Ship Conversions / Modernizations

Gym, berthing spaces for SF detachment, missile launch tubes, parking area for a Harrier or two, admirals quarters come to mind.

I was thinking of this myself when I bought mine and I think the most realistic idea would be the same upgrades they did to the Iowa's, only on a smaller scale? 

I've seen drawings proposed for the Iowa class that would turn them into assault sjips by adding flight decks and hangers and removing the rear main guns.  

See Leyman & McLaughlin's "Hybrid Warship - The amalgamation of big guns and aircraft."

Search around -- you may be able to find it in PDF.   It discusses the experiments and successes of hybrid warships from the WWI era through Post-WWII conjectural approaches.

I picked up a Tamiya, New Jersey, a few years back that I was going to do exactly that with. I never finished it so I'll be using some of the parts, CIWS, Harpoon, ABL's, etc, on the Alaska (when I get it).

Check out 'WWII Carrier Landing Area Question' in the FSM Ready Room Forum for some basic concept drawings. 

Of course, if you want to get wild, you could say they pulled out the boilers and dropped in a nuc plant .  .  . along with the other modernizations.

Interesting that the Alaskas became obsolete by launching date because the intended targets- Japanese and German heavy cruisers- no longer existed.

Bill

HooYah Deep Sea

I picked up a Tamiya, New Jersey, a few years back that I was going to do exactly that with. I never finished it so I'll be using some of the parts, CIWS, Harpoon, ABL's, etc, on the Alaska (when I get it).

Check out 'WWII Carrier Landing Area Question' in the FSM Ready Room Forum for some basic concept drawings. 

Of course, if you want to get wild, you could say the pulled out the boilers and dropped in a nuc plant .  .  . along with the other modernizations.

 

You could go whole hog and use a fast attack type helo, something like a souped up Comanche, and a shortened wing osprey, with tilt jets rather than rotors.

I'm thinking "USS Alaska CBV-1", with the scenario of her being the testbed, so-to-speak for the Iowa modernizations back in the early 1980's. It makes sense (if they'd kept the hulls); speed, agility, firepower, aircraft, and a lower operating cost, what more could you want. I'm looking at helo / vtol capabilities, no ski jump. Retain two of the three main turrets and three of the six 5"/38's, then add ABL's, Harpoon, CIWS, and updated elex. Of course she'll lose all of the 20 and 40mm mounts too.

Repurpose the existing hangers and add new, larger ones just aft of the originals, with low angle ramps up to the flightdeck, and aviation shops midships, under the ABL deck. Also, she'll have boat davits and UNREP stations in that area too.

What am I missing (other than the ships being non-existant!) ?

One of the prettiest looking ships I've ever visited was the Slava class Varyag when she made port in San Francisco in 2010. Big son of a gun like Russian warships can be.

Sixteen deck mounted Tommahawk tubes would look pretty smart.

Bill

Oh yeah, but the Rooskies are all first strike firepower, very little secondary stuff. But yes they are quite badass looking!

All I can say Brian, old mate, is that if they can turn the Yamato into a spaceship, you have a very broad canvas to work with......

Brian, the hanger is in the forward superstructure so i would put the hanger & flight deck on the aft end of the ship where #3 main turret is\was. put the ABL's & Harpoons in the midships were the aircraft catapults were located as that was wasted space.

Agreed; the original hangers will be re-utilized. The flight deck wil be at the 01 level aft and the hangers will be abreast the aft superstructure. The space between the forward and aft superstructures will be built up as aviation shops (engine shop, avionics, etc.). I'm thinking that having the flight deck at the 01 level keeps the aft mooring stations, ventilation, and accesses feasable. (I'm trying to think it out as if this were the real ship)

The #3 turret and armored barbette would be removed and ordnance elevators installed there. That way the aft magazines loadout shifts to aviation ord stores vice 12", 5", 40mm and 20mm. The removal of the turret and barbette helps to counter the added weight of the flight deck, et al. At least that is what I'm thinking. Also, keeping the flight deck at the 01 vice the 03 or 04 level helps with stability; lower is better. I could do it otherwise, but then the ship would pull a 'Vasa' on me, if it were a real ship. 

flight deck has to be at least at the 2nd superstructure deck level with the hanger deck at the ship's main deck to give clearance space for aircraft. helps that i just finished editing my digital copy of the Booklet of General Plans USS Alaska 1946. it won't do a Vasa not with this specs & no side gun portal which caused that ship to sink. Displacement 27,000 Tons, Dimensions, 808' 6" (oa) x 90' 9" x 31' 9" (Max) https://www.navsource.org/archives/04/1201/040201.htm 

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20191205-what-caused-this-great-warship-to-sink

I'm shying away from the hanger bay concept as it would take a much greater rebuild to re-route all of the vents and hatches on the main deck aft. Alternatively, I'm looking at leaving the main deck as a covered, partially enclosed 'working' deck. That would permit passage, ventilation, improved fire fighting and damage control access and still have the regular mooring stations available. It would have a lot less headroom aft where the main deck rises toward the stern, but there is a step down to the stern gun tubs that would facilitate access. Like I said, I'm trying to plan this as if it were the actual ship and all necessary functions. If you place yourself in that situation you'll see. There are some things that just can't be moved over a few feet for clearance so you have to have a work-around.  

what aircraft as in fixed, rotor or vstol?

With this 'plan' (sometimes a dirty, four letter word), I'm thinking helos and VTOL. Time frame is 1980's, so no catapults and no ski jump. Normal loadout (scouting / observation / ASW) would be SH-60's, HH-60's. Assault load out (amphibious / landing support) would be HH-60's, CH-46's, AH-1's and Harriers. I'm nor sure if I have the room for operating 53's off this platform, but we could land and launch them. The tilt-rotors are in that same light. We could be a gas and ord station for them but not stow them too. 53' and tilts take up a lot of space. 

Hi;

 I do like your idea. But, my modernization and mods would be to the Forrestal class of Carriers. Because of the deckspace they would be perfect as intensive care and specailized offshore Hospitals.To be used both in Combat Service( Well behind the lines!) and National disaster relief efforts.

Hi Bill!

 Funny you should say that. I got to tour her and a Sovremeney class ship in the port of Naples! They were indeed beautifully designed. Now,how well built ?, who knows?

On Thought;

 Way back in the day, Dad lost his job. Hmmm, No allowance. My " Pond" fleet was pretty ragged. I took a Midway class and cut her up along with a S.S. United States and the Oriana. Yeah! it looked weird to me, when I was finished with the melding of the three, But imagine the amount of folks it could carry, Safely!

I like that idea, except I'd opt for Kitty Hawk and Constellation, at least they were a little bit younger. Kennedy and America were retired earlier than the Kitty and Connie; not sure why.

Either way you go, you most definately have room to work with .  .  . but damn, that's a lot of white paint!!!

Oh That is so true!

 But, think of this. She would be accompanied by say an Iowa class supply ship also. The Iowas, did convert to nice freighters! And as you said some of the Carriers were a lot younger at retirement. As to their early retirement I believe it was both a Metallurgical and Propulsion issue that would've NOT been cost effective to repair!

Well, the Navy is having so many issues with the Ford class, maybe they ought to convert one of those. Then they would'nt have to worry about their 'next generation' launch system problems .  .  . and it's a fairly new boat .  .  . and even more white paint!

Talk about swords into plowshares!

And, does the medical department get to have a union?

Yes, it's a whole new world !!!

Hey Folks, I was just fiddling around with the old calculator .  .  . and !

In preparation for my USS Alaska modernization project, I picked up a set of plans from Randy over at The Floating Drydock. They are in 1/192 (modeling), 1/16 (architectural) scale. I figured out that I can convert those to 1/350 scale for designing structures for my model by reducing those drawings by 45 percent. Reduction by 50% will give you 1/384 scale, (just in case you were curious), because that was my first shot just to make them more workable and a bit closer to the size I needed.

Or another way to put it; reduce to 55% of original size.

Bill

I think;

 When I redesign ships I leave off the Admin officer's quarters. operational officers are better suited to run a ship without the pressure of offending the " Admiral and his Staff". Leave them ashore.Then they can make their decisions over a game of golf! They sure seem to forget what life was like when they were less than Captains!