WesWorld

As the Helle class was last refit/rebuilt in 1929 they are due again for work to remain up to date with current equipment and tactics. In regards to this it was decided that since they needed rebuilt anyway it would be a perfect test bed for some new electronic equipment recently made available to Greece by France. The ships will be fitted with the most modern Teledetection equipment France is willing to sell as well as 2 of the recently delivered LeO-400 float planes. The rebuild will replace the 8"/50 Model 1909 guns with the new 8"/55 Model 1941 gun used by the Hydra class CAs under construction (which was designed to share the same roller path and barbette diameter as the old gun) as well as remove the 4x1 5" and 4x1 4" and replace them with 4x2 5"DP and also replace the old model 1.5" AA w/ the latest model Greek 40mm AA guns as well as adding some 20mm for close in work. The engines will be replaced with new ones rated for the same SHP/Speed. The superstructure will be rebuilt to make best use of the teledetection equipment as well as provide for more room for additional staff needed to use it. The end armor bets will also be removed and the ship retrimmed to compensate for the new topweight of the teledetection equipment and the heavier turrets of the 8"/55 model 1941. Stats as below:

Helle Class, Greek Heavy Cruiser laid down 1909 (Engine 1942)

Displacement:
12,668 t light; 13,453 t standard; 14,194 t normal; 14,787 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
610.67 ft / 600.00 ft x 69.00 ft x 24.00 ft (normal load)
186.13 m / 182.88 m x 21.03 m x 7.32 m

Armament:
10 - 8.00" / 203 mm guns (5x2 guns), 300.00lbs / 136.08kg shells, 1941 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline ends, majority aft, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
8 - 5.00" / 127 mm guns (4x2 guns), 59.90lbs / 27.17kg shells, 1939 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
8 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (4x2 guns), 2.14lbs / 0.97kg shells, 1939 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
4 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (2x2 guns), 0.27lbs / 0.12kg shells, 1939 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on centreline, all aft, all raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 3,497 lbs / 1,586 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: 8.00" / 203 mm 345.00 ft / 105.16 m 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 88 % of normal length

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 8.00" / 203 mm 4.00" / 102 mm 8.00" / 203 mm
2nd: 2.00" / 51 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 1.00" / 25 mm

- Armour deck: 2.20" / 56 mm, Conning tower: 10.00" / 254 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 87,463 shp / 65,248 Kw = 30.50 kts
Range 5,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 1,334 tons

Complement:
649 - 845

Cost:
£1.086 million / $4.345 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 385 tons, 2.7 %
Armour: 4,183 tons, 29.5 %
- Belts: 1,902 tons, 13.4 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 1,032 tons, 7.3 %
- Armour Deck: 1,123 tons, 7.9 %
- Conning Tower: 126 tons, 0.9 %
Machinery: 2,285 tons, 16.1 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 5,668 tons, 39.9 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,526 tons, 10.8 %
Miscellaneous weights: 148 tons, 1.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
21,693 lbs / 9,840 Kg = 84.7 x 8.0 " / 203 mm shells or 2.5 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.08
Metacentric height 3.3 ft / 1.0 m
Roll period: 15.9 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 51 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.66
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.15

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
Block coefficient: 0.500
Length to Beam Ratio: 8.70 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 24.49 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 55 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 44
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.86 degrees
Stern overhang: -4.67 ft / -1.42 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 28.00 ft / 8.53 m
- Forecastle (19 %): 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
- Mid (75 %): 24.00 ft / 7.32 m (14.00 ft / 4.27 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (18 %): 14.00 ft / 4.27 m
- Stern: 14.00 ft / 4.27 m
- Average freeboard: 21.78 ft / 6.64 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 76.8 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 160.3 %
Waterplane Area: 27,584 Square feet or 2,563 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 119 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 128 lbs/sq ft or 627 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.94
- Longitudinal: 1.66
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent

Surface/Air Search teledetector: 5 tons
Air Search Teledetector: 5 tons
Fire-Control Teledetector: 5 tons
Gunnery Computer: 10 tons
Emergency Electrical Generator Set: 5 tons
8x21" Torpedo+Launchers: 20 tons
2xLeO-400 Floatplanes: 10 tons
1000g AvGas for Floatplanes: 3 tons
Reinforced Quarterdeck for Aircfaft Handling Facilities: 50 tons
Aircraft Crane: 25 tons
Quarters for Aircrew: 8 tons
Ammo for Floatplanes: 2 tons

I like the look of what you've done here. The Helles look to be Wesworld's first CA, and are still very good-looking and surprisingly powerful ships for their age...

Looks like a good rebuild to me. Proves there is still life in these older ships.