Keynes' Cruisers Volume 2

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fester

RyderWest said:
The Audacious class?
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Right now under here is the planned construction timeline for all aircraft operating ships that can make at least 24 knots for the RN. Times are projections only and may or may not reflect reality:

  • Implacable Class (Fleet carrier 32,000 tons)
    • Implacable (Spring 1944)
    • Indefatigable (Winter 1944)
  • Vanguard Class (Fleet Carrier 41,000 tons)
    • Vanguard (late 1945)
  • Audacious Class (Fleet Carrier 41,000 tons, slightly longer than Vanguard)
    • Audacious (Late 1945)
    • Irresistible (mid 1946)
    • Courageous (mid 1946)
  • Colossus Class (Light Fleet Carrier 1942 design 18,500 tons)
    • Colossus (Summer 1944)
    • Glory (Summer 1944)
    • Ocean (Fall 1944)
    • Venerable (Fall 1944)
    • Vengeance (Fall 1944)
    • Pioneer (Fall 1944)
    • Warrior (Winter 1945)
    • Theseus (Winter 1945)
    • Triumph (Spring 1945)
  • Unicorn maintenance ship
    • Unicorn (Spring 1943)
 
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David Floyd

If the Japanese decided they needed a "prestige victory" and tried to take Bataan, a)would they have the resources to do so and b)would the Allies be able to do much about it?

It might not be the most rational decision by the Japanese, but then again...
 

fester

David Floyd said:
If the Japanese decided they needed a "prestige victory" and tried to take Bataan, a)would they have the resources to do so and b)would the Allies be able to do much about it?

It might not be the most rational decision by the Japanese, but then again...
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At this point, probably they can't. There is enough artillery ammunition on the peninsula to fight a week long pitched battle against a well supplied enemy army. The Japanese would need to concentrate fresh troops and plentiful artillery ammunition from around the Empire to have a decent chance of winning. Getting the shipping into Luzon will incur a transit tax from mines and submarines, and getting enough troops there would mean pulling from Manchuria. Right now, IMO, Bataan and the Japanese garrison in Central Luzon are both big enough and strong enough to keep the other from moving but not strong enough to knock the other out. So they patrol (with varying degrees of aggression) and avoid a major clash.
 

formion

Banned
fester said:
  • Implacable Class (Fleet carrier 32,000 tons)
    • Implacable (Spring 1944)
    • Indefatigable (Winter 1944)
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How come the Indefatigable is so late? In OTL participated in Operation Mascot in July 1944. Has the RN given priority to other construction ?




Also a general question on the abilities of air supply during 1943: the distance between Puerto Princesa International Airport and Bataan is 550km. What is the ability of the Allies to sustain an air supply operation with Catalinas and B-24/B-17s ?

The air supply in Burma comes first in mind , so I guess it is doable with enough resources invested.

A description of a parachute drop in Burma from the book "Dropzone Burma: Adventures in Allied Air Supply, 1943-1945"

That drop included bully beef (canned corned beef) which had not been seen for weeks. The standard five-day ration, which was originally designed for paratroops, contained twelve hardtack biscuits, 2ozs of cheese, nuts and raisins, dates, twenty cigarettes, tea, sugar, dried milk, acid drops or chocolate, and a packet of salt – total weight 2lbs. Other consignments included boots, shirts, socks and trousers – these being perishable items in the heat and humidity.
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‘Para-packs’, with tinned and packaged rations, clothing, ammunition or fuel, were pushed out of the freight door as the Dak flew straight and level over the DZ at around 300 feet. On some runs, soft goods – rice, flour or soya – were ‘free-dropped’ from a much lower level, 50 feet or so. They were in triple bags made of jute. The idea was that on impact the outer would be destroyed, the next might be damaged but the inner should remain intact.
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Colin Haggett

fester said:
London, March 13, 1943


The clerk checked the memo one last time. All was in order. The Naval Estimates had been re-adjusted in light of the ongoing demands of the war and material allocation. The major changes were three light carriers, HMS Perseus, Majestic and Terrible, would be cancelled. Some of their long lead time items had already been ordered but no steel had been cut and no slips had been emptied. The work gangs that were supposed to build HMS Perseus would be allocated to ship repair. The resources that would have been used by Majestic now were to be used to build landing ships. HMS Terrible’s workers and steel would accelerate construction of the four 41,000 ton carriers already under construction. Six improved twenty six thousand ton carriers of the Centaur class were still anticipated to be ordered in the fall. Design work would continue for those ships although their projected availability for late 1945 or mid-1946 would probably be after the war had been won. This would be a debate for the July meeting.

He stamped the distribution and file copies. Copies went into the out-basket and the file basket. A WREN would know what to do with those. Now it was time to take notes on the expedient committee for extemporaneous harbors. Those meetings always ran long so he made a brief stop at the water closet before entering the conference room.
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Extemporaneous harbors - The Mulberry Harbours?
 

Draconis

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And well earned too.
 
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