WesWorld

First ships of the 10year program undergoing trials.

The first of the new multi-function escorts are undergoing trials. The Frigate Akhilleus began her trials at the end of November 1925 and is expected to join the fleet in late May this year. Both her and the new minelayer Lemnos have so far met expectations with regards to their speed and handling characteristics. The Gunboat Heraklês seems to be slightly overloaded and steps may be required to reduce the topweight - possibly by replacing the closed turrets with twin open mounts.

With the decision to build upto treaty limits and the neccesary increase in the navy, the training frigates Psyche and Iphigenia will enter service this year to be followed by Orpheus and Pandora. The four training ships have been slotted into the early part of the program. Other specialised craft including MTB tender and seaplane tender will follow later in the program.

The 3000ton flotilla leader Leon was completed in late December and is also running her trials at the moment. The Leon class will run for eight ships and will enhance the firepower and torpedo battery of the destroyer squadrons for many years to come. Greek destroyer squadrons will be organised on units of 4 ships plus a leader.

The seaplane carrier and aircraft carrier are expect to complete at the end of this year. The two ships will provide a useful insight into the parallel operation of wheeled and floatplane aircraft with the fleet.

The Submarine transport Okeanos has been completed and is undergoing trials with the former RN R class submarines Hermês and Triton. The special transport is a self propelled floating dock and was built to extend the operation of the small submarines limited by the Clieto Treaty.

The first of the purpose built Escort Cruisers has been completed. The Athinai is the first ship to take the new 6" twin turret to sea. The rather weighty and complex twin turret is capable of high angle and rapid fire in low angle. The turret and gun was designed to counter fast moving surface craft of which Greece could expect many in the confined waters of the Eastern Mediteranian.

"The Submarine transport Okeanos has been completed and is undergoing trials with the former RN R class submarines Hermês and Triton. The special transport is a self propelled floating dock and was built to extend the operation of the small submarines limited by the Clieto Treaty. "

Probably the most interesting project currently. Is there any historical precedence for such vessels?

"The first of the purpose built Escort Cruisers has been completed. The Athinai is the first ship to take the new 6" twin turret to sea. The rather weighty and complex twin turret is capable of high angle and rapid fire in low angle."

Sounds like what the British tried in OTL with their County-class or the IJN with their CAs (turrets with 70° elevation). May I assume that such complex turrets will have some teething problems? At least early during service?

Regards,

HoOmAn

Quoted

Probably the most interesting project currently. Is there any historical precedence for such vessels?

Spain had a submarine transport called Kangaroo (I have a photo somewhere (a real one!). The Brazilians had a submarine tender that could lift subs out the water.

Quoted

Sounds like what the British tried in OTL with their County-class or the IJN with their CAs (turrets with 70° elevation). May I assume that such complex turrets will have some teething problems? At least early during service?

Similar to the RN twin 8" but smaller and higher power motors to train quickly on fast small craft. Loading is only at low angles so I'll probably avoid problems that were with the larger guns. The effort has gone to rapid loading at under 20 degrees and not loading at any angle. The turret is as large as a normal 6" triple turret.

Cheers,

Holy 5hit I found it on the mess that's my hard drive...


Kanguro




Cheers,

I just remembered there was also something similar in Germany. It was called "Uboothebeschiff VULCAN" (see http://www.deutsche-schutzgebiete.de/sms_vulcan.htm). It was meant to rescue or at least lift sunken uboats in coastal waters. The Russians also had something similar called KOMMUNA, if Google got things right...