What-If Nelson-class alternative layout

[Aidan]

This is something I just messed about with, it's more of a "Should have been" as opposed to a "What if", anyone know what it is?

Hmm, looks familiar,,,

[Anthony P]

Hi Aidan!

Lion class????

[Timmy C]

Your idea of how the Nelsons should have looked?

[Sr. Gopher]

Timmy, I think you're right. Same Bridge, guns, and noteably, the secondary armament.

[Aidan]

Bingo, Timmy wins the cuddly toy. Personally I think Nelson looks much better like this, a far more balanced and purposefull appearance, based on if there was no "Washinton Agreement". She would have far more powerfull engines and quad screws, hence the twin stacks, and, just to stick two fingers up at the absolute genious in the Naval Design Office who decided that RN Capital ships didn't need X or Y turrets because he came to the outstanding conclusion that no RN Capital ship would be running away from an opponent, I've put her back to a more conventional turret layout. They origionally put all the turrets forward "to save weight", the reality is that the lenght of armour belt required to protect the "should have been" version compared to the built version is not that much greater at all. With this design I estimate she would come out at about 42,500/45,000 tons and about 28 knots. I'm going to dig out a couple of my Airfix Nelson kits and see if I can build a model version of this, I might loose the main derrick, add a couple of "KGV" style crane's, and graft in a "Suffolk" style aircraft hanger around the main mast. I'm also going to add an extra secondary turret to each side ( I couldn't get it to work right on the computer image) and reposition them in a similar manner to the KGV layout, plus increase the AA fit to 4 octaple Pom Pom units, could be interesting I think.

[JasonW]

This has some outstanding possibilities as model fodder. Just so happens I have, oh, about five Tamiya 1/700 Nelson/Rodney kits.

Hmmmmm.

[Aidan]

Indeed Jason, I'm working on a "Super" Nelson at the moment, its gonna be REALLY BIG !!!

[Aidan]

And for your entertainment pleasure, here's my "what-if" Super Nelson, fifteen X 16 inch guns, about 900 feet long, roughly 65,000 tons, this should be fun to build

HMS Nelsonian

[Sr. Gopher]

That would be fun to see!!!!! Not as much as a Habbukuk, but second is better than nothing right?!!?!?!?!?

[USS California BB44]

Anyone ever thought how a Nelson/Rodney would look with a "Yamato" like seaplane deck on the aft superstructure and stern? Might make an interesting look for a post-war conversion for one of these ships.

[HvyCgn9]

Holy Hellfire!! Super Nelson looks awesome!! That would have kicked the C@## out of a Yamato class !!

Bruce

[Sr. Gopher]

Yamato would have probably been able to outrun Super Nelson

[USS California BB44]

Yamato would have probably been able to outrun Super Nelson

Understatement of the century award goes to...

[HvyCgn9]

I was just saying in a straight up gun fight... Plus the Pom's where generally a pretty good shot at long range with their BB's....all it takes is one good salvo ala HMS Hood (or lucky shot)
How fast was Yamato anyway?? If the two vessels came across each other there would still be opportunity for a slug fest before Yamato ran away!!

Cheers Bruce

[Aidan]

Yamato was 27 knots, Super Nelson is 30 plus knots, she'd be running around 200,000 SHP, so there

[USS California BB44]

In a "super" Nelson vs. Yamato gun duel, the Nelson would have a slight advantage in broadside weight with 15 of the 16s, but Yamato had a range where she could shell the Nelson with impunity with the greater range of the 18s. If Yamato recieved the worse of the encounter though, she would most likely fall to the weight of the Nelson's broadside.