One of the early designs I find interesting is that of the Russian armored cruiser General Admiral. I have tried to approximate her here.
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TBD, German Armored Frigate laid down 1870
Armoured Frigate (Broadside ironclad)
Displacement: 3,767 t light; 4,012 t standard; 5,023 t normal; 5,832 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
291.79 ft / 285.83 ft x 48.00 ft x 24.41 ft (normal load) [88.94 m / 87.12 m x 14.63 m x 7.44 m]
Armament:
8 - 8.27" / 210 mm guns in single mounts, 180.01lbs / 81.65kg shells, 1870 Model Breech loading guns in broadside mounts on side, all amidships; 8 guns on gundeck (upper belt level) - Limited use in heavy seas
2 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns in single mounts, 99.21lbs / 45.00kg shells, 1870 Model Breech loading guns in deck mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
4 - 3.15" / 80.0 mm guns in single mounts, 12.13lbs / 5.50kg shells, 1870 Model Breech loading guns in deck mounts on side ends, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 1,687 lbs / 765 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
Armour:
Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 5.91" / 150 mm 137.80 ft / 42.00 m 14.76 ft / 4.50 m
Ends: 4.72" / 120 mm 148.03 ft / 45.12 m 14.76 ft / 4.50 m
Main Belt covers 74 % of normal length
Machinery:
Coal fired boilers, simple reciprocating steam engines, Direct drive, 1 shaft, 2,077 ihp / 1,550 Kw = 12.00 kts
Range 4,800nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,820 tons (100% coal)
Complement: 297 - 387
Cost: £0.389 million / $1.556 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 221 tons, 4.4 %
Armour: 952 tons, 19.0 %
- Belts: 952 tons, 19.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 509 tons, 10.1 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,785 tons, 35.5 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,256 tons, 25.0 %
Miscellaneous weights: 300 tons, 6.0 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship): 5,202 lbs / 2,360 Kg = 26.3 x 8.3 " / 210 mm shells or 1.0 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.25
Metacentric height 2.5 ft / 0.8 m
Roll period: 12.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 84 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.36
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 2.00
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.525
Length to Beam Ratio: 5.95 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 16.91 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 32 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 42
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 12.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 1.64 ft / 0.50 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 20.34 ft / 6.20 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 18.37 ft / 5.60 m
- Mid (50 %): 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
- Stern: 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
- Average freeboard: 17.25 ft / 5.26 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 73.9 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 97.6 %
Waterplane Area: 9,032 Square feet or 839 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 124 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 103 lbs/sq ft or 504 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.86
- Longitudinal: 3.84
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is adequate
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather
Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weight
200 tons reserved for masts and rigging
100 tons reserved for extra accommodation