Nihon Kaigun 1946

[Colosseum]

I have no idea what that means but OK.

[odysseus1980]

I really liked these last cruisers,very cool designs!But I think that radars can be changed by real Japanese ones.

[acelanceloet]

a few comments here on the designs, mostly small stuff.

the terrier launcher of the Mk 9 system was slightly different from the Mk 10 one you have on board the aoba now. also, IIRC, the reloading crane was an talos design purely, but I am not certain on that.
interesting choise to fit the 'on deck' Mk 7 and Mk 9 systems as opposed to for example the Mk 4 terrier launcher, which would have fitted as well.

also, on the later updates, the Mk 9 system has never carried SM missiles and I am not certain it could.

on the fuji as helicopter cruiser, check for the latest parts (I found the WM on first glance, don't know if there is more) I also have doubts about the sonars, especially is it is fitted now (which will not be able to see anything apart from the front half due to interference of the hull itself)

[bezobrazov]

I mostly like the latest designs, very nice, and - in an unbelievable Alternate World - very believable. However, I have to ask: why am I listed in the credits? I don't mind, but I think credit should be given those who are due, but I cannot see how I am...

[KHT]

Emp Andreas never spoke of rights: only that if you don't like it, don't look at it.

While I'm inclined to agree about all the museum ships, I tend to view this AU in the same light as the KM'46 thread: to heck with the background, make more awesome ships! The only valid issue I have is why their 1950s-onward designs feature american systems if they weren't defeated and "kindly given" new weapons of war by the victor.

I'd like to add my praise to the latest design though: A truly cool vessel

[Colosseum]

Yes, I suppose you're right... it's for fun after all.

The only valid issue I have is why their 1950s-onward designs feature american systems if they weren't defeated and "kindly given" new weapons of war by the victor.

This is the main thing I can't wrap my head around - if Japan isn't defeated in World War II, the American assistance post-war would probably never have happened. Thus you'd see a generation of uniquely Japanese ships - no American radars or gun systems - and the thought of seeing an AU like that is interesting.

[BB1987]

Walltext time!

I mostly like the latest designs, very nice, and - in an unbelievable Alternate World - very believable. However, I have to ask: why am I listed in the credits? I don't mind, but I think credit should be given those who are due, but I cannot see how I am...

On the missile conversion ships, at least one of the masts (usually the mizzen and mainmast), all the radio aneannas, and some chunks of the superstructures around the missile directors comes from some of your missile cruisers, beign the real ones or your AUs. No matter how i try, i cannot stop using your missile cruisers as a perennial reference every time i draw missile ships.

the terrier launcher of the Mk 9 system was slightly different from the Mk 10 one you have on board the aoba now. also, IIRC, the reloading crane was an talos design purely, but I am not certain on that.

Well, that sould not be exactly a Mk.9 or Mk.10 system, at least not those fitted on Aoba, Chokai has instead. Internal confugurations should be different, I've used some external parts formt he original launghers and the older Montana conversions mainly because I was a bit lazy ( ). I had to think around a bit as the cruisers sports the usual narrow-beam hull of other IJN warships (mainly in relation to the lenght, 808 feet OA and 77 feet beam), and because part of the engine room is still roughly below where the FAST crane is (the Tilt-loading Mk-10 on chokai is just a mod.5, and placed just aft of the engines). so a below-deck magazine needs to be placed more towards the stern.
As for the FAST, i've been looking around for for clues about if it was an exlusive TALOS system, I've not found exact sources proving either of the two possibilities, just that some 20/30 USN warships were fitted with similar systems before switching to UNREP. I might be wrong too, i can't deny that.

interesting choise to fit the 'on deck' Mk 7 and Mk 9 systems as opposed to for example the Mk 4 terrier launcher, which would have fitted as well.
also, on the later updates, the Mk 9 system has never carried SM missiles and I am not certain it could.

I've mainly discarded the Mk.4 because i thought it was too old. As for the Mk.7 and Mk.9 my point (or "excuse") is that explained above.

on the fuji as helicopter cruiser, check for the latest parts (I found the WM on first glance, don't know if there is more) I also have doubts about the sonars, especially is it is fitted now (which will not be able to see anything apart from the front half due to interference of the hull itself)

WM? i possibly know what is it, but right now the acronym does not bring anything to my mind.
Sonar: i tired this setup because i did not wanted to increase draft and because the bow is already a bulbous one (although straight, a bit like those seen in the Iowas or the Agano/Oyodo). there is a way to improve things without increasing draft?

The only valid issue I have is why their 1950s-onward designs feature american systems if they weren't defeated and "kindly given" new weapons of war by the victor.

Thechically, according to Emperor Timeline, Japan still got defeated. In 1946, and not so soundly or inconditionally (no atomic bombs
I personally thought about giving US radars to the first converted ships because it gaves Japan guided missile ships a decade earlier than they actually started to buld them in OTL, 1980s refits sport japanese built radars based on USN ones (slightly to rather different looking). Other post-war surface combatants (Emperor hat thought of some other misile ships already) will feature all-japanese designed and built radars.

Thus you'd see a generation of uniquely Japanese ships - no American radars or gun systems - and the thought of seeing an AU like that is interesting.

This is a thing that i might keep in my mind. I cannot promise it, but I might take a shot at it once I've finally found the references needed to complete the ral life IJN ships still featured in my worklist.


A little extra for the mueum ships. Already some weeks ago I've allowed myself to persuade Emperor to lessen the number of ships preserved. (He is the one concieving the story, i'm helping him by drawing post-war ships because I like doing it and because I see it as a good way to mantain my skills while I'm stuck at finding references for real life ships).
Previously we've got some 1 or 2 light cruisers preserved from each class (for a total of, don't know. Many). Now we have two out of the 23 which survived the war.
Two heavy cruisers got preserved, that remains unchanged.
Previously we got five battlecruisers preserved, including all four of the Suwa class. Now we've got one.
Preserved battleships are Four, initialy much more were planned (and I've lobbied for Nagato becoming a musuem. there will be no Japanese AU without Nagato being preserved )

That still might be still a bit off, depending on personal tastes, but i think it's an improvement.


and a random extra because yes.
Fuji Class, Heavy cruiser Japan laid down 1949 (Engine 1950)

Displacement:
19.576 t light; 20.566 t standard; 23.460 t normal; 25.774 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
(808,10 ft / 790,35 ft) x 76,77 ft x (26,90 / 28,85 ft)
(246,31 m / 240,90 m) x 23,40 m x (8,20 / 8,79 m)

Armament:
12 - 7,99" / 203 mm 55,0 cal guns - 275,51lbs / 124,97kg shells, 175 per gun
Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1943 Model
4 x Triple mounts on centreline ends, evenly spread
2 raised mounts - superfiring
16 - 3,94" / 100,0 mm 65,0 cal guns - 33,83lbs / 15,35kg shells, 600 per gun
Dual purpose guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1938 Model
8 x Twin mounts on sides, evenly spread
8 - 1,57" / 40,0 mm 56,0 cal guns - 2,11lbs / 0,96kg shells, 2.000 per gun
Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1941 Model
4 x Twin mounts on side ends, evenly spread
Weight of broadside 3.864 lbs / 1.753 kg

Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 7,99" / 203 mm 448,82 ft / 136,80 m 11,38 ft / 3,47 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 87% of normal length
Main Belt inclined 20,00 degrees (positive = in)

- Torpedo Bulkhead - Additional damage containing bulkheads:
2,99" / 76 mm 448,82 ft / 136,80 m 18,08 ft / 5,51 m
Beam between torpedo bulkheads 70,21 ft / 21,40 m

- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 7,99" / 203 mm 5,98" / 152 mm 4,02" / 102 mm

- Armoured deck - multiple decks:
For and Aft decks: 3,50" / 89 mm

- Conning towers: Forward 7,87" / 200 mm, Aft 0,00" / 0 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 169.463 shp / 126.419 Kw = 35,00 kts
Range 10.600nm at 18,00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 5.208 tons

Complement:
947 - 1.232

Cost:
£13,049 million / $52,197 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1.095 tons, 4,7%
- Guns: 1.095 tons, 4,7%
Armour: 5.383 tons, 22,9%
- Belts: 1.709 tons, 7,3%
- Torpedo bulkhead: 898 tons, 3,8%
- Armament: 653 tons, 2,8%
- Armour Deck: 1.984 tons, 8,5%
- Conning Tower: 139 tons, 0,6%
Machinery: 4.054 tons, 17,3%
Hull, fittings & equipment: 8.044 tons, 34,3%
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 3.883 tons, 16,6%
Miscellaneous weights: 1.000 tons, 4,3%
- On freeboard deck: 700 tons
- Above deck: 300 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
32.278 lbs / 14.641 Kg = 126,5 x 8,0 " / 203 mm shells or 4,7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1,12
Metacentric height 4,2 ft / 1,3 m
Roll period: 15,8 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 50 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0,37
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 0,98

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck,
a straight bulbous bow and small transom stern
Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0,503 / 0,515
Length to Beam Ratio: 10,29 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 30,12 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 53 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 51
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 31,00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0,00 ft / 0,00 m
Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
Fore end, Aft end
- Forecastle: 22,06%, 29,53 ft / 9,00 m, 19,03 ft / 5,80 m
- Forward deck: 30,00%, 19,03 ft / 5,80 m, 19,03 ft / 5,80 m
- Aft deck: 25,54%, 19,03 ft / 5,80 m, 19,03 ft / 5,80 m
- Quarter deck: 22,40%, 19,03 ft / 5,80 m, 19,03 ft / 5,80 m
- Average freeboard: 19,96 ft / 6,08 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 82,4%
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 158,9%
Waterplane Area: 41.511 Square feet or 3.856 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 125%
Structure weight / hull surface area: 138 lbs/sq ft or 673 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 1,05
- Longitudinal: 0,98
- Overall: 1,00
Excellent machinery, storage, compartmentation space
Excellent accommodation and workspace room
Poor seaboat, wet and uncomfortable, reduced performance in heavy weather
Terribly wet at the bow, as for IJN tradition

[bezobrazov]

I love the fact that you're using them as a reference! It must mean that I did something right with them! But, however, flattered I am, you can use any parts in those drawings free of charge!

[acelanceloet]

the WM is the dutch egg

[emperor_andreas]

Since the topic of keeping the number of museum ships in this AU low seems to be of great concern (sometimes I think bordering on obsession) for some, I'll let you in on how many ships from WWII and the 50s will be preserved in total. Keep in mind that Mikasa and Hikawa Maru are museums in this AU, but they don't feature in here.

BBs
Nagato - Naturally, the oldest surviving IJN BB will receive a reprieve from the scrapper's torch. (This is also a 'thank-you' of sorts to BB1987 for all the awesome drawings he's done. )
Kawachi - The uniqueness of this class ensured that the lone survivor would merit preservation. (Four quad 16-inch mounts? Come on.)
Yoshino - Preserved her simply because of that ginormous bridge pagoda. (I dare one person to deny its level of epic awesomeness.)
Kozuke - The last surviving Yamato-class BB; decided to preserve her solely because of that.
Shichido - Currently on Donation Hold, but will be preserved.
Yokozuna - Currently on Reserve Status; preservation likely in the future.

CVs
Only four carriers will be preserved (Along with a fifth completed in the late 1950s (a Japanese answer to the Midway-class ships), but that vessel does not feature in here as of now).

BCs
One (Hidaka) is preserved already, with a second (Omi) currently on Donation Hold. (This information is listed in the entry with their drawings.)

LCs
The sole survivor, Azami (Nantai-class), is preserved.

CAs
The sole surviving wartime built CA (Komaki) is preserved, and Mogami (Fuji-class) is currently on Donation Hold, with preservation efforts ongoing.

CLs
Two are preserved: Ashida (Kamo-class; improved Agano-class), and Kurobe (as described in the thread with the Oyabe-class CL drawings).

DDs & SSs
That's still up in the air, especially the submarines, but Yukikaze is (of course) a foregone conclusion (the way things are looking right now, she'll be the ONLY pre-war DD or DE to survive), and I know at least one Akizuki-class and one Umigiri-class (my AU's Shimakaze-class) ships will be saved, simply because I think the ships are cool. Submarine-wise, one I-400-class boat will be preserved; whether it's a wartime-built boat or a post-war-built boat remains to be seen.

Total number of heavy ships (not including DDs or SSs) preserved: 17

And there you have it...hopefully that will quiet down some of the more vocal naysayers. And if it doesn't, well, all I can do is to refer them to the blue line in my signature.