WesWorld

If India were to start building this, what would would your reaction be?

A: Awe
B: Bemusement
C: Confusion
D: Dismay

Yes, she's a few hundred tons over...sue me...

Turret Farm, laid down 1921

Length, 790 ft x Beam, 110.0 ft x Depth, 31.5 ft
43016 tons normal displacement (40432 tons standard)

Main battery: 16 x 13.8-inch (4 x 4; 2 superfiring)
Secondary battery: 12 x 5.9-inch (4 x 3)
AA battery: 12 x 4.1-inch
Light battery: 12 x 1.4-inch

Weight of broadside: 22687 lbs

Main belt, 14.0 inches; ends unarmored
Torpedo bulkhead, 1.0 inches
Armor deck, average 4.5 inches
C.T., 14.0 inches

Battery armor:
Main, 14.0" / secondary, 4.0"
AA, 1.0" shields / light guns, 1.0" shields

Maximum speed for 76184 shp = 25.00 knots
Approximate cruising radius, 12000 nm / 12 kts

Typical complement: 1493-1941


Estimated cost, $41.422 million (£10.356 million)

Remarks:

Relative extent of belt armor, 90 percent of 'typical' coverage.

Ship is roomy, with superior accommodation and working space.


Distribution of weights:
Percent
normal
displacement:

Armament ......................... 2836 tons = 7 pct
Armor, total ..................... 14000 tons = 33 pct

Belt 3465 tons = 8 pct
Torpedo bulkhead 598 tons = 1 pct
Deck 4847 tons = 11 pct
C.T. 372 tons = 1 pct
Armament 4718 tons = 11 pct

Machinery ........................ 2623 tons = 6 pct
Hull and fittings; equipment ..... 18022 tons = 42 pct
Fuel, ammunition, stores ......... 5334 tons = 12 pct
Miscellaneous weights ............ 200 tons = 0 pct
-----
43016 tons = 100 pct

Estimated metacentric height, 6.6 ft

Displacement summary:

Light ship: 37682 tons
Standard displacement: 40432 tons
Normal service: 43016 tons
Full load: 44910 tons

Loading submergence 1663 tons/foot

+++++++++++++++++++++++++


Estimated overall survivability and seakeeping ability:

Relative margin of stability: 1.07

Shellfire needed to sink: 44073 lbs = 33.5 x 13.8-inch shells
(Approximates weight of penetrating
shell hits needed to sink ship,
not counting critical hits)

Torpedoes needed to sink: 6.0
(Approximates number of 'typical'
torpedo hits needed to sink ship)

Relative steadiness as gun platform, 56 percent
(50 percent is 'average')

Relative rocking effect from firing to beam, 0.57

Relative quality as a seaboat: 1.12

+++++++++++++++++++++++++


Hull form characteristics:

Block coefficient: 0.55
Sharpness coefficient: 0.39
Hull speed coefficient 'M' = 6.90
'Natural speed' for length = 28.1 knots
Power going to wave formation
at top speed: 42 percent


Estimated hull characteristics and strength:

Relative underwater volume absorbed by
magazines and engineering spaces: 88 percent

Relative accommodation and working space: 141 percent


Displacement factor: 103 percent
(Displacement relative to loading factors)


Relative cross-sectional hull strength: 1.00
(Structure weight per square
foot of hull surface: 226 lbs)

Relative longitudinal hull strength: 1.05
(for 19.0 ft average freeboard;
freeboard adjustment -1.3 ft)

Relative composite hull strength: 1.00

+++++++++++++++++++++++++


[Machine-readable parameters: Spring Style v. 1.2.1]

790.00 x 110.00 x 31.50; 19.00 -- Dimensions
0.55 -- Block coefficient
1921 -- Year laid down
25.00 / 12000 / 12.00; Oil-fired turbine or equivalent -- Speed / radius / cruise
200 tons -- Miscellaneous weights
++++++++++
16 x 13.80; 4; 2 -- Main battery; turrets; superfiring
:
12 x 5.90; 4 -- Secondary battery; turrets
:
12 x 4.10 -- Tertiary (QF/AA) battery
Gun-shields
:
12 x 1.40 -- Fourth (light) battery
0 -- No torpedo armament
++++++++++
14.00 / 0.00 / 0.00 / 1.00; 90 -- Belt armor; relative extent
4.50 / 14.00 -- Deck / CT
14.00 / 4.00 / 1.00 / 1.00 -- Battery armor

Well, it'll turn a Nagato or Fuso into swiss cheese, which is probably a good thing for a battleship built for India to be able to do. And the sheer number of big shells will make a mess of any battleship sailing.

But as far as getting your enemy's vitals before he gets into yours... I'd say 12x15" would be better.

If this is a turret farm, does that mean that the AA guns and light guns are in turrets too ?

I think Japan's reaction would be 'E: Horrified' and 'F: Complaining'. :-)

Walter

I don't think you can really call it a turret farm with only 4 turrets. MM Sicilia had 5. [notice had ]

Italy's reaction would be G: what do you need that for? or H: Quick, let's sink it

When it comes to it, 13.8" guns aren't going to sink a ship however they will quickly soft kill a BB. I'm beginning to like putting lots of shells in the air at once~even if they aren't very powerful.

Mmm...good point; Maybe I'll go with "Porcupine" instead of "Turret Farm"

India hasn't answered "G" yet, which is why the ship remains theoretical. Although firing half-salvoes of eight shells does have an appealing ring to it...

While Atlantis has no intermediate threat from India the prospect of my battlecruisers facing a ship with guns only slightly smaller but double in numbers would be quite frightning as I'm sure it would be to India's nabours! With 8 gun half salvos you can basically get a normal BB's salvo just for ranging and then when you have found the range you would proceed to anialate the other ship with the huge volume of shells you could pump in. If your quads have the same problems as the british ones this might negate their effectiveness somewhat but still.....4 quads? ouch!!
I think a ship of this type would seriously effect other nations designs, if India can get a ship like that surely others can and another arms race might insue despite the Treaty of Cleito which would only slightly contain the build up. All in all though a nice design albiet done just outside treaty limits, but 400 tons could be hidden for sure.

First instant reaction: B - BULLSHIT!

More seriously:

C: Confusion - such a vessel wouldn´t fit the picture your closest ally has and knows about your design philosophy. It also doesn´t fit your needs nor your purse (overall capital ship tonnage for example).

To have many shells in the air at once makes it possible to win a battle but to have such an unbalanced design will make it certain you´ll loose a battle.

Btw: Everything with less than 6 main turrets can hardly be called a "turretfarm" IMHO.

You asked for it....

HoOmAn

You're correct, Hooman. The ship doesn't fit into India's operational or strategic thinking at all. India has no intention of actually building such a thing.

I figured that since I hadn't posted a practical design for a little while, "Theoretical Thursday" would be an opportunity to post an inpractical design and get a look at the reaction to it.