A worst-case scenario...

[The Bushranger]

But...why not build both?

:D

[Desertfox]

WOW, WOW, WOW!

Swampy is right. Build both and design a third... ;)

If I still had NS I would order a few or steal the designs, without blinking an eye. Alas I have to content myself with the modified Lavis.

[The Rock Doctor]

I have designed a third.  I'm just not showing it to you.

[hooper82]

On the other hand, there is this...

I really like that.  I like the concept of Zeplin Carriers (CZ instead of CV?).

1920 Aircraft Carriers
* Aircraft carry very very limited ordinance making them effectively useless in an offensive role, combined with the excessive AA weaponry of Nvers's 1915+ designs (due to 2020 hindsight being employed by players).
* Horrendous operational losses (WW2 carriers had huge operational losses...can you imagine WW1 style pilots trying to land on a carrier in anything but still seas when they had problems safely landing in a field?)
* NOT future proof as any 1920 aircraft carrier designs are going to be obsolete as aircraft get heavier, faster, & larger (look at Early British carriers which didn't allow enough hight in there hangers for some types of aircraft).
* Carrier speeds are going to be low at best.  Current (1916) Capital Battlefleets have speeds of 22-26 knots.  But with the increase in engine technology over the coming years that will increase to 30 as the base for combat units.  Aircraft carriers built in the early 1920's are going to need major refits to allow them to keep up with modern (1930+) battlefleets.
* Limited to only scouting (but with short endurance).  Seaplane carriers are the 'sweet point' in the 1920's, being cheap and effective for scouting, but have operational limits.

1920 Zeppelin/Airship Carriers
* Airships/Zeppelins ineffective in offensive roles (their size making the very heavy AA armament of current (1916) ships doubly effective), but perfect for scouting roles with there long endurance (ability to tail/shadow enemy fleets for 24 hours etc).
* Cheap to build, and the large zeppelin hangers can easily double/convert to bulk carriers.
* Airships/Zeppelins remain effective in the escort/ASW role (due to huge endurance) until the 1950's and the introduction of viable helicopters.
* Zeppelin/Airship Carriers built to run at 18-26 knots will remain effective in their future role as ASW/Escort/Auxiliary.

This might be the revival of an 'Escort Cruiser', built in the early 1920's, but remaining very capable until the early 1950's.  Built more along Auxiliary lines rather than combat lines, capable of carrying 2 (large) - 4 (small) Airships, with 5-6" guns able to ward of raiders/surfaced subs, and a speed of 22-24 knots (able to keep up with battlefleets today, and escort fleets tomorrow).  Even if the Airship capacity was deleted they would remain very capable Auxiliary Escort Cruisers/Transports.

Quick question about that last design, wouldn't the rear Zeppelin tower need to be mid-ships?  Or are zeppelins only ever launched/recovered while the ship is stopped?

[P3D]

I was thinking about Z carriers, problem you need a ~10000t ship to carry one single Zeppelin of any endurance (unlike the small blimps Rocky is proposing). And has no chance to fitting two.

[hooper82]

Well, that ruins it then.  Blimps of that size would still be good for scouting though correct?  What about dropping depth charges on subs etc?

I'm not sure how Rocky's Blimp's compare to those used by the USN during ww2?

[Carthaginian]

According to the rules, the blimps can still scout for 20 hours at 30 knots... at least keeping up with the fastest of N-verse's battlelines. They are perfect for over-the-horizon scouting/spotting for battlefleets and for anti-submarine operations for battlefleets and convoys.

EDIT: Also, our smallest 'airships' are 1.5x or 2x as big as most of the small blimps used for convoy escort purposes, while having a slower top speed and less lifting capacity and similar endurance... so I'd say ours have more than adequate capabilities to perform the job, as long as the ship can carry them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSZ_class_blimp

In fact, in light of these facts, I'd like to propose a 'Size Class -1' blimp of 5,000m^3, carrying 0.5 ton and having a speed of 30 knots for half the cost of the 'Size Class 1'.

[The Rock Doctor]

The SS design for the slab-sided monster has a light displacement of around 16,000 t.  In theory, the SS lets me armor the hangers and waterline against cruiser fire and get 27 kts out of her.  In practice, I think the volume required to service the blimps will limit the machinery volume to that of battlefleet speeds (~23 kts).

In this variant, I assume the machinery is amidships, and place the mooring mast right aft to keep it out of the ship's exhaust plume; yes, this will affect the ship's ability to stow/unstow the blimp while steaming.   A latter variant, not posted, has the machinery aft and a mast/hold/mast/hold arrangement dominating the forward and middle portions of the ship.

"Zeppelin Carrier" might be an appropriate term but I'm also thinking of "Mobile Aerodrome", in keeping with GC's use of "Mobile Battery" in place of "Monitor".

The blimp shown has the dimensions of an SSZ-type blimp, though the shape isn't quite the same.  The function is primarily as a scout; spoting and ASW functions may come later.  This latter ship design would, thus, be a fleet scouting asset - however, I would wonder whether four Guyana type cruisers might be more useful in most situations. 

An escort cruiser might make some sense, but I tend to relegate the function to older construction rather than build new for the purpose.

Jamie's suggestion of a smaller blimp is probably not an unreasonable one - I've been paying for these little guys as type 0 airships.

[Jefgte]

"Eyes of the Fleet"

When the Zeppelin is 300m hight, the men in board could see at about 52km  :o



;)

[Jefgte]

Quick question about that last design, wouldn't the rear Zeppelin tower need to be mid-ships?  Or are zeppelins only ever launched/recovered while the ship is stopped?

Tower always in front of Zeppelin - because - launched/recovered is made at slow speed for security.

For the Peruvian raiders, launched/recovered of the baloon is made at slow speed - 7kts max.



;)