Shipbucket

Having seen the wonderful drawings done by Hood of the 16"/18" designs of the post-WW1 Capital Ships, I decided to see what a G3 might look like in a more traditional layout. I took Darth Pandas G3 design 2 as my base and gave it a kitbashing. The drawing turned out ok, and I have tried to not overgun the ship and kept the armament as the ship might have been completed with. The original G3's were cancelled and any material gathered dispersed or worked into other designs. At that point I figure the ships are at least 3 years from completion and that the lead ship would complete late 1925. A mid-life refit around 1935 would update some of the systems but a full rebuild would not be scheduled till 1942-43 so the ship would have entered WW2 in its 1935 guise. WW2 updates such as lots of 20mm then 40mm guns would be added, while its radar arrangements would increase markedly for as long as the ship survived and things like any aircraft handling arrangements would be beached to cut topweight.

This is the 1925 drawing.



HMS Indomitable 1935



HMS Indomitable 1942



HMS Illustrious as completed 1928

Looks very impressive, that is one imposing looking battlecruiser.

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According to NavWeps the multiple 2pr wasn't in service until the 1930s...

but design year...

She looks brilliant.

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I would ditch the turret and stern 2 pdr's and fit aircraft but apart from that looks very good.

How would moving the guns affect the weight ? I assume that the all forward was chosen to make it lighter due to allowing less protection on the engines than mags (without multiple bulkheads).

The Admiralty have always been vehemently opposed to fantail catapults for various reasons so I don't really see a reason for mounting on there other than because you could.

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Blood and Fire

Seeker36340 is actually right, HMS Nelson completed in 1927 with only a dozen single 2 pounders. Nelson and Rodney got one octuple mounting each in 1931. I will amend the drawing to single 2 pounders and leave the octuples to the 1935 update when the ship should have a full set.

The 1935 update will include aircraft handling equipment.


Edit: updated As completed 1925 drawing with octuples removed and eleven single 2 pounder guns added.

This looks better as the 1935 rebuild. Aircraft handling facilities were added to the ships with a catapult being placed on the aft 16" turret, a crane in place of the 4.7", and lastly a 'shelf' was created that projected out over the 'Y' 6" turret and allowed an aircraft to be placed on either side of the aft bridge superstructure with their wings folded (the tail of one is just visible at the beginning of the after bridge). This made maintenance easier. Two aircraft could be carried in this manner. The single 4.7", which had proved problematic in service, were replaced with the new twin 4" mounting. The number of secondary directors were increased from 2 to 3, while HACS directors made their entrance on these ships. The single 2 pounder guns were removed and replaced with octuple mountings in tubs.



1940's version to follow.

I'm not sure that,
- the 4.7s would be swapped (N&R didn't) even if its a good idea for AA rate of fire.
- that you would have so many Oct 2prds in 35 (IMO 4 would be more normal, lose the stern and turret guns till WW2)
- would turret mounting cat be liked in 35 ? I would prefer to move the mast towards the stern and fit it between the mast and funnels ? (this would require it to be done at the start, but you could also move the directors towards the stern and remove the single 4.7 to make room)
- would 3 HACS be fitted in 35 ? rare and expensive at the time IMO would go with 1 (with space for more later) or 2 ?