CSA 1917 Mystery Ship

[Guinness]

Thought this might be fun, so...

Background: Normally the Confederate Congress authorizes new ships with clauses in appropriation bills that say something to the effect of "Two such and such ships displacing no more than X tons (in the light condition) and having such and such other characterstics". These authorizations are made after lengthy committee hearings during which representatives of the administration and navy department detail future building plans, and where sometimes Congress itself defines a requirement that the Navy might not otherwise have had (the most recent example being the Enterprise class of armored cruisers).

In the case of this design, detailed hearings were held in closed session. The authorizing language that emerged in the 1917 Navy Bill reads simply: "Two ships which might be considered cruisers displacing no more than 16,500 tons (in the light condition), one to be built at Charleston Navy Yard, the other at San Diego." No other characteristics are included.

So fire up your Naval Intelligence services. Can you deduce what exactly the CSA is building? I believe that I've left enough clues in other places like semi-annual reports that a pretty good guess might be made. Even if not, I wonder if this might not produce some interesting SS designs.

And for those treaty partners who've already seen the design for this ship: sorry you can't play.  ;)

[Walter]

Well, I could use my Secret Service/Intelligence tech and tell you to cough up the design. ;D

[Guinness]

Well, I could use my Secret Service/Intelligence tech and tell you to cough up the design. ;D

You could, but I could intentionally misinform you as well. I'll clarify by saying: what given the data that the CSA has made public would your analysts make of this ship? You can use your spies later to get some naval architect drunk and then have him give you the particulars.

[sgdn]

well this is what the firjian naval intel people came up with as a result of some cigar paket canculations

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1950 (Engine 1916)

Displacement:
   16,462 t light; 17,100 t standard; 19,015 t normal; 20,548 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   721.78 ft / 721.78 ft x 75.46 ft x 21.33 ft (normal load)
   220.00 m / 220.00 m x 23.00 m  x 6.50 m

Armament:
      9 - 7.50" / 191 mm guns (2 mounts), 210.94lbs / 95.68kg shells, 1950 Model
     Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
     on centreline ends, evenly spread, 3 raised guns
      12 - 5.51" / 140 mm guns (6x2 guns), 83.72lbs / 37.98kg shells, 1950 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
     on side, all amidships, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
      8 - 1.00" / 25.4 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.50lbs / 0.23kg shells, 1950 Model
     Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 2,907 lbs / 1,319 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 150
   6 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   5.91" / 150 mm   492.13 ft / 150.00 m   16.40 ft / 5.00 m
   Ends:   Unarmoured
     Main Belt covers 105 % of normal length

   - Torpedo Bulkhead:
      1.97" / 50 mm   492.13 ft / 150.00 m   22.97 ft / 7.00 m

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   5.91" / 150 mm   2.95" / 75 mm      3.94" / 100 mm
   2nd:   2.95" / 75 mm   0.98" / 25 mm      1.97" / 50 mm
   3rd:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 1.57" / 40 mm, Conning tower: 5.91" / 150 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Electric motors, 4 shafts, 93,992 shp / 70,118 Kw = 30.00 kts
   Range 12,500nm at 12.00 kts
   Bunker at max displacement = 3,448 tons

Complement:
   809 - 1,052

Cost:
   £10.724 million / $42.896 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 363 tons, 1.9 %
   Armour: 4,386 tons, 23.1 %
      - Belts: 1,983 tons, 10.4 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 823 tons, 4.3 %
      - Armament: 357 tons, 1.9 %
      - Armour Deck: 1,132 tons, 6.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 91 tons, 0.5 %
   Machinery: 3,502 tons, 18.4 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 7,960 tons, 41.9 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,554 tons, 13.4 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 250 tons, 1.3 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     26,675 lbs / 12,100 Kg = 126.5 x 7.5 " / 191 mm shells or 4.2 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.22
   Metacentric height 4.7 ft / 1.4 m
   Roll period: 14.6 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 73 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.28
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.05

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.573
   Length to Beam Ratio: 9.57 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 26.87 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 50 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 69
   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:      22.97 ft / 7.00 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Mid (50 %):      16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Stern:      16.40 ft / 5.00 m
      - Average freeboard:   16.93 ft / 5.16 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 104.4 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 138.6 %
   Waterplane Area: 38,840 Square feet or 3,608 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 131 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 148 lbs/sq ft or 722 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 1.29
      - Longitudinal: 0.91
      - Overall: 1.00
   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

[maddox]

A few issues SGDN.

Build date. 1950 is a bit futuristic.

I'd like to see turrets with 4.5 guns each.

1" gunshield on manualy moving machine guns in the AA role. Poor guys that have to swing that around.

[Walter]

More likely 1x6 and 1x3. :)

[Guinness]

Dammit, how did knowledge of the secret Confederate 6x7.5" mount get out.

Seriously though, not terribly warm...

[P3D]

a/ aviation cruisers, A.K.A. C(V)
b/ 8x9.2" or 6x13.5" with 30kts+ speed

[The Rock Doctor]

If it's a fast airship cruiser, expect a bevy of Colombian copyright lawyers on the next boat to Key West.

[sgdn]

i was thinking some thing like graf spee

about the cigar packet ship well
the 1950 laydown date does not seem to change any thing and it is onley a quick back of the cigar packet posabilty
the main battery should be 3x3 opps
and you are right about the amour on the aa mg's

[Jefgte]

Fast AC like that;

6x343 @ 30 or 32kts



;)

[Desertfox]

Nah, its a 10knot monitor with 15" armor and 15" guns...

[Guinness]

I can't believe no one yet has decided it's a blimp carrying submarine...

[Walter]

Oh, I see... so you are going for something like this...

:D

I made a rough sim of it and posted it on the Wesworld board together with a pair of more serious carriers, hoping that the guys would think that I am really that crazy to build something like that. ;D

http://wesworld.jk-clan.de/thread.php?postid=81252#post81252

[Guinness]

Walter: serious question because I'm curious: How do you guys handle subs over there? Is there just some standard misc weight to add to springsharps to do submarines?