A worst-case scenario...

[The Rock Doctor]

...if the Colombians get enamoured with fleet-supported blimp usage is:



The details in top and side views may not match up - I'm just foolin' around.

[1Big Rich]

Neat, Rocky!

Those are what, 13.5in main battery turrets?  She goes around 45,000 or 48,000 tons? (Depending on speed, of course...)

[Logi]

Great more blimps ;)

[Carthaginian]

A direction that many are thinking about going, it seems... ;)
Great art, as always, Rock... and a missed opportunity for OTL navies, I think. A non-rigid airship on a battleship might have made for some interesting twists and turns in history.

[mentat]

Looks great - very handy to be able to carry around sustainable recon

Query though - is it necesary to give up such a large dedicated space?

Obviously blimp cannot be near main batteries when firing - but is hopelessly vulnerable - so would be detached pre actual battle anyway ...

So - how about 3 turret design - 1 at rear - with light platform over the turret (end needs some cantilever support) to receive the blimp?

[Sachmle]

Hell Rock, if you ditch the blimp and adjust the length to compensate you got yourself a "SUPER" Dum-kerque, er Dunkerkque.  ;D

[maddox]

Looks great - very handy to be able to carry around sustainable recon

But a strange combination.

Query though - is it necesary to give up such a large dedicated space?

On the other hand, a blimp is large, so the blimpcarrier needs to be equaly large.
And a large warship without large guns, the blasphemy. But 12 380mm guns, in such a strange lay out.  Nothing Glorious France would copy.

Obviously blimp cannot be near main batteries when firing - but is hopelessly vulnerable - so would be detached pre actual battle anyway ...

It should be in the air, reconning and spotting -cheaper than a few DD's.

Unfortunatly, the offensive power of a Blimp is against "our" warships negliable.
But according to me, the space on the aft deck can be a hangar with weatherproof roofdoors.

So - how about 3 turret design - 1 at rear - with light platform over the turret (end needs some cantilever support) to receive the blimp?

Difficult for storage then.

[Korpen]

Unless I miss my guess the purpose of the blimp in combat would at least to some degree be spotting for the artillery.

[Carthaginian]

Hell Rock, if you ditch the blimp and adjust the length to compensate you got yourself a "SUPER" Dum-kerque, er Dunkerkque.  ;D

Dunkerque + spotter aircraft * high-angle main guns^ years before radar aiming = AWESOME & WIN!

The ship is a meld of form and function that wasn't considered for another decade or so in OTL, but that N-verse could conceivably find justification for due to recent events in long-range firing results against forces unable to match that capability.

[Jefgte]

- Admiral ship with the "eyes of the Fleet"

- IMO, secondaries are too concentrated.
Place them 3x3 packs (forward, center, aft) to engage 3 DDs
or 4x2 to engage 2 DDs

- Nice concept, this ship is a winner...
She hav'nt retreat turret  :D.


;)

[The Rock Doctor]

Those are what, 13.5in main battery turrets?  She goes around 45,000 or 48,000 tons? (Depending on speed, of course...)

It's essentially a Radiante-class hull with stuff moved around - so four triple 13.78"/35cm turrets.  The reduced armament, versus the Radiante class, allows for a top speed of 24 kts and a few other minor improvements.

Great art, as always, Rock... and a missed opportunity for OTL navies, I think. A non-rigid airship on a battleship might have made for some interesting twists and turns in history.

Thanks.  I've viewing this as a combination of GC's lagging aircraft tech and operational experience with Guyana off Bharat.  I think the blimp could be more effective as a spotter on account of its lower cruising speed, though it would be vulnerable to enemy aircraft.

Query though - is it necesary to give up such a large dedicated space?

It might only be necessary to install the mooring mast - as was historically done on USS Topeka (?) but I'm assuming the landing deck allows for ongoing support and maintenance.

But according to me, the space on the aft deck can be a hangar with weatherproof roofdoors.

This notion is being tinkered with in other designs.

Dunkerque + spotter aircraft * high-angle main guns^ years before radar aiming = AWESOME & WIN!

The ship is a meld of form and function that wasn't considered for another decade or so in OTL, but that N-verse could conceivably find justification for due to recent events in long-range firing results against forces unable to match that capability.

Ah, so if I build her, I will name her Awesome.  It'll be at least 1918 before I can lay down another capital ship, so we'll see if events and technology call for such a beast then.

- IMO, secondaries are too concentrated.
Place them 3x3 packs (forward, center, aft) to engage 3 DDs
or 4x2 to engage 2 DDs

Agreed, this is one of the details I hadn't really worked on much.  I'm thinking I might shorten the landing deck a bit and add a deck mount right aft.  Maybe some on the beams aft as well.

Thanks for the comments, guys.

[The Bushranger]

I second (third? fourth?) the sentiment that this thing is 100% awesomesauce and must be built.

Which would, of course, have nothing to do with the fact that it would eat up a large part of GC's capacity and therefore they'd be building less of other stuff, no no, not at all...

[The Rock Doctor]

I should note that the SS for NGC Awesomesauce provides for a fairly capable ship - so it's not exactly a waste of resources... 

[The Rock Doctor]

On the other hand, there is this...

[Carthaginian]

A much more likely, and in all honesty, buildable type of vessel.