WesWorld

After its sortie to hunt for the Pirate ship SS Intrepida the CL Champion is to be taken in hand to begin a partial reconstruction along very similar lines to the Eclipse and Fort class CL's now sold and converting for Argentina.

The refit will include the removal of all existing weapons including the underwater torpedo tubes and her CT. They will be replaced by 8x5.1" DP guns in 6 turrets, 3 twin and 3 single, 4x3.95" AA(4x1), 3 twin 40mm, 3 quad 20mm and 4 twin 12.7mm MG.

Her bow is to be reshaped to improve seakeeping, her range increased, boilers replaced, new funnels and her bridge structure replaced. Modern fire control will also be added.

The end result is to transform her into a cheap AA cruiser for the Caribbean to escort the CV Alioth.

As designed....

Champion, Atlantis Light Cruiser laid down 1915

Displacement:
4,833 t light; 4,982 t standard; 5,228 t normal; 5,424 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
479.53 ft / 476.00 ft x 52.00 ft x 16.00 ft (normal load)
146.16 m / 145.08 m x 15.85 m x 4.88 m

Armament:
5 - 5.50" / 140 mm guns in single mounts, 83.19lbs / 37.73kg shells, 1915 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on centreline, evenly spread
1 - 4.00" / 102 mm guns in single mounts, 32.00lbs / 14.51kg shells, 1915 Model
Anti-aircraft gun in deck mount
on centreline
4 - 3.00" / 76.2 mm guns in single mounts, 13.50lbs / 6.12kg shells, 1915 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
6 - 1.00" / 25.4 mm guns in single mounts, 0.50lbs / 0.23kg shells, 1915 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 505 lbs / 229 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
6 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes, 2 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 3.15" / 80 mm 390.00 ft / 118.87 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: 1.57" / 40 mm 86.00 ft / 26.21 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Main Belt covers 126 % of normal length
Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 1.57" / 40 mm - -

- Armour deck: 0.78" / 20 mm, Conning tower: 6.10" / 155 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 47,396 shp / 35,357 Kw = 30.00 kts
Range 4,800nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 442 tons

Complement:
306 - 399

Cost:
£0.689 million / $2.755 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 63 tons, 1.2 %
Armour: 928 tons, 17.8 %
- Belts: 634 tons, 12.1 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 25 tons, 0.5 %
- Armour Deck: 230 tons, 4.4 %
- Conning Tower: 40 tons, 0.8 %
Machinery: 1,795 tons, 34.3 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,996 tons, 38.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 395 tons, 7.5 %
Miscellaneous weights: 50 tons, 1.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
4,456 lbs / 2,021 Kg = 53.6 x 5.5 " / 140 mm shells or 0.9 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.27
Metacentric height 2.9 ft / 0.9 m
Roll period: 12.9 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.10
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.06

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
Block coefficient: 0.462
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.15 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 21.82 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 58 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 66
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Mid (60 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m (10.00 ft / 3.05 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 10.00 ft / 3.05 m
- Stern: 10.00 ft / 3.05 m
- Average freeboard: 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 126.2 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 133.6 %
Waterplane Area: 15,947 Square feet or 1,482 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 103 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 80 lbs/sq ft or 393 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 1.03
- Longitudinal: 1.43
- Overall: 1.07
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
-------------------------------------------------

As refited...

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1915 (Engine 1933)

Displacement:
4,775 t light; 5,018 t standard; 5,228 t normal; 5,395 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
485.10 ft / 476.00 ft x 52.00 ft x 16.00 ft (normal load)
147.86 m / 145.08 m x 15.85 m x 4.88 m

Armament:
8 - 5.10" / 130 mm guns (5 mounts), 66.33lbs / 30.09kg shells, 1933 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline, evenly spread, 1 raised mount
4 - 3.95" / 100 mm guns in single mounts, 30.81lbs / 13.98kg shells, 1933 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships
6 - 1.57" / 39.9 mm guns (3x2 guns), 1.93lbs / 0.88kg shells, 1933 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
12 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (3x4 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1933 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
8 - 0.50" / 12.7 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.06lbs / 0.03kg shells, 1933 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 669 lbs / 303 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 350
6 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 3.15" / 80 mm 390.00 ft / 118.87 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: 1.58" / 40 mm 86.00 ft / 26.21 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Main Belt covers 126 % of normal length

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 1.58" / 40 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 1.17" / 30 mm
2nd: 1.00" / 25 mm - -
3rd: 0.79" / 20 mm - -
4th: 0.60" / 15 mm - -

- Armour deck: 1.17" / 30 mm, Conning tower: 1.58" / 40 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 50,000 shp / 37,300 Kw = 30.40 kts
Range 5,500nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 376 tons

Complement:
306 - 399

Cost:
£0.642 million / $2.568 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 84 tons, 1.6 %
Armour: 1,030 tons, 19.7 %
- Belts: 634 tons, 12.1 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 41 tons, 0.8 %
- Armour Deck: 345 tons, 6.6 %
- Conning Tower: 10 tons, 0.2 %
Machinery: 1,457 tons, 27.9 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,105 tons, 40.3 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 452 tons, 8.6 %
Miscellaneous weights: 100 tons, 1.9 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
5,883 lbs / 2,669 Kg = 88.7 x 5.1 " / 130 mm shells or 1.1 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
Metacentric height 2.4 ft / 0.7 m
Roll period: 14.1 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.27
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.01

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
Block coefficient: 0.462
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.15 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 21.82 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 58 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 69
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 25.00 ft / 7.62 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Mid (60 %): 20.00 ft / 6.10 m (10.00 ft / 3.05 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 10.00 ft / 3.05 m
- Stern: 10.00 ft / 3.05 m
- Average freeboard: 16.40 ft / 5.00 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 106.8 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 133.6 %
Waterplane Area: 15,947 Square feet or 1,482 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 111 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 84 lbs/sq ft or 411 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 1.00
- Longitudinal: 1.48
- Overall: 1.04
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform