 Virtualscratchbuilder   | 14 May 2012 2:39 p.m. PST |
My Google fu has deserted me. Anybody know of a site that talks about the heavy cruisers the British were considering circa 1938-1939? They were thinking along the 17-18,000 ton range. I know I have seen a digital mock-up of one somewhere. |
| idontbelieveit | 14 May 2012 3:27 p.m. PST |
In British cruisers there is some discussion of 1940 designs of 12,500 and 15,500 tons with line drawings (9x8" guns in three triple turrets). Is that what you are thinking of? |
| cfielitz | 14 May 2012 4:45 p.m. PST |
Its not a website but maybe Norman Friedman's British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After might have some designs. |
| Virtualscratchbuilder | 14 May 2012 7:22 p.m. PST |
Its not a website but maybe Norman Friedman's British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After might have some designs. Indeed, thanks.. that's where I remember reading about them, but I cannot get my hands on a copy of that at the moment. |
| idontbelieveit | 15 May 2012 2:26 a.m. PST |
fwiw, the _British Cruisers_ I'm referring to is by Raven and Roberts |
| cfielitz | 15 May 2012 4:34 a.m. PST |
Friedman's book is available from Amazon.com for $60. USD |
| bsrlee | 15 May 2012 8:07 a.m. PST |
There has also been a fair bit in the recent Warship annuals – try interlibrary loan & hit the photocopiers. |
| BuckeyeBob | 15 May 2012 10:16 a.m. PST |
Raven and Roberts refers to an 8" CA designed in the late 20's for building in 1930. Surrey class was to be 2 CA's described as a modified York…lengthened & with 4 eight inch gun turrets. cancelled due to lack of funding. The washington treaty put any further plans for 8 in gun ships on the shelves since the UK wasnt allowed to build anymore. However at that time, the UK and a few other nations believed that the 6 in gun was the way to go and designs for the swiftsure and Minotaur classes may be what you are thinking of. Very heavy displacement but with 6 in guns so still designated as CL's. Minotaur class was laid down in 1942 but not completed til about war's end due to low priority and then converted to missile and helo ships. they had 2 turrets but auto loading for both the main guns and the 3 in SG's. I found a few sites that have pics and descriptions by using the above class names. Also check HMS Blake, Tiger, Lion and HMS Swiftsure and Superb. |
| Kiwi Red One | 16 May 2012 2:54 a.m. PST |
VSB – have a look at the bottom of this page: link for some information and drawings of proposed RN Cruisers. Cheers |
| Pontius | 16 May 2012 2:57 a.m. PST |
D.K.Brown in "Nelson to Vanguard" refers to several design studies produced by DNC in the late 30s early 40s. As far as I can remember those most likely to have been built were,
a) 1939 (?) design with three triple 8" turrents displacing about 15,000 tons. This looked similar to the Southamptons with the break of forecastle just aft of the forrad superstructure. Protection was on a similar scale to the Edinburghs.
b) 1942 flush-decked design, (Neptune class?) again with three triple 8" turrents and 20 4" mountings. This I think was around 18000 tons with a 6" belt. Brown has sketches of these designs in his book. Reduced versions were also considered with only two main turrets. Also a pre-war proposal for a 9.2" gunned cruiser which was quietly shelved. |
| Fluoro Phil | 17 May 2012 11:07 a.m. PST |
I have both Raven and Roberts British Cruisers and Norman Friedman's British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After (and can heartily recommend both) – Friedman has excellent line drawings of the designs. As Buckeye Bob says cancelled for lack of funding (and other war priorities, like more destroyers / escort craft). At one point the names were to be of famous admirals iirc |
