As I mentioned in the latest challenge one of my inspirations for my entry was the LSES concept, from a study entitled "SURFACE EFFECT SHIP (SES) AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIP (LSES) FEASIBILITY STUDY" published in the June 1982 edition of Naval Engineers Journal. While some other SES concepts depict SES beaching themselves and disgorging a tank or two onto the beached, the authors of this study were a bit more ambitious. Rather than some overgrown high speed LST their ship is a full LHD capable of carrying two LCACs, a dozen Sea Knights and over 800 troops.
Here are some highlights from the study:
Here is my current best attempt at drawing it. Based partly on the side view and info above, partly on the text and partly on some low resolution grainy deck plans that are also in the study. There's still a lot more work I want to do on it. I'm not particularly happy with the Mast, top of the bow near the VLS and everything underwater aft but I've been unable to come up with anything better at the moment. Hoping to do a top view at some point but at this point I'm sorta burning out on deciphering the low res scans of the deck plans so I'm probably not going to do more work on this anytime soon.