Shipbucket

The Littorio ranks as some of the better of the modern fast battleships, and the designer; the Ansaldo company was famous for advertising its design to other navies. Designs such as large cruisers for Spain, the Littorio and its successor design; the UP 41 to the Soviet Union. Ansaldo also advertised its design to Spain and Argentina. Franco wanted to build four ships of the Littorio class in Spanish yards. Obviously this was not possible, and plans were made to increase the naval yards and infrastructure with assistance and loans from the Italians. WW1 and the afformentioned problems would lead to nothing.

Following is the design for Spain. I've changed some of the equipment to better suit the Spanish navy, such as replacing the Italian AA guns. The 90mm guns are replaced with 4,7" DP guns, the Italian 37mm guns with German Bofors 40mm and the Italian 20mm with German 20mm. Because areas of Spain is known for quite rough seas, and because these ships would be laid down after ships such as Roma and Impero, it is only fitting that I add a Roma style lengthened, and raised bow.

Spanish Littorio as "envisioned"


Another navy that wanted new battleships for it's navy was Argentina. Here I have to historical info, only a data sheet for some of the info. They were to be 228m long, as opposed to 237m of the original design. Here too, would the exact fit of weapons change. The four triple 6" turrets would be replaced with six twin turrets, and the single 90mm turrets would be replaced with six twin mounts of the same gun. The light AA guns would see the 20mm guns replaced with eight twin 13mm MGs, and the twin and single 37mm replaced with four quad mounts of the same gun. The aircraft carried would be 2-3 Grumman JF "Duck" floatplanes.

Obiously such an ambitious enterprise never came to anything as I doubt that Argentina would be able to afford ships as expensive as these, and Italy would need to build the ships for them. With Roma and Impero under construction and Littorio and Vittorio Veneto either still in the yards or fitting out, I doubt Italy would have the capacity to build these, especially with WW2 looming just over the horizon.

The Argentine design for a Littorio class:


NB: Please note that naming and minor changes (bridge design) were done to suit my AU world and to add flavour from the original design, and may not reflect what may have been built and named had these existed in real life.

Also also: If these do not fit the criteria for never-built then see fit to delete this topic.

Awesome!

_________________

MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

The Official IJN Ships & Planes List

#FJB

I've added the redone version of both drawings

They would've been the prides of their respective countries, to be sure!

_________________

MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

The Official IJN Ships & Planes List

#FJB

Excellent drawings! I think that "España" would be a good name in Francoist Spain. I read about the plans (Programa Naval de 1939) to built 4 ( ) Littorio class battleships in Spanish yards, over ambitius for a country almost destroyed by the Civil War. But for your AU, it would be very interesting speculate about the other 3 names ! Very well done!

PS: I think that in 1941 the flag had a black eagle with a very complicate coat of arms. But I can not remember if it was with the "big" or the "small" eagle version. Please, let me check with my spaniards pals! Cheers.

Honsestly, for my AU I'm doing a Republican victory since the fascist/nazi regimes that supported the nationalists don't exist in my AU. Therefore the Republic of Spain goes to the UK for a KGV-style battleship instead.

A Spanish KGV...now that sounds interesting!

_________________

MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

The Official IJN Ships & Planes List

#FJB

Hi, Karle. Oh, a spanish KGV sounds very fine, but with a victorious republic (specially if Juan Negrin was the prime minister), the ties with the Soviet Uniony would be very tight. Good luck with your AU.

Oh, yeah... That won't work at all. In my AU the Soviet Union does not exist either.

Any way we could possibly check out this AU somewhere? It sounds quite interesting.

_________________

MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

The Official IJN Ships & Planes List

#FJB