Shipbucket

I am sad to say, that is not the final 1920 redesign. It has too many funnels and the secondaries are in the wrong configuration. Not to mention the wrong caliber of main guns.

As for changes during the 30s and 40s, I believe the Lexington, and South Dakota classes would mirror the Tennessee and Colorado classes. They were simply too modern to require major rework, like the older battleships.

I never said that it was the final design. Iwas merely showing where the TT's were.

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French Vice-admiral Louis-René-Madeleine Le Vassor de La Touche, comte de Tréville
The original spelling of my last name is: LaTouche.

It's certainly an attractive conversion, and a very well executed drawing. A few thoughts:

* I think the pilothouse Mk 37 GFCS is both unlikely and unnecessary. There is a lot of belowdecks gear associated with the FCS (unlikely) and you already have good quadrant control of your eight 5/38 (unnecessary)
* Speaking of 5/38, I wonder about how feasible it would be to drop enclosed base ring mounts on the main deck like this. What is being torn out beneath for handling rooms? Is this realistic? All of the refit Standards (I think) emplaced new 5/38 twins atop large bulges that meant the original ship structure was unchanged. A slow CC serves no purpose and so I can't imagine bulges being fitted. Perhaps a wholesale replacement of 5/25 and 5/51 with Yorktown-like open 5/38 singles would be more realistic. If not that, then (topweight permitting) 5/38 twin base ring mounts atop a O-1 deckhouse that provides new volume for said handling rooms.
* The 1944 top view has some stray directors abeam the foremast that I don't totally understand. What are these supposed to represent?

@ Eric T:

Great food for thought. Let me work on it.

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French Vice-admiral Louis-René-Madeleine Le Vassor de La Touche, comte de Tréville
The original spelling of my last name is: LaTouche.

There is something else to consider, where was the ship at Pearl Harbour time? With the fleet at harbour or at sea with the carriers?

If at sea you can have your drawings as is. If at harbour did the Lexington take damage like the other ships in battleship row?

That would allow you to follow some of the other battleship rebuilds that used 'modern' (South Dakota) style bridge structures and the 5"/38's mounted in a row. Maybe even an Iowa look with the Iowa's funnel caps. Just for something different.

With the 5"/38's as Erik_t mentioned. Anywhere a single 6" casemate is mounted a twin 5" could be mounted above it and use the vacated 6" casemate as the shell handling room. Makes for a much easier conversion. Where the main deck mounted 5" are in your current drawing could then be replaced by quad 40's.

She was most likely out with the carriers.
Bingo! This is what I'm working on now.

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French Vice-admiral Louis-René-Madeleine Le Vassor de La Touche, comte de Tréville
The original spelling of my last name is: LaTouche.

This sounds very excellent. It's hard to imagine a more realistic conversion than replacing a 5/51 (I think these are 5/51, not 6") with a 5/25 atop it with a 5/38 using the 5/51 space as a handling room. You wouldn't even have to rethink ammo handling paths or secondary magazines.

And then, yes, just stick quad 40s all the hell over

I like your drawing, you should maybe give a go to some of it's sisters with alternative conversion routes (like tripod masts in the '30s, much more thourugh rebuilds after a possible PH damage etc.) David Briedis (CanisD) did some nice versions:




Also a few points to your current version: I'd drop the cage mast piece alltogether, also why place the two stern quads so aft if you have vas deckspace? I'd go with something like the Alaska had on it's stern. Also the forwardmst twin 5"/38 turrets are currently blocking the line of sights of turret No 1. on extreme-aft angles. Just my 0.02

Keep up the good work!

Okay Guys,

Here is Lexington with the 5in/38s atop the old 6in/53 casemates and more 40mm Bofors.

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French Vice-admiral Louis-René-Madeleine Le Vassor de La Touche, comte de Tréville
The original spelling of my last name is: LaTouche.

Wow