Gentlemen,
the early month of the South American War have revealed the potential of light and (very) fast light cruisers. The "Pony Express" made of the four Arion-class CLs (laid down 1927) is causing havoc among Argentinean shipping time and again. Thus the RSAN discusses if a follow-on design should be laid down (which is based on OTL Emile Bertin).
What is your opinion?
South African Light Cruiser laid down 1936
Displacement:
7.871 t light; 8.207 t standard; 9.077 t normal; 9.772 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
555,57 ft / 541,34 ft x 61,68 ft x 19,03 ft (normal load)
169,34 m / 165,00 m x 18,80 m x 5,80 m
Armament:
9 - 5,91" / 150 mm guns (3x3 guns), 110,23lbs / 50,00kg shells, 1936 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, majority forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
8 - 4,13" / 105 mm guns (4x2 guns), 35,32lbs / 16,02kg shells, 1936 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
12 - 1,57" / 40,0 mm guns (3x4 guns), 1,95lbs / 0,88kg shells, 1936 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
12 - 0,79" / 20,0 mm guns (6x2 guns), 0,24lbs / 0,11kg shells, 1936 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts
Weight of broadside 1.301 lbs / 590 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 200
8 - 21,0" / 533 mm above water torpedoes
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 1,97" / 50 mm 402,62 ft / 122,72 m 10,50 ft / 3,20 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 114% of normal length
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 3,15" / 80 mm 1,97" / 50 mm 3,15" / 80 mm
2nd: 1,38" / 35 mm 0,98" / 25 mm 1,18" / 30 mm
3rd: 0,59" / 15 mm - -
4th: 0,39" / 10 mm - -
- Armour deck: 1,38" / 35 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 100.000 shp / 74.600 Kw = 34,74 kts
Range 8.000nm at 15,00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1.566 tons
Complement:
464 - 604
Cost:
£4,208 million / $16,832 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 154 tons, 1,7%
Armour: 1.163 tons, 12,8%
- Belts: 342 tons, 3,8%
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0,0%
- Armament: 231 tons, 2,5%
- Armour Deck: 590 tons, 6,5%
- Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0,0%
Machinery: 2.806 tons, 30,9%
Hull, fittings & equipment: 3.728 tons, 41,1%
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1.205 tons, 13,3%
Miscellaneous weights: 20 tons, 0,2%
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
8.534 lbs / 3.871 Kg = 82,9 x 5,9 " / 150 mm shells or 1,3 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1,07
Metacentric height 2,8 ft / 0,8 m
Roll period: 15,6 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0,39
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1,00
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has raised forecastle
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0,500
Length to Beam Ratio: 8,78 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 26,83 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 64 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 70
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 25,00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0,00 ft / 0,00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 30,51 ft / 9,30 m
- Forecastle (40%): 26,90 ft / 8,20 m (19,03 ft / 5,80 m aft of break)
- Mid (50%): 19,03 ft / 5,80 m
- Quarterdeck (15%): 19,03 ft / 5,80 m
- Stern: 19,03 ft / 5,80 m
- Average freeboard: 22,76 ft / 6,94 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 114,4%
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 150,9%
Waterplane Area: 23.135 Square feet or 2.149 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 113%
Structure weight / hull surface area: 99 lbs/sq ft or 482 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0,92
- Longitudinal: 2,08
- Overall: 1,00
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