WesWorld

I can't remember whether or not I've posted this before. I think I have, but I've redrawn her since anyway.

Her design is fairly similar to how Francesco Morosini was reconstructed. I have 70.000tons of carriers available. Morosini takes up 27.000tons leaving me with 43.000tons possible to use. This comes about in the form of two 21.500ton carriers of the same design. Smaller carriers weren't really an option as I can't put much armour on them.

There are two hangars, one above the other with the same dimensions, 130x40x5. The upper hangar is an open hangar where aircraft can warm up their engines, undergo repair and storage. The lower hangar is where aircraft are bombed up and fueled before being transferred to the upper hangar.

The lower hangar is protected by an inverted U shape of 100mm armour. There is 100mm armour on the outside of the hull. The 100mm armour deck is the ceiling of the lower hangar and the floor of the upper hangar.

There are 3 lifts. 2 at each end of the hangar measuring 15x15m. There is one smaller lift 15x10m on the port side opposite the island. The larger lifts go between both hangars. The smaller lift only serves the upper hangar. The location at the side of the flight deck was chosen because it was impossible to locate it in the middle of the hangar. If it was in the middle of the hangar the lift machinery would interfere with the 100mm armour deck and cause a large hole in it. This was unacceptable so a side lift was chosen instead.

There are no catapults as current aircraft do not need them.

Airgroup consists of 5 squadrons of 12 aircraft. There are 12xFiat CR.20N fighters and 48xFiat BR.20 torpedo bombers.

Defensive armament consists of 16x130mm/45 guns in duple turrets. For AA there are 8x37mm/54 quadruple turrets.

The machinery is laid out on the unit principle similar to contemporary cruisers. 110,000shp is good for about 31knts. There are two shafts. There is a novel torpedo defense system with the propellors and rudders being under the hull away from the possibilty of a torpedo hit. The cruising range is extensive.




RM Europa, Italian Portaerei laid down 1927

Displacement:
22,092 t light; 22,813 t standard; 26,826 t normal; 30,036 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
751.14 ft / 721.78 ft x 91.86 ft x 27.23 ft (normal load)
228.95 m / 220.00 m x 28.00 m x 8.30 m

Armament:
16 - 5.12" / 130 mm guns (8x2 guns), 61.73lbs / 28.00kg shells, 1927 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
32 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (8x4 guns), 2.20lbs / 1.00kg shells, 1927 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 1,058 lbs / 480 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 5.91" / 150 mm 380.58 ft / 116.00 m 11.48 ft / 3.50 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Upper: 3.94" / 100 mm 426.51 ft / 130.00 m 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
Main Belt covers 81 % of normal length

- Torpedo Bulkhead:
1.57" / 40 mm 380.58 ft / 116.00 m 24.44 ft / 7.45 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 1.57" / 40 mm 1.18" / 30 mm -
2nd: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

- Armour deck: 3.94" / 100 mm, Conning tower: 5.91" / 150 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 110,000 shp / 82,060 Kw = 30.74 kts
Range 6,000nm at 24.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 7,224 tons

Complement:
1,047 - 1,362

Cost:
£5.008 million / $20.031 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 140 tons, 0.5 %
Armour: 6,484 tons, 24.2 %
- Belts: 2,342 tons, 8.7 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 542 tons, 2.0 %
- Armament: 76 tons, 0.3 %
- Armour Deck: 3,410 tons, 12.7 %
- Conning Tower: 114 tons, 0.4 %
Machinery: 3,472 tons, 12.9 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 8,195 tons, 30.6 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 4,734 tons, 17.6 %
Miscellaneous weights: 3,800 tons, 14.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
51,490 lbs / 23,356 Kg = 768.1 x 5.1 " / 130 mm shells or 7.7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.22
Metacentric height 6.3 ft / 1.9 m
Roll period: 15.4 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.08
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.52

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has raised forecastle
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.520
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.86 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 31.19 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 46
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 30.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 33.79 ft / 10.30 m
- Forecastle (25 %): 33.79 ft / 10.30 m (23.95 ft / 7.30 m aft of break)
- Mid (50 %): 23.95 ft / 7.30 m
- Quarterdeck (20 %): 23.95 ft / 7.30 m
- Stern: 23.95 ft / 7.30 m
- Average freeboard: 26.41 ft / 8.05 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 80.3 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 204.0 %
Waterplane Area: 46,815 Square feet or 4,349 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 146 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 120 lbs/sq ft or 586 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.96
- Longitudinal: 1.41
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

You've posted an earlier incarnation of her.

It's a very nice pic. It reminds me somewhat of the French Joffres with the large island and offset flight deck.

The deck-edge lift would, I think, be a first in Wesworld but I can see your logic.

Are we looking at the torpedo-bombers in these sketches, or the fighters?

Does Italy really need 3 medium to large carriers to operate in the Mediterranean Sea?

Quoted

The deck-edge lift would, I think, be a first in Wesworld but I can see your logic.

It's logic like that that would make something like a deck-edge elevator appear in the design of a ship. Too many possible 'holes' in your deck can't be a good thing for the crew's health should it be hit.

Quoted

Does Italy really need 3 medium to large carriers to operate in the Mediterranean Sea?

With France and Greece on either side of Italy and the Russian Federation not too far away, I'd say "yes". Italy has Iberia as an ally in the same region, but Iberia has distant colonies as well to worry about.

With Turkey and Iberia along with Libya, Italy should have plenty of airbase options without too much carrier support. (or is the old Italy as an unsinkable airbase idea been thrown out for some reason).

- Its the fighters in the pic. They can fold their wings anyway, so theres no problem for space.

- I'm starting from a carte blanche so I can draw pretty much whatever I want. There is some influence from Joffre.

Quoted

Does Italy really need 3 medium to large carriers to operate in the Mediterranean Sea?

Why does Chile need a navy at all? Because I can and smaller carriers aren't as good.


Against the Russian and French carriers. They are supposedly good for 60-70aircraft, but I can't see that happening on 15000tons. They'd be cramped anyway. Anyway, one bomb hit will destroy a French or Russian carrier(or shellfire) because of their thin armour. That 100mm deck is proof against 2000lb bombs from dive bombers.

I have lots of airbases at the moment, but the aircraft aren't long-ranged enough to ensure complete coverage of the Med. In 1936 there will be the SM.79 carrying 2x450mm torpedoes anywhere in the Med.

Quoted

Why does Chile need a navy at all?

Because it would be less interesting if they did not. :-)
Question... does the 130m upper belt protect the hangar only, or will the elevators have some coverage as well?

Well when you have a thin country with coastline that is that long and historical enemies on every border, a navy makes sense to keep your neighbors from dropping troops within a few miles of your capital city. (I believe its called a historical arms race between Argentia, Brazil, and Chile)
Plus in Wesworld, I have to watch out for the potentally aggressive Filipino Navy of BLAM expanding eastward, and the South Africans on South American soil that could potentially become a problem depending on the whims of whoever is in power at any given time.

(As for issuesof reality, you'll have to direct that question to the real Chilean Government, I've no other known answers.)

Quoted

the potentally aggressive Filipino Navy of BLAM expanding eastward

^ Chilean nitrate carrier 0.01sec before receiving second and terminal dose of BLAM from Filipino ship. :-)

I don't know about you, but I'd call that enough reason to have a decent navy on hand.

I think loading weapons on your aircraft on the lower hanger is a flawed concept. A carrier a/c with fuel and weapons on board is a potential time bomb.
In peace time accidents happen. With bombed up a/c in the lower hanger you have the potential for serious damage.
Even with loaded a/c on the flight deck there is still a big risk - there are plenty of examples of that during ww-2.
In the Tonkin Gulf 2 CV's suffered heavy damage from a single bomb/missile discharge on the flight deck.
You don't want to put your ship at risk by arming the a/c at the lowest point.

Well if the charge on the explosive device is large enough, he might give the Filipinos a run for their money by snapping the keel of his carriers.

For the med she should do fine with all that armor, which is better than the Illustrious class historically laid down 10 years later than this design.

My own personal taste shudders at the sight of Europa's Island structure, I think the two funnel arrangement is a waste of space and a single funnel would significantly improve her appearance.

Too many of her dirrectors are on the island seriously cramping it while the one between the funnels has a restricted veiw. A single funnel would allow the dirrctor to be placed aft of the funnle significantly improving its view.

Similarily her armament is also grouped closely togeather, she may have protection from bombs but that dosn't protect her armament. If bombers get hits in, its likely that they will take out a few gun mounts in just a few hits.

Her flight deck in the top veiw seems to be reversed from the side veiw. Her bow reminds me of the Ark's flight deck overhang at her stern. Otherwise it seems quite nice. I like her profile veiw (minus the island structure).

Hopefully Italian designers will stick to the usual practice of turning out a ship that looks quite different from the initial artist conceptions that are released to the public. She currently reminds me of the 1942 Ark Royal.

Quoted

^ Chilean nitrate carrier 0.01sec before receiving second and terminal dose of BLAM from Filipino ship. :-)

Yeah, I see it coming in from the right hand side of the picture.

Quoted

My own personal taste shudders at the sight of Europa's Island structure, I think the two funnel arrangement is a waste of space and a single funnel would significantly improve her appearance.

Still it looks much better than that huge, single funnel on the US carriers. :-)

Better than those Japanese carrier funnels, hanging limply over the side!

I actually like those "I'm so tired so I am hanging limpy over the side of the carrier" funnels of the Japanese. They're much better than the "Hey! I'm the biggest part of the superstructure" funnels of the US.
:-)

We've got big funnels and we're DAMN PROUD OF IT!!!

We've got funnels hanging limply over the side and we're DAMN PROUD OF IT!!!
:-)
Hmmm... I wonder what happens when I give those funnels Viagra...

Taiho or Shinano.