I would add an SG surface search set right below and fore of the top SC-2 air search radar. Also might add some small navigation lights on the mast.
A mainmast might be appropriate too, mounting a second SG backup set.
Might consider stringing some radio aerial wires between the mast and funnels for long range comms.
I was wanting a second mast but couldn't think of what to put on there, and didn't want to just have "random mast with no real purpose". I now have an idea. Thanks!
Please fix the below-water portion , the propellors and rudder are frankly awful! You can find the right type of arrangement on any of my cruisers (and you're of course free to use them on this and don't worry about crediting them either).
I, quite honestly, suck at the underwater parts. I will definately avail myself of your offer of using ones from your ships!
(As a side note, for anybody wondering whats holding me up on doing any more on the HMS Hermes ... yup, thats it. I have tried to do the underwater hull at least three times now, each one looking worse than the one before. Sheesh.)
This ship would also look nice with some boot topping between the red hull and gray superstructure.
On my "to do" list. I had it on there at one point, but I believe it got lost when I readjusted the hull and forgot to put it back on.
Hull needs a bilge keel!
See above.
I would also switch over to the new and more detailed catapult and crane from the Baltimore.
Sounds like a right smart plan.
A later refit might see the removal of the amidships 5" guns. the USN found that their limited arcs of fire on the Atlantas made them rather useless weight wise. Put more 40mm guns in their place.
That is something I might do for later builds of this class. I am planning on 8 of them being commissioned between 1940-44. I figure that at least the first two or three would go with the wing turrets, then as the war progresses, they would find the same as the USN did with the Atlantas and remove them in favor of smaller caliber guns.
I would remove the 40mm gun from the lattice tower. IIRC they required an ammo handling room beneath them and this placement wouldn't work, though I could be wrong. You could emulate USN pre-war cruisers and make that lattice tower a big searchlight platform. If you do that, make sure to remove all other searchlights.
Just thinking "out loud" here... What if I put an ammo room beneath the tower? Would that be feasible? Or, like you said, just relocate the gun and go with searchlights. Maybe replace the searchlights in the funnel mounted tub with another pair of 20mm or something instead?
I would place a medium sized searchlight aft of the forward gun director.
We'll see how it goes with the above modifications.
I might go back to the raked funnels, they looked more warlike.
Hull number/camouflage might be cool too!
Raked funnels? Hmm. I wasn't really happy with the way they were turning out, so I just went with straight. maybe I'll fiddle with them some more, see what I can come up with.
Hull numbers will be added later, once I finish reimagining my navy. Right now hull numbers would just be "best guess" method, and I'd rather try and get it nailed down right the first time.
Thats just me being OCD.
Camo? Really? I'm having a hard enough time just dealing with the various shades of grey for the hull, upper works and shading right now!
That would be something to remember for future modifications as I get more confident with my drawings, though.