Considerations about naval designs

chrisd wrote:

Weird Harold wrote:FWIW, water is an excellent hydraulic fluid for most applications. It's only real problem is it's low boiling point.

And it's freezing point, as well. bearing in mind Safeholdian weather extremes.

True. The point is that "Hydraulic Fluid" doesn't have to be flammable (or explosive when atomized by a pinhole and high pressure.)[/quote
Also we could add a salt or few other things to it, so it can't freeze until - 15-20°C

Draken wrote:...About dreadnoughts and battleships: KGV was bad design, but for Charis it would be very good, also Hood would be very good design for them. ...

Why would Charis, with access to OWL's database, want to duplicate the mistakes made on Terra? The big advantage Charis has is the ability to learn from Earth's mistakes.

chrisd wrote:And it's freezing point, as well. bearing in mind Safeholdian weather extremes.

Or use steam or shaft drives - just like the real world did...

n7axw wrote:I agree that there is not much point in developing large warship design for the EOC further as long as there are no peers for the ICN on the horizon.

But it probably would make sense to develop a fleet of cruiser sized vessels for response and power projection purposes along with whatever the required coaling stations to fuel the fleet.

Don

Maybe a hull within a hull for now. Something like Leonardo da Vinci's design. Probably honeycombed.

Draken wrote:About dreadnoughts and battleships: KGV was bad design, but for Charis it would be very good, also Hood would be very good design for them.

Worryingly, the most unreliable part of the KGV design was the "Quad" turret, I don't think that Charis could afford that.
Although, the "Elswick" balancing of the guns about their trunnions would be advantageous, at the price of additional topweight.

Various members have mentioned WW2 destroyer types but I would consider the longer cruising range capabilities of the Light Cruiser would be preferable.

Just going insane here.
For a one time mass invasion (maybe two or three times).
Some naval flattops that can launch gliders (Yeah, WWII type 'Flying Coffins') via a steam powered catapult. The assaulting forces to be flown behind enemy lines to disable communications, supply lines, and prevent reinforcements.
Too bad the gliders can't be made out of fiberglass, but a canvas winged unit should work.
Volunteers, anyone?

TN4994 wrote:Just going insane here.
For a one time mass invasion (maybe two or three times).
Some naval flattops that can launch gliders (Yeah, WWII type 'Flying Coffins') via a steam powered catapult. The assaulting forces to be flown behind enemy lines to disable communications, supply lines, and prevent reinforcements.
Too bad the gliders can't be made out of fiberglass, but a canvas winged unit should work.
Volunteers, anyone?

Not me. There is going to be a limit to how fast you can catapult the gliders, which is going to severely limit the range, as you almost certainly won't be able to find thermal to extend your glider range. Of course, you could always launch in the middle of a thunder storm, but poses a little bit of danger to the glider itself. And the flattop probably isn't going to be much use after the war, so its going to be a lot of effort for a single invasion.

TN4994 wrote:Just going insane here.
For a one time mass invasion (maybe two or three times).
Some naval flattops that can launch gliders (Yeah, WWII type 'Flying Coffins') via a steam powered catapult. The assaulting forces to be flown behind enemy lines to disable communications, supply lines, and prevent reinforcements.
Too bad the gliders can't be made out of fiberglass, but a canvas winged unit should work.
Volunteers, anyone?

It's a good idea, but better one would be to build some hot air balloons and use them to transport troops.

fallsfromtrees wrote:

TN4994 wrote:Just going insane here.
For a one time mass invasion (maybe two or three times).
Some naval flattops that can launch gliders (Yeah, WWII type 'Flying Coffins') via a steam powered catapult. The assaulting forces to be flown behind enemy lines to disable communications, supply lines, and prevent reinforcements.
Too bad the gliders can't be made out of fiberglass, but a canvas winged unit should work.
Volunteers, anyone?

Not me. There is going to be a limit to how fast you can catapult the gliders, which is going to severely limit the range, as you almost certainly won't be able to find thermal to extend your glider range. Of course, you could always launch in the middle of a thunder storm, but poses a little bit of danger to the glider itself. And the flattop probably isn't going to be much use after the war, so its going to be a lot of effort for a single invasion.

Can't say as to the thermals. But with the way winds blow, perhaps jet streams exist.

The one thing that struck me about the King Haarold's was the decision to use barbettes & gun shields instead of turrets on top of barbettes. Unless splinter shields are also added, a shell hitting the armor - say in the area of the conning tower - explode/shatter and could disable and devastate the gun crew of the two forward 10" guns.

Same situation exists with the two aft 10" guns. The examples of ships I have researched with used the barbette and gun shield did not appear to have armor above the guns which could create that scenario.