WesWorld

A catalog of designs which were considered but rejected (often for good reason).

In 1935 the Bulgarian Navy was considering a ship to replace the old predreadnought battleship Sofia, and eventually the dreadnought Varna, as the fleet flagship. Several plans were considered, particularly development of a 30-knot ultra-light carrier, or a light cruiser with a large number of floatplanes.

Quoted

Ersatz Sofia Carrier, Bulgarian CVL laid down 1937

Displacement:
7,666 t light; 7,873 t standard; 8,514 t normal; 9,027 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
573.13 ft / 565.43 ft x 59.06 ft (Bulges 63.00 ft) x 16.73 ft (normal load)
174.69 m / 172.34 m x 18.00 m (Bulges 19.20 m) x 5.10 m

Armament:
12 - 3.46" / 88.0 mm guns (6x2 guns), 20.79lbs / 9.43kg shells, 1937 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread
8 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1937 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on centreline, all aft, 1 raised mount - superfiring
8 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1937 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 264 lbs / 120 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 240

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 3.94" / 100 mm 356.96 ft / 108.80 m 9.22 ft / 2.81 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 97 % of normal length

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 1.57" / 40 mm 0.79" / 20 mm -
2nd: 1.57" / 40 mm 0.79" / 20 mm -
3rd: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -

- Armour deck: 1.57" / 40 mm, Conning tower: 3.94" / 100 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 68,234 shp / 50,903 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 6,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,154 tons

Complement:
443 - 576

Cost:
£3.059 million / $12.235 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 33 tons, 0.4 %
Armour: 1,286 tons, 15.1 %
- Belts: 544 tons, 6.4 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 35 tons, 0.4 %
- Armour Deck: 672 tons, 7.9 %
- Conning Tower: 35 tons, 0.4 %
Machinery: 1,891 tons, 22.2 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,955 tons, 34.7 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 848 tons, 10.0 %
Miscellaneous weights: 1,500 tons, 17.6 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
11,486 lbs / 5,210 Kg = 552.4 x 3.5 " / 88 mm shells or 1.7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.20
Metacentric height 3.2 ft / 1.0 m
Roll period: 14.8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.04
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.01

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has raised forecastle
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.500
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.98 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 27.37 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 58 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 15.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 28.75 ft / 8.76 m
- Forecastle (21 %): 21.33 ft / 6.50 m (17.22 ft / 5.25 m aft of break)
- Mid (60 %): 17.22 ft / 5.25 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 17.22 ft / 5.25 m
- Stern: 17.22 ft / 5.25 m
- Average freeboard: 18.71 ft / 5.70 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 94.9 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 171.3 %
Waterplane Area: 23,138 Square feet or 2,150 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 125 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 85 lbs/sq ft or 413 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.98
- Longitudinal: 1.14
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

38 aircraft can be carried.

Rejected due to lack of necessity and mission goals.

Quoted

Iskar (Ersatz Sofia), Bulgarian Aviation Cruiser laid down 1937

Displacement:
7,114 t light; 7,365 t standard; 7,981 t normal; 8,475 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
573.13 ft / 565.43 ft x 59.06 ft x 16.73 ft (normal load)
174.69 m / 172.34 m x 18.00 m x 5.10 m

Armament:
6 - 5.91" / 150 mm guns (2x3 guns), 102.98lbs / 46.71kg shells, 1937 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline, all forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
2 - 3.46" / 88.0 mm guns (1x2 guns), 20.79lbs / 9.43kg shells, 1937 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mount
on centreline aft, all raised guns - superfiring
8 - 3.46" / 88.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 20.79lbs / 9.43kg shells, 1937 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
8 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1937 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
8 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1937 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 840 lbs / 381 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 180
16 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 3.94" / 100 mm 356.96 ft / 108.80 m 9.22 ft / 2.81 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 97 % of normal length

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 4.72" / 120 mm 2.76" / 70 mm 3.94" / 100 mm
2nd: 1.57" / 40 mm 0.79" / 20 mm -
3rd: 1.57" / 40 mm 0.79" / 20 mm -
4th: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -
5th: 0.39" / 10 mm - -

- Armour deck: 1.57" / 40 mm, Conning tower: 3.94" / 100 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 65,300 shp / 48,714 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 6,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,110 tons

Complement:
421 - 548

Cost:
£3.221 million / $12.885 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 105 tons, 1.3 %
Armour: 1,449 tons, 18.2 %
- Belts: 544 tons, 6.8 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 199 tons, 2.5 %
- Armour Deck: 672 tons, 8.4 %
- Conning Tower: 34 tons, 0.4 %
Machinery: 1,810 tons, 22.7 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,175 tons, 39.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 867 tons, 10.9 %
Miscellaneous weights: 575 tons, 7.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
11,497 lbs / 5,215 Kg = 111.6 x 5.9 " / 150 mm shells or 1.6 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.20
Metacentric height 3.2 ft / 1.0 m
Roll period: 13.9 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 52 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.19
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.03

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has raised forecastle
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.500
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.57 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 27.23 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 57 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 15.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 28.75 ft / 8.76 m
- Forecastle (21 %): 21.33 ft / 6.50 m (17.22 ft / 5.25 m aft of break)
- Mid (60 %): 17.22 ft / 5.25 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 17.22 ft / 5.25 m
- Stern: 17.22 ft / 5.25 m
- Average freeboard: 18.71 ft / 5.70 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 92.3 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 120.8 %
Waterplane Area: 23,138 Square feet or 2,150 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 123 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 92 lbs/sq ft or 451 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.99
- Longitudinal: 1.25
- Overall: 1.01
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

Plans discarded in favor of more pressing construction; belief that land-based airpower and reconnaissance will be sufficient to the fleets goals. Consideration of aviation ships will be altered to a support ship for flying-boats/seaplanes, if any at all.

Quoted

Pomorie, Bulgarian Minelayer laid down 1936

Displacement:
1,317 t light; 1,358 t standard; 1,542 t normal; 1,689 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
325.00 ft / 325.00 ft x 38.00 ft x 11.50 ft (normal load)
99.06 m / 99.06 m x 11.58 m x 3.51 m

Armament:
3 - 4.13" / 105 mm guns in single mounts, 35.32lbs / 16.02kg shells, 1936 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, majority forward, 1 raised mount
2 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns in single mounts, 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1936 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships
10 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (5x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1936 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 111 lbs / 51 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 1.57" / 40 mm 211.25 ft / 64.39 m 7.40 ft / 2.26 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 100 % 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 0.79" / 20 mm 0.98" / 25 mm

- Armour deck: 0.79" / 20 mm, Conning tower: 1.57" / 40 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 13,762 shp / 10,267 Kw = 27.00 kts
Range 5,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 331 tons

Complement:
122 - 159

Cost:
£0.590 million / $2.360 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 14 tons, 0.9 %
Armour: 231 tons, 15.0 %
- Belts: 103 tons, 6.7 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 10 tons, 0.7 %
- Armour Deck: 114 tons, 7.4 %
- Conning Tower: 5 tons, 0.3 %
Machinery: 386 tons, 25.0 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 421 tons, 27.3 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 225 tons, 14.6 %
Miscellaneous weights: 265 tons, 17.2 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
1,230 lbs / 558 Kg = 34.8 x 4.1 " / 105 mm shells or 0.6 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.11
Metacentric height 1.4 ft / 0.4 m
Roll period: 13.3 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 71 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.16
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.26

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.380
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.55 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 21.21 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 59 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 56
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 0.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 13.00 ft / 3.96 m
- Mid (50 %): 13.00 ft / 3.96 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 13.00 ft / 3.96 m
- Stern: 13.00 ft / 3.96 m
- Average freeboard: 13.64 ft / 4.16 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 107.2 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 158.6 %
Waterplane Area: 7,813 Square feet or 726 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 112 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 33 lbs/sq ft or 162 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.55
- Longitudinal: 1.45
- Overall: 0.60
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
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily

15 tons for growth, 250 tons for mines, mine rails, and other equipment.

Judged too slow to be effective; Bulgarian destroyers (based on German Z-214 design) will have similar minelaying capabilities but with 34-knot speed and heavier gun and torpedo armament.

Design maintained in the files for 1500t sloop possibilities (none planned or considered necessary at the present).

[SIZE=3]Kyustendil-class, Bulgarian Heavy Destroyer laid down 1937[/SIZE]
This design was the original specification for the Kyustendil-class contradestroyers, particularly favored among officers favoring heavier firepower than the Drazki-class destroyers. However, no 140mm gun, let alone a dual-purpose mount, existed in Bulgarian service at the time, and the Bulgarian Navy could not develop a brand-new gun design in time to arm the projected ships. The head of the Bureau of Logistics and ships, Kontra-Admiral Radoev, advocated a modified hoist-fed mark of the existing 130mm dual-purpose gun, with a number of modifications made to improve the rate-of-fire. Further changes made to the design included a switch to three quad torpedo launchers instead of two quintuple launchers (as the quintuple launchers were found to be too heavy and wide), and the removal of the 88mm anti-aircraft guns (due to space issues).

Displacement:
2,460 t light; 2,629 t standard; 2,895 t normal; 3,107 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
460.72 ft / 442.91 ft x 41.01 ft x 13.94 ft (normal load)
140.43 m / 135.00 m x 12.50 m x 4.25 m

Armament:
8 - 5.51" / 140 mm guns (4x2 guns), 83.72lbs / 37.98kg shells, 1937 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 3.46" / 88.0 mm guns (2x2 guns), 20.79lbs / 9.43kg shells, 1937 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts
on centreline, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
8 - 1.46" / 37.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 1.55lbs / 0.70kg shells, 1937 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
8 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1937 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 767 lbs / 348 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 250
10 - 25.6" / 650 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 2.95" / 75 mm 1.57" / 40 mm 2.76" / 70 mm
2nd: 1.18" / 30 mm 0.79" / 20 mm -
3rd: 0.79" / 20 mm 0.79" / 20 mm -
4th: 0.39" / 10 mm 0.39" / 10 mm -

- Conning tower: 3.15" / 80 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 48,264 shp / 36,005 Kw = 34.50 kts
Range 4,800nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 478 tons

Complement:
196 - 256

Cost:
£1.841 million / $7.365 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 96 tons, 3.3 %
Armour: 94 tons, 3.2 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 80 tons, 2.8 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 14 tons, 0.5 %
Machinery: 1,221 tons, 42.2 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 989 tons, 34.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 435 tons, 15.0 %
Miscellaneous weights: 60 tons, 2.1 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
906 lbs / 411 Kg = 10.8 x 5.5 " / 140 mm shells or 0.4 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.11
Metacentric height 1.6 ft / 0.5 m
Roll period: 13.6 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.88
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.15

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.400
Length to Beam Ratio: 10.80 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 24.19 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 62 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 61
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 30.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 1.64 ft / 0.50 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 28.00 ft / 8.53 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Mid (40 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m (14.00 ft / 4.27 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 14.00 ft / 4.27 m
- Stern: 14.00 ft / 4.27 m
- Average freeboard: 17.36 ft / 5.29 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 165.6 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 79.5 %
Waterplane Area: 11,604 Square feet or 1,078 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 80 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 45 lbs/sq ft or 221 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.51
- Longitudinal: 1.56
- Overall: 0.57
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is cramped
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform