AHTL: The Battle of the Atlantic is dead

[Butchpfd]

There purpose would only be to keep up the numbers - once all of the refits were complete they would be decommed and no longer expected to be in front line service beyond 1937/38 - and very likely totally worn out by this time.

And there the 13.5s were pretty good guns - even Bismarck would know that she had been slapped if hit by one!

So only superficial refits would be required by the older ships

By 1937, the clouds of war would be on the near horizon. Existing ships would be refitted as much as possible, working around new construction. Possibly shipped to Durban or Singapore when finished, for commerce protection.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

I think you guys mean HMS Tiger; Lion was older and already broken up in the 1920s.

Here is Tiger:

8x13.5", 28kn as constructed.

 

[Zheng He]

Refit HMS Tiger good enough so she can serve as a fast carrier escort. Not a true deep refit but one to make her useful in her intended role.

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

Refit HMS Tiger good enough so she can serve as a fast carrier escort. Not a true deep refit but one to make her useful in her intended role.

Definitely agreed on just keeping Tiger- if @HMS queen Elizabeth were to want the Iron Dukes as well, that would mean some pretty serious re-negotiation of the 1930 London Naval Treaty.


That would look pretty sharp, and a lot of the things that would need rectifying anyway:

-Replacement of the mixed-firing boilers with all-oil firing. This increases range and speed- Tiger already managed to exceed her trial speed easily- as well as reducing weight and enabling the removal of the forward funnel and frees up space taken up by coal bunkers

-Replacement of the worn-out direct-drive turbines with geared turbines. Improves speed and efficiency

-Application of torpedo bulges.

-Armour improvements, especially about the magazines

-New directors, AA, etc.

If HMS QE wished to go the true deep refit route, there was something I thought of- since she'd be the only ship with 13.5" guns, perhaps replacement with the BL 14"/L45 Mk. VII gun on the KGVs. These guns fire a heavier projectile, yet the guns themselves weigh less than half of what the 13.5" weighs. The projectile is 10" longer and I'm not sure about turret ring dimensions and such, but perhaps a possibility.

-Other associated goodies, like a new bow, lengthened stern (for freeboard and fineness), increased gun elevation and/or supercharges if the originals are kept; as much as the Exchequer will permit.

 

[pjmidd]

Got to remember you do have a need for at least one training/gunnery ship, they did not count to tonnage if converted and could easily be refitted if war is coming. OTL it was Iron Duke but I think you could get away with two.

 

[Logan2879]

I think you guys mean HMS Tiger; Lion was older and already broken up in the 1920s.

Here is Tiger:

8x13.5", 28kn as constructed.

Something like this would help...

 

[WaterproofPotatoes]

View attachment 425670

Something like this would help...

Very nice, but I suspect she will need some more horsepower to hit 30kn. OTL, Tiger required 104 000shp to hit 29kn and that was while lighter and without bulges. The Kongos, while about the same displacement, but longer after their second reconstructions, required 138 000 shp for 30kn.