Since our last update...
Canada is in the middle of completing 4 Ontario class Cruisers and 20 Orca class Fleet Boats for 1941 and early 1942.
Discussion is currently ongoing amongst the admiralty as to what the next budget priorities should be.
Top contenders;
1) Disposal or conversion of the Hawkins class cruisers. The last round of discussions had proposed an elaborate CVL/Amphibious assault conversion for the hulls;
However, with the ships now in reserve at Esquimalt, there is concern as to whether the hulls will take the conversion with any lasting effect. Another, less ambitious proposal has been floated which would gear the ships more towards Amphibious support, with a much cheaper conversion;
Effingham class, Canadian [Ex-British] Heavy Cruiser laid down 1916
Displacement:
10,000 t light; 10,272 t standard; 11,752 t normal; 12,936 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
569.23 ft / 565.00 ft x 58.00 ft (Bulges 68.00 ft) x 20.50 ft (normal load)
173.50 m / 172.21 m x 17.68 m (Bulges 20.73 m) x 6.25 m
Armament:
2 - 7.50" / 191 mm guns in single mounts, 210.94lbs / 95.68kg shells, 1916 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 1 raised mount
8 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.89kg shells, 1916 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
4 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1916 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 438 lbs / 199 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 150
4 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 3.00" / 76 mm 540.00 ft / 164.59 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: 2.50" / 64 mm 25.00 ft / 7.62 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Upper: 1.00" / 25 mm 400.00 ft / 121.92 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Main Belt covers 147 % of normal length
- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
1.50" / 38 mm 550.00 ft / 167.64 m 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 3.00" / 76 mm - -
3rd: 0.50" / 13 mm - -
- Armour deck: 2.00" / 51 mm, Conning tower: 3.00" / 76 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 76,105 shp / 56,775 Kw = 30.00 kts
Range 8,210nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 2,664 tons
Complement:
563 - 733
Cost:
£1.298 million / $5.191 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 55 tons, 0.5 %
Armour: 2,418 tons, 20.6 %
- Belts: 921 tons, 7.8 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 611 tons, 5.2 %
- Armament: 28 tons, 0.2 %
- Armour Deck: 825 tons, 7.0 %
- Conning Tower: 33 tons, 0.3 %
Machinery: 2,836 tons, 24.1 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 3,892 tons, 33.1 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,752 tons, 14.9 %
Miscellaneous weights: 800 tons, 6.8 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
17,786 lbs / 8,068 Kg = 84.3 x 7.5 " / 191 mm shells or 2.7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.41
Metacentric height 4.0 ft / 1.2 m
Roll period: 14.2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 59 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.08
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.49
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.522
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.31 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 23.77 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 57 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 40
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: 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
- Forecastle (40 %): 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
- Mid (50 %): 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
- Quarterdeck (25 %): 16.00 ft / 4.88 m (24.00 ft / 7.32 m before break)
- Stern: 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
- Average freeboard: 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
Ship tends to be wet forward
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 137.2 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 165.7 %
Waterplane Area: 22,285 Square feet or 2,070 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 126 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 97 lbs/sq ft or 471 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.93
- Longitudinal: 1.77
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily
2) Taking the 25,000 tons originally allocated for the Hawkins CVL conversions has resulted in the proposal for a new carrier to complement the current trio in service, with additional tonnage dedicated to secondary assault capabilities and expanded UNREP facilities, as begun with Furious;
HMCS Tenacious, Canadian Aircraft Carrier laid down 1942
Displacement:
25,000 t light; 25,837 t standard; 29,006 t normal; 31,541 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
725.29 ft / 720.00 ft x 92.00 ft x 24.00 ft (normal load)
221.07 m / 219.46 m x 28.04 m x 7.32 m
Armament:
8 - 5.50" / 140 mm guns (4x2 guns), 83.19lbs / 37.73kg shells, 1942 Model
Automatic rapid fire guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
16 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (8x2 guns), 5.65lbs / 2.56kg shells, 1942 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts
on side ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts - superfiring
64 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (8x8 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.89kg shells, 1942 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
48 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (24x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1942 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 893 lbs / 405 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 450
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 4.00" / 102 mm 465.00 ft / 141.73 m 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 99 % of normal length
- Torpedo Bulkhead:
2.00" / 51 mm 480.00 ft / 146.30 m 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 2.00" / 51 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 2.00" / 51 mm
2nd: 1.00" / 25 mm - -
- Armour deck: 4.00" / 102 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 144,458 shp / 107,766 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 15,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 5,704 tons
Complement:
1,110 - 1,444
Cost:
£9.616 million / $38.463 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 128 tons, 0.4 %
Armour: 5,677 tons, 19.6 %
- Belts: 959 tons, 3.3 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 781 tons, 2.7 %
- Armament: 61 tons, 0.2 %
- Armour Deck: 3,876 tons, 13.4 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 3,774 tons, 13.0 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 8,847 tons, 30.5 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 4,006 tons, 13.8 %
Miscellaneous weights: 6,575 tons, 22.7 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
54,596 lbs / 24,765 Kg = 656.3 x 5.5 " / 140 mm shells or 7.5 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.23
Metacentric height 6.4 ft / 2.0 m
Roll period: 15.2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.06
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.16
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.639
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.83 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 30.77 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 58 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 43
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: 30.00 ft / 9.14 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 28.00 ft / 8.53 m
- Mid (50 %): 28.00 ft / 8.53 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 18.00 ft / 5.49 m (28.00 ft / 8.53 m before break)
- Stern: 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
- Average freeboard: 26.66 ft / 8.13 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 91.6 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 251.7 %
Waterplane Area: 52,377 Square feet or 4,866 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 139 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 122 lbs/sq ft or 596 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.97
- Longitudinal: 1.27
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Improved light-weight Automated Dual-Purpose twin 5.5" guns simmed as 1940 Automatics.
5200 tons for 72 planes
100 tons for spare planes and parts
100 tons for CIC facilities and other flagship amenities.
100 tons for Radar and other equipment
300 tons for Landing craft and davits.
300 tons for Miscellaneous fleet stores.
25 tons for UNREP gear
40 tons for additional weight of DP automatic mounts (10 tons per)
35 tons for Miscellaneous Amenities and Superior this-and-that.
3) A 12 ship Patrol Cruiser class to replace the aging Argyll class CLAAs and the 3 Diana class ships;
Capital class, Canadian Patrol Cruiser laid down 1942
Displacement:
5,000 t light; 5,231 t standard; 6,197 t normal; 6,970 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
476.43 ft / 470.00 ft x 46.00 ft x 19.00 ft (normal load)
145.22 m / 143.26 m x 14.02 m x 5.79 m
Armament:
8 - 5.50" / 140 mm guns (4x2 guns), 83.19lbs / 37.73kg shells, 1942 Model
Automatic rapid fire guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, evenly spread, 1 raised mount - superfiring
12 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (6x2 guns), 5.65lbs / 2.56kg shells, 1942 Model
Automatic rapid fire guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
8 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1942 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 735 lbs / 333 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 250
8 - 21.0" / 533.4 mm above water torpedoes
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 4.00" / 102 mm 305.00 ft / 92.96 m 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 2.00" / 51 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 1.00" / 25 mm
- Armour deck: 2.00" / 51 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 60,474 shp / 45,114 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 12,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,740 tons
Complement:
348 - 453
Cost:
£3.110 million / $12.441 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 110 tons, 1.8 %
Armour: 1,061 tons, 17.1 %
- Belts: 406 tons, 6.6 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 86 tons, 1.4 %
- Armour Deck: 569 tons, 9.2 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 1,580 tons, 25.5 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 2,129 tons, 34.4 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,197 tons, 19.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 120 tons, 1.9 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
7,909 lbs / 3,587 Kg = 95.1 x 5.5 " / 140 mm shells or 1.2 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.22
Metacentric height 2.3 ft / 0.7 m
Roll period: 12.9 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.51
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.16
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.528
Length to Beam Ratio: 10.22 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 24.62 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 63 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 43
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: 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
- Forecastle (10 %): 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
- Mid (50 %): 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
- Quarterdeck (35 %): 14.00 ft / 4.27 m (22.00 ft / 6.71 m before break)
- Stern: 14.00 ft / 4.27 m
- Average freeboard: 19.28 ft / 5.88 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 99.5 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 138.0 %
Waterplane Area: 15,381 Square feet or 1,429 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 119 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 74 lbs/sq ft or 359 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.81
- Longitudinal: 2.30
- Overall: 0.90
Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
4) While the three Diana class CLs are considered generally insufficient for Fleet work, the ships are not that old, or worn out. Some thought is being put into converting them into Fast Amphibious transports;
HMCS Diana, Canadian (Ex-British) Light Cruiser laid down 1925
Displacement:
4,700 t light; 4,895 t standard; 5,205 t normal; 5,452 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
445.89 ft / 440.00 ft x 44.00 ft (Bulges 46.00 ft) x 18.00 ft (normal load)
135.91 m / 134.11 m x 13.41 m (Bulges 14.02 m) x 5.49 m
Armament:
6 - 5.50" / 140 mm guns (3x2 guns), 83.19lbs / 37.73kg shells, 1942 Model
Automatic rapid fire guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, majority aft, 1 raised mount aft - superfiring
12 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (6x2 guns), 5.65lbs / 2.56kg shells, 1942 Model
Automatic rapid fire guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships
2 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (1x2 guns), 5.65lbs / 2.56kg shells, 1942 Model
Automatic rapid fire guns in a deck mount with hoist
on centreline aft
8 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1925 Model
Breech loading guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 580 lbs / 263 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 265
Armour:
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 2.00" / 51 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 1.00" / 25 mm
2nd: 1.00" / 25 mm - -
- Armour deck: 0.80" / 20 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 65,035 shp / 48,516 Kw = 32.00 kts
Range 8,000nm at 10.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 557 tons
Complement:
306 - 398
Cost:
£1.745 million / $6.980 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 87 tons, 1.7 %
Armour: 266 tons, 5.1 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 75 tons, 1.4 %
- Armour Deck: 191 tons, 3.7 %
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
Machinery: 2,112 tons, 40.6 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,851 tons, 35.6 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 505 tons, 9.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 385 tons, 7.4 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
2,703 lbs / 1,226 Kg = 32.5 x 5.5 " / 140 mm shells or 0.6 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.18
Metacentric height 2.0 ft / 0.6 m
Roll period: 13.7 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.42
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.05
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has low quarterdeck
Block coefficient: 0.500
Length to Beam Ratio: 9.57 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 20.98 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 64 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 48
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: 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
- Forecastle (10 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Mid (50 %): 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
- Quarterdeck (35 %): 13.00 ft / 3.96 m (21.00 ft / 6.40 m before break)
- Stern: 13.00 ft / 3.96 m
- Average freeboard: 18.24 ft / 5.56 m
Ship tends to be wet forward
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 152.7 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 168.6 %
Waterplane Area: 12,899 Square feet or 1,198 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 93 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 73 lbs/sq ft or 359 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.81
- Longitudinal: 2.33
- Overall: 0.90
Caution: Hull subject to strain in open-sea
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
30 tons for additional weight of DP automatic mounts (10 tons per)
60 tons for Landing craft and Davits
250 tons for troops and support vehicles
45 ton for Radar, Radio, and C3 facilities
5) HMCS Hermes is long overdue for disposal or overhaul. Consensus amongst Construction and Repair is that there is no way to sufficiently modernize Hermes to match fleet speeds, nor significantly increase her airgroup. That being said, Hermes does perform a valuable role as a training ship. Her fate continues to be uncertain.
So...What should the RCN's next priority project(s) be?