G3 Battleship, HMS Indefatigale 1925-47

 

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I am continually looking for ships that I can do an 'Alternate' set of drawings of. Depending on the ship this set of drawings can contain 3 or 4 different drawings charting the ships progress over its service career. The Indefatigable Class is such a set of 3 drawings. See Illustrious Class 1929 for aircraft carrier version.

The G3 Class design featured an all forward mounted armament. The ships were cancelled by the Washington Treaty in 1922. In the real world the material for the G3's was transferred into two new battleships, the Nelson and Rodney which were reduced 35,000 ton ships, compared to the G3's 48,000 ton design. Taking the G3 design I have rearranged the armament and layout to a traditional fore and aft design. Two triple 16" forward and one aft. For my scenario only two of the class are carried forward to complete as fast battleships, while the two uncompleted ships are finished as aircraft carriers. To balance these ships with the rest of the world, the Japanese are allowed to complete two Amagi class with guns and two as carriers. The US is allowed the same with the Lexington class, two as battlecruisers, two as carriers.

Original G3 Final design. The drawing I used for the fore and aft G3 was quite a bit older.


The following drawings are arranged in chronological order.

HMS Indefatigable as completed in 1925.

HMS Indomitable as refitted through to 1935.

HMS Indomitable as refitted through to 1941-42.

With complete rebuild to 1942

The last refit replaced a lot of items and allowed a lot of what felt like doubled up parts to be replaced or removed. The AA armament went to 5.25", 40mm, and 20 mm rather than the 4-5 types previously shipped.
 

  As Built 1925 Refits to 1935 Refits to 1941 If rebuilt 1940-42
Displacement 48,000 tons standard, 57,350 tons full load 49,000 tons standard, 58,700 tons full load 50,000 tons standard, 59,500 tons full load 50,000 tons standard, 60,000 tons full load
Length 860 ft 860 feet 860 feet 860 feet
Breadth 108 ft 108 feet 108 feet 108 feet
Draught 32 feet 32 feet 32 feet 32 feet
Machinery 4 shafts, geared turbines, 170,000shp 4 shaft, geared turbines, 170,000shp 4 shafts, geared turbines, 170,000shp 4 shafts, geared turbines, 170,000shp
Speed 32 knots 32 knots 32 knots 32 knots
Range 8,000 miles at 14 knots 8,000 miles at 14 knots 8,000 miles at 14 knots 8,000 miles at 14 knots
Armour 14" sides, 8" deck, turrets 17"/13"/9". 14" sides, 8" deck, turrets 17"/13"/9". 14" sides, 8" deck, turrets 17"/13"/9". 14" sides, 8" deck, turrets 17"/13"/9".
Armament 9 x 16" (3x3)
16 x 6" (8x2)
8 x 4.7" AA (8x1)
56 x 2pd (7x8)		 9 x 16" (3x3)
16 x 6" (8x2)
12 x 4" AA (6x2)
48 x 2pd (6x8)		 9 x 16" (3x3)
16 x 6" (8x2)
12 x 4" AA (6x2)
48 x 2pd (6x8)
32 x 40mm (8x4)
26 x 20mm (26x1)		 9 x 16" (3x3)
16 x 5.25" (8x2)
80 x 40mm (20x4)
22 x 20mm (22x1)
Aircraft nil 2 nil nil
Torpedoes nil nil nil nil
Complement 1750 1800 1850 1800
  HMS Indefatigable (1925)

HMS Indomitable (1926)


 

See Battle of Denmark Strait for an Alternative slant on that battle.

 

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