Keynes' Cruisers Volume 2

[Driftless]

Portsmouth, May 2, 1945
HMS Coventry would never go to see under her own power again. She had been ordered to the Royal Dockyards for preparation to be placed into ordinary. Two world wars had worn her out. The engineers were happy when they could coax twenty six knots out of her knackered equipment as she shook and shuddered as if she was having a whole body orgasm when the captain called for twenty seven knots of greater. She was a moaner in high seas. Now, her crew would be allocated to other tasks. The scuttlebutt on the waterfront was that the crews of ships built before the youngest hostilities only sailors birth would be decommissioned. There was no longer need to protect Atlantic trade from surface raiders or even submarines where any warship was enough of a threat. The old ships lacked the range and the firepower to survive near Japan, they had little need and less life to give.

By the next morning, the dock yard engineers had already laid out plans with the ship's officers to strip her of the few advanced electronics, her more than adequate light anti-aircraft batteries and a substantial portion of the ship's galley equipment. Some would be placed into long term war reserves while most would be manhandled across the harbor to equip far more modern ships that would soon be heading east to reinforce the British Pacific Fleet.

To use that old western epigram: HMS Coventry was "rode hard and put up wet..." Apply any flavor of meaning you choose to that line.

 

[Butchpfd]

To use that old western epigram: HMS Coventry was "rode hard and put up wet..." Apply any flavor of meaning you choose to that line.

As in the houses of I'll repute on Hotel St Honolulu,the Barbary Coast San Francisco, Bowery New York, or Portsmouth, when the cry, 'Fleets In" went out over the last 100 + years.

 

[Spencersj345.346]

Says a lot that a AA cruiser is being sent out of service before the war is even over.
Albeit I suppose the Dido class would be able to more than cover that role and not be nearly as horribly worn out

 

[CountryUsedToBeBritish]

Says a lot that a AA cruiser is being sent out of service before the war is even over.
Albeit I suppose the Dido class would be able to more than cover that role and not be nearly as horribly worn out

Well, the ship is as old as some of the QEs and Rs. A WW1 vintage whose crews can be better used on other ships at this point.

 

[Finbarr the Fair]

Says a lot that a AA cruiser is being sent out of service before the war is even over.
Albeit I suppose the Dido class would be able to more than cover that role and not be nearly as horribly worn out

Probably the British Commonwealth has built more of the modern Dido class, or possibly converted some other old cruisers (D class, maybe others.) So no longer needs the smaller and worn out C class conversions.

 

[fester]

Says a lot that a AA cruiser is being sent out of service before the war is even over.
Albeit I suppose the Dido class would be able to more than cover that role and not be nearly as horribly worn out

Why in OTL, the oldest cruiser attached to the BFP was HMS Belfast. The BPF needed range and that is one thing the WW1 light cruisers did not have in abundance.

 

[Cryhavoc101]

Why in OTL, the oldest cruiser attached to the BFP was HMS Belfast. The BPF needed range and that is one thing the WW1 light cruisers did not have in abundance.

And she had been almost rebuilt after her run in with a magnetic mine in Nov 39 being rebuilt for 2 years so was effectively not even that old

 

[Spencersj345.346]

Why in OTL, the oldest cruiser attached to the BFP was HMS Belfast. The BPF needed range and that is one thing the WW1 light cruisers did not have in abundance.

At least everything built during or just before the war that wasn't the Hawkins or E class. The RN mono focused on the north sea in a lot ways including in stuff like range.

 

[Paulo the Limey]

HMS Coventry would never go to see under her own power again

Sea!

 

[Crowbar Six]

Portsmouth, May 2, 1945
HMS Coventry would never go to sea under her own power again. She had been ordered to the Royal Dockyards for preparation to be placed into ordinary. Two world wars had worn her out. The engineers were happy when they could coax twenty six knots out of her knackered equipment as she shook and shuddered as if she was having a whole body orgasm when the captain called for twenty seven knots or more. She was a moaner in high seas. Now, her crew would be allocated to other tasks. The scuttlebutt on the waterfront was that the crews of ships built before the youngest hostilities only sailors birth would be decommissioned. There was no longer need to protect Atlantic trade from surface raiders or even submarines where any warship was enough of a threat. The old ships lacked the range and the firepower to survive near Japan, they had little need and less life to give.

By the next morning, the dock yard engineers had already laid out plans with the ship's officers to strip her of the few advanced electronics, her more than adequate light anti-aircraft batteries and a substantial portion of the ship's galley equipment. Some would be placed into long term war reserves while most would be manhandled across the harbor to equip far more modern ships that would soon be heading east to reinforce the British Pacific Fleet.

At least Coventry made it to the end of the war this time.

 

[Some Bloke]

At least Coventry made it to the end of the war this time.

Maybe covert her into a prison hulk, so we can get more mileage out if the phrase "sent to Coventry".

 

[Crowbar Six]

Maybe covert her into a prison hulk, so we can get more mileage out if the phrase "sent to Coventry".

She may well spend a short time as an accommodation ship, which was the short term fate of a lot of ships on the way to the breakers.

 

[sonofpegasus]

In OTL HMS Durban a D class cruiser was expended as a breakwater blockship on June 8th 1944 as part of a post D-day Mulberry Harbour. Coventry would seem a good candidate for any such project ITTL.

 

[Trevayne]

In OTL HMS Durban a D class cruiser was expended as a breakwater blockship on June 8th 1944 as part of a post D-day Mulberry Harbour. Coventry would seem a good candidate for any such project ITTL.

Given that the war in Europe is over, why would they need another Mulberry style harbor? Perhaps in the Pacific, but that is a long way to move a ship and there are probably other suitable ships much closer.

 

[fester]

Guam, May 3, 1945

USS Essex turned into the wind again. Soon the factory fresh hotrods from Grumman were in the landing pattern. Compared to their older cousins, they were slim and sleek, compared to most other companies, they were still from the Iron Works. Soon the newly equipped squadron was all on the deck. The carrier turned back out of the wind. Three destroyers and the large ship headed for more sea room before flight operations would resume and the carrier air group would train for the day.

 

[Draconis]

Guam, May 3, 1945

USS Essex turned into the wind again. Soon the factory fresh hotrods from Grumman were in the landing pattern. Compared to their older cousins, they were slim and sleek, compared to most other companies, they were still from the Iron Works. Soon the newly equipped squadron was all on the deck. The carrier turned back out of the wind. Three destroyers and the large ship headed for more sea room before flight operations would resume and the carrier air group would train for the day.

Is this the new, slim and sleek hotrod? Arriving a little bit earlier then OTL?

Grumman F8F Bearcat - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Trevayne]

Interesting, although Bearcats are the most likely, could they be twin-engined F7F Tigercats instead?

 

[Seawolf]

Interesting, although Bearcats are the most likely, could they be twin-engined F7F Tigercats instead?

Not enough space on an Essex class for one, those were designed for Midway.

 

[Crowbar Six]

Guam, May 3, 1945

USS Essex turned into the wind again. Soon the factory fresh hotrods from Grumman were in the landing pattern. Compared to their older cousins, they were slim and sleek, compared to most other companies, they were still from the Iron Works. Soon the newly equipped squadron was all on the deck. The carrier turned back out of the wind. Three destroyers and the large ship headed for more sea room before flight operations would resume and the carrier air group would train for the day.

Are these F8 Bearcats?

 

[Seawolf]

Are these F8 Bearcats?

Probably, its about the right time for them to show up.