KM Scharnhorst (BB-1938)

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This version of Scharnhorst would only be built from a different AU stream. That would have the Mackensen type at end of WW1 with 8x13.8", then the next class would be a raider type with 8x13.8" in two quad turrets, with light armour. Then followed by this type of ship with 9x13.8" with much better armour. But that stream does not really take into account what the French would build in response to the raider type. A Dunkerque with 8x13" would not be good enough, so I uprate the French ships to 16"/35,000 ton Treaty battleships. The German reply to those has to be to the Treaty limit as well.

These were the first true battleships built by the Germanic States to the 35,000 ton limit. The expiry of the Naval Treaties in the early 1930's gave the German Navy the excuse to build their next ships at a par with the other European nations. While the armament only surpassed the preceding Admiral Class battlecruisers by one barrel, these were true battleships where armour protection and speed were slightly ahead of armament.

As a change for the KM, I redrew a very good drawing of Scharnhorst by Maomatic to take the updated armament of 9x13.8", the other armaments were kept the same as the original Scharnhorst class.
 

While their European competitors were armed with 15" guns compared to the Scharnhorsts 13.8", the German designers had also started designing a new set of shells to replace what were virtually the same shells designed in 1912 for the Mackensen class. The new shells were not available when these ships were completed but the handling equipment was available. At 1763lb (800kg) the new shell compared more than favourably to the British 15" shell at 1950lb and outranged the UK Mk1 15" (32,000 yards) by quite some distance at 39,000 yards. Overall with the armour, speed and guns these two ships were some of the best available and made a grand sight when they appeared at the 1937 Coronation Naval Review.

This two view drawing of a Scharnhorst version with two quadruple 13.8" mountings gives a different take on what might have been. An excellent AU drawing.

I'm not sure which drawing the stats below are for, but I think it might be the drawing at the bottom.

Early version of an AU Scharnhorst with triple 13.8" and 24x5" DP. Looks like the drawing is based on the O-P Battlecruiser design.

Original 'as built' drawing of Scharnhorst with triple 11".


 

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