Shipbucket

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Previous, for reference historical purposes.


Well, this is my first drawing really here, and I was wondering what you all thing. It's very rough, still quite incomplete, but I figured that, after spending 3 days on it roughly, it was time to put it up and get some feedback, before I get too far ahead of myself, only to find that it's pretty terrible.

It's for an AU/Alternative History piece I'm writing at the moment, and I expect, as I develop that world, more will come from this Federated Austria-Hungary.
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The below is my to-do list, along with various other notes:

I've still got to figure out the forward superstructure. I have a few ideas, and plenty of references, but I'd love to hear what everyone else's thoughts about it are on it.

I've got twin concerns, regarding both armament and propulsion.

First, regarding armament, since this will segue into the propulsion. I worry that, looking at my design, I am too heavily armed, and my weaponry is a little too varied (at least 5 different guns, by my count). Would this be considered the norm, too many, too few, by the standards of the time, that is a Predreadnought, designed circa 1902/03 and launched somewhere just after Dreadnought, c1906 or early 1907?
Are the 24cm guns that are on this vessel too much, too little, ahead or behind their times, etc etc? Is the turret design itself a little too antiquated for the time period?

That said, on to the propulsion question: Given the density of guns for the broadside...all those guns would need magazine space. How feasible would it be to have sufficient magazine space for all those guns AND still have an engine sufficiently large enough to power this vessel? I'm thinking it's unlikely at best...where would you take guns away? I'm thinking pulling the triple casemates in the middle of the gun belt out. I'd be rather not move the 4.7cms, if only because there simply is
Bow Design: To stylistic? Likely not good for Atlantic, but certainly sufficient for Adriatic, and likely Med too, right?

Dead space between the funnels: what to do with them? Paired mountings of 3.7cm ATB guns on superstructure above stern- and stem-most casemate pairs

Decoratives:
Thoughts on various decorative elements to spruce things up a little, aside from the flag? I plan on putting a railing around the edges, of course...and likely fill the dead space between the paired stacks with lifeboats, a winch, things of that nature.

Concerns:
Just one at the moment. I'm worried that currently, the silhouette, layout, etc, all make it look like an over-armed ocean liner or a very poor Q-ship more than anything. Thoughts on that, and if you agree, how you'd add a little more to it?

Just point, seeing I know everything about that "24cm" turret as I drew it to every detail. It's a very old turret, a twin RML 10" turret, 1865 (the vessel this came from was the HMVS Cerberus from 1869-1924) wad the starting period for these sort of turrets and they ended before 1880-90, also they were incredibly cramped, I'll post some pictures to so this in an hour. You have the right Calibe but the guns are still too "long" for the barbette as it only had the ability to incline short guns a few degrees (range of less than 15-16km), try looking at German turrets at the 1890-1900 era instead

I'll finish my constructive criticism when I get a computer on Monday

Also the turrets are one deck to high, th smallerhalf is meant to be below decks, should be just the top "slab" showing

Certainly imaginative but I can already see that hull capsizing upon launch.

klagldsf wrote:Certainly imaginative but I can already see that hull capsizing upon launch.

That's certainly an interesting suggestion, though I wonder...why/how? What would you suggest be done to fix it?

I'll leave the question there, in case I'm wrong in my assumption, but after looking at a few designs, I assume you mean that the freeboard is way too low for an ocean-going warship? And if that is indeed what you mean...I suppose I'd be inclined to agree, after some consideration. I'll see what I can do about fixing that some.

Basically, you've got way too many weapons on a much to small platform.
The massively oversized funnels doesn't help either.

Much appreciated for that.

My current revisions are, indeed, cutting back on the guns and I'm definitely open to thoughts on the funneling. As I mentioned in my notes, I'm aware that there were/are some issues with it.

Among the reasons why it would capsize upon launch, is that it has too small draught and is way too top-heavy (starting with these giant funnels).
Here's the French pre-dreadnought Brennus, which already had big top-weight issues:

and comparison of that ship with Yours design - see the difference?

Eswube: Thank you for that. I really do appreciate the clarification.

Put most of today into fixing up the design.



Primarily focused on fixing the draft issues (probably far from finished, but I think that t least now it's a lot better...probably...than before.

Also updated the main battery guns and played around a lot with the placement of the other weapons. I still need to put in the 3.7cm guns, and I figure I'll go with 2 or 3 of them in the gap between the casemates.

As for where I'm planning on focusing in the future, I'm thinking of finally getting into (a little) of the detail-work, some light railings, portholes, maybe a preserver or two done in the same livery that I am going to paint up the lifeboats in. Speaking of, in the lower-right on this page, you see that I've got some end-view lifeboat/launch boats. Anyone care to pipe up on those? I'm not looking, by the way, to do end-views exactly of the lifeboats in the box just above it...but obviously, you can see that the ones I did were heavily influenced, especially in color-scheme, by the originals from the Generic Victorian Ships' Boats page. I'll probably recolor them in a fitting white-and-green scheme. I'm thinking also of plating/reinforcing the stairs for the stack watch posts (which I will, honestly, probably just get rid of since I added the other three viewing posts)