ft / 8,00 m
      - Forecastle (20%):   26,25 ft / 8,00 m
      - Mid (50%):      15,52 ft / 4,73 m
      - Quarterdeck (15%):   15,52 ft / 4,73 m
      - Stern:      15,52 ft / 4,73 m
      - Average freeboard:   19,27 ft / 5,87 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 69,5%
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 187,2%
   Waterplane Area: 22.169 Square feet or 2.060 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 129%
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 97 lbs/sq ft or 471 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0,95
      - Longitudinal: 1,58
      - 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

Miscellanous weight: towing unit and marconi unit

The 8 kts cruising speed is the same as for the torpedo boats. And for 95% of the merchants of this age.

[Korpen]

Well i also played around with a design, it is the same size as the first, but better armoured and much with a much heavier broadside, same speed and much worse seaboat (but far from bad) however.

Export design I, Middle kingdom Cruiser laid down 1907 (Engine 1909)

Displacement:
   7 200 t light; 7 612 t standard; 9 000 t normal; 10 110 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   393,70 ft / 393,70 ft x 59,06 ft x 22,97 ft (normal load)
   120,00 m / 120,00 m x 18,00 m  x 7,00 m

Armament:
      4 - 9,84" / 250 mm guns (2x2 guns), 476,75lbs / 216,25kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline ends, evenly spread
      8 - 5,91" / 150 mm guns in single mounts, 99,21lbs / 45,00kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
     on side ends, evenly spread, 4 raised mounts - superfiring
      10 - 5,91" / 150 mm guns in single mounts, 99,21lbs / 45,00kg shells, 1907 Model
     Breech loading guns in casemate mounts
     on side, evenly spread
     4 guns in hull casemates - Limited use in all but light seas
      7 - 3,46" / 88,0 mm guns (6 mounts), 19,84lbs / 9,00kg shells, 1907 Model
     Quick firing guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, 6 raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 3 832 lbs / 1 738 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 100
   4 - 19,7" / 500 mm above water torpedoes, 4 - 19,7" / 500 mm submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   7,28" / 185 mm   229,66 ft / 70,00 m   11,48 ft / 3,50 m
   Ends:   2,95" / 75 mm   164,04 ft / 50,00 m   8,20 ft / 2,50 m
   Upper:   4,33" / 110 mm   262,47 ft / 80,00 m   8,20 ft / 2,50 m
     Main Belt covers 90 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   8,27" / 210 mm   4,33" / 110 mm      6,30" / 160 mm
   2nd:   1,97" / 50 mm         -         0,98" / 25 mm
   3rd:   4,33" / 110 mm         -               -
   5th:   0,98" / 25 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 1,97" / 50 mm, Conning tower: 5,91" / 150 mm

Machinery:
   Coal and oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 4 shafts, 22 594 shp / 16 855 Kw = 22,00 kts
   Range 8 359nm at 12,00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 2 498 tons (90% coal)

Complement:
   461 - 600

Cost:
   £0,819 million / $3,275 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 488 tons, 5,4 %
   Armour: 2 656 tons, 29,5 %
      - Belts: 1 408 tons, 15,6 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0,0 %
      - Armament: 580 tons, 6,4 %
      - Armour Deck: 613 tons, 6,8 %
      - Conning Tower: 55 tons, 0,6 %
   Machinery: 1 119 tons, 12,4 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 2 838 tons, 31,5 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1 800 tons, 20,0 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 100 tons, 1,1 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     9 718 lbs / 4 408 Kg = 20,4 x 9,8 " / 250 mm shells or 1,6 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1,14
   Metacentric height 2,9 ft / 0,9 m
   Roll period: 14,6 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 54 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0,66
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1,08

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has rise forward of midbreak
   Block coefficient: 0,590
   Length to Beam Ratio: 6,67 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 19,84 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 56 %
   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 (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      19,69 ft / 6,00 m
      - Forecastle (15 %):   19,69 ft / 6,00 m
      - Mid (45 %):      19,69 ft / 6,00 m (11,48 ft / 3,50 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   11,48 ft / 3,50 m
      - Stern:      11,48 ft / 3,50 m
      - Average freeboard:   15,17 ft / 4,63 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 88,7 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 93,5 %
   Waterplane Area: 16 845 Square feet or 1 565 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 101 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 110 lbs/sq ft or 536 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0,92
      - Longitudinal: 2,09
      - Overall: 1,00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate

[Borys]

Ahoj!
It is not the purpose of 7000 cruisers to strike terror in the hearts of captains of 15000 ton battleships :)

I prefer the design by Maddox -2x2 7,5", but with a dozen 6 inchers.

Something like this:
http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/armoured-cruiser/prinz-adalbert-line.gif
Borys

[Desertfox]

I like Maddox's version but with the first one's armament.