Shipbucket

OK, I didn't want to have to do this, but ...

What the frell does a guy have to do in order to get some feedback around here? I will, on occassion, get comments and suggestions from a couple people, and thats it. I ask specific questions about specific things, and I get ... nothing ... I don't ask this because I want people to do the work for me. I ask because I DON'T KNOW, and I can't find the answer I'm looking for online because it either ain't there, is buried, or I'm plugging in an incorrect or too general search query.

Do I need to color my ships neon pink? Add some gyroscopic-laser radar guided 24" anti submarine guns? Make them as stupid as possible before I actually get somebody to make a comment? Honestly, I almost feel like I'm on ignore here sometimes.

I'm not asking for much, just a little feedback sometimes so I know I'm either on the right track or am veering off into the realm of the weird. Is that really so much to ask?

And thank you Acelancelot, Thiel and Heuhen for your periodic comments. They have been quite helpful.

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"Anybody remotely interesting is mad in some way." - The Seventh Doctor

I know how you feel I post a sane drawing and I have to double post just to get attention.
Then I post a 400+ meter monster and in the morning there is two pages of posts.

Sorry, I've been busy with classes - and I've got finals in a week.

What you've fallen into is what I call "The Middle Ground Trap". You're doing work that is technically good, and thought out, but because you're not a super high profile member on the board (yet), you don't get as much attention. It is something that should probably be addressed, I'm just not sure how to address it (other than making more comments myself I don't know how to start fixing it).

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𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐍𝐄𝐓- 𝑻𝒐 𝑪𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆

Zephyr, you've got 10 5.25-in duals on a hull that won't stand the load. And as to why folk aren't falling over themselves to post comments, can I suggest a bit of common sense as a reason, and not your standing on the forum? The fact is we are all busy people. I really want to work on my own projects as well as read every post. generally, there are two types of members, one type just like to draw, and another like to help out by giving advice, and I'm of the former

Well, for the turret number, it is exactly the same number carried by the Cleveland class on a nearly identical hull. Cleveland had 4 triple 6 inch + 6 twin 5 inch. I have 10 twin 5.25 inch in the same locations. The Atlanta had 8 twin 5 inch on a much shorter hull. So, logically, I figured that it would be feasible. That was my train of thought, anyhow. *shrug*

And I understand the "like to draw" bit. Thats why I'm here too. I just get a little frustrated at times because there is such a large knowledge base here to take advantage of. Everybody here knows some part of most things, and I like to try and tap into that knowledge in order to improve what I have and to fill in the gaps of my own knowledge. I don't know if my expectations are too high, or what. I know I'm not one of the "stars" here, and I don't expect people to post "oohs" and "aahs" at every doodle I post .... aw hell, I don't know what I expect sometimes.

Now its time to go to work.

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"Anybody remotely interesting is mad in some way." - The Seventh Doctor

The weights does seem to work out. That said, I'd drop the wing turrets down a level. Given the timeframe I'd drop all the 20mm guns and replace them with 40mm guns.

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“Close” only counts with horseshoes, hand grenades, and tactical nuclear weapons.
That which does not kill me has made a grave tactical error

Worklist

Source Materiel is always welcome.

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.

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).

This ship would also look nice with some boot topping between the red hull and gray superstructure.

I would also switch over to the new and more detailed catapult and crane from the Baltimore.

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.

Hull needs a bilge keel!

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.

I would place a medium sized searchlight aft of the forward gun director.

I might go back to the raked funnels, they looked more warlike.

Hull number/camouflage might be cool too!

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)

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!

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.)
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.

See above.

Sounds like a right smart plan.

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.
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?
We'll see how it goes with the above modifications.

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.

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"Anybody remotely interesting is mad in some way." - The Seventh Doctor

A few more improvements, I hope.


I decided to keep the 20mm, I guess I could say that we (GH) developed them in that twin mount earlier than IRL. We're smart like that. (well, that, and I didn't want to have to erase and redo all those gun mounts. lol)

Changed the underwater bits out for some that look, well, better than the dren I had down there. Added a second mast. The masts, both of them now, still look a bit bare, but I guess I can live with that. Changed the catapult and crane out. (Colo, you wouldn't happen to have a "clean" version of those, would you?)

Damn, almost looks like a real cruiser now. I hope.

Overall, I'm fairly well satisfied with it now.

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"Anybody remotely interesting is mad in some way." - The Seventh Doctor

If it's an AA cruiser, there should be more 40mm or 20mm gun. The centre of the ship looks rather 'empty'. Other than that, nice ship! Just imagine 16 (5 inch?) guns firing at you...