Nagato class WI

Just a small query. Do you think it would have worth it, and how feasible would be to make the Nagato-class 27kt (or even more if possible?) BBs during their reconstruction, thus being at least as fast as the Yamatos? Would a 50% increase in HP be enough to get it to 27kt?

Or if possible, even get the reconstructed Nagatos and the new Yamatos to do 28kt (but probably something has to give on the Yamatos to get that extra 1kt), being as fast as Kaga then and able to accompany Kido Butai if it ever comes to that?

PS: Hang on a second, about the Yamato i recall now that i read a post from someone i think is very knowledgeable, according to which Musashi exceeded 28kt in trials- hope i can find it again.

PPS: Found it, it's from BobTheBarbarian, someone who really know his stuff about IJN, imo. Cool stuff.
https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/yamato-and-musashi-capable-of-30-knots.429926/
 
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Just a small query. Do you think it would have worth it, and how feasible would be to make the Nagato-class 27kt (or even more if possible?) BBs during their reconstruction, thus being at least as fast as the Yamatos? Would a 50% increase in HP be enough to get it to 27kt?

Or if possible, even get the reconstructed Nagatos and the new Yamatos to do 28kt (but probably something has to give on the Yamatos to get that extra 1kt), being as fast as Kaga then and able to accompany Kido Butai if it ever comes to that?

PS: Hang on a second, about the Yamato i recall now that i read a post from someone i think is very knowledgeable, according to which Musashi exceeded 28kt in trials- hope i can find it again.

PPS: Found it, it's from BobTheBarbarian, someone who really know his stuff about IJN, imo. Cool stuff.
https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/yamato-and-musashi-capable-of-30-knots.429926/

When build the Nagato class already was good for 26.5 knots, so I wonder why you ask to deliver it half a knot more? The refitted Nagato of 1938 had her speed reduced to 25 knots, mostly due to the adding of wide bulges on her sides, without compensation in the form of newer engines and boilers (which were only refitted, not replaced.)
 
I am talking about giving it more speed during it's reconstruction in 1934-1936, like you say the engines were not uprated because i assume IJN wanted to use the Nagatos together with the slower Ise and Fuso classes (24 and 25kt), but i am pondering making the Nagatos at least as fast as the Yamatos to be able to fully operate with those ships. And who knows, maybe this faster Nagato would be more enticing to use at Guadalcanal. It would be much more heavily armoured and has much more powerful guns compared to the Kongos, and would be much closer to SoDak and Washington in terms of capability.
 
I have found reference to plans to increase speed of the Nagatos to 29.3kts (!), but eventually this was given up on in favour of increasing armour protection. So there's my POD. Anyone knows a bit more about this plan, what HP was needed to get it to 29.3kts?

Japanese wiki translation
Initially it was planned to change the engine at the time of refurbishment, improve the speed to 29.3 knots, install a hangar in the space created by the decrease in the number of boilers, and install nine aircraft. The elevator for the onboard machine was also delivered to Yokosuka Arsenior from Hitachi in 1980, but the engine replacement was canceled and the refurbishment became heavier defense than it was pretended to strengthen the defense structure.
 
I have found reference to plans to increase speed of the Nagatos to 29.3kts (!), but eventually this was given up on in favour of increasing armour protection. So there's my POD. Anyone knows a bit more about this plan, what HP was needed to get it to 29.3kts?

Japanese wiki translation

OK, htat is correct, though one should know the Nagato's were seens as a strategical, not a tacitcal part of the IJN, meaning they were held back for the decisive battle against a weakened enemy (USN) fleet near their own homewaters, not far away excursions in the Solomom area. Thieir use, just a th use of the Yamato's and the Fuso and Ise classes were limmited mostly to either held back in reserve in Japanese homewaters, or on Truk Naval base. The Kongo's were always the faster part of the battlefleet with more flexible roles to play, so nothing changes here. As such providing the Nagato's a big increase in speed (For an enormeous amount of money investment as a result) was not in line with the strategical thinking of the time, so the ship was only extensively modernized in ways of armament and protection, not her enginepower.
 
Coincidentally (and most fortunate for me), the speed of Nagato is the very subject discussed in this topic on J-aircraft (btw i'm none of those folks there, username is same as here)
http://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php?topic=17193.0

So, if the existing boilers were completely replaced with 8 new ones, power would have been 127,000HP and speed 29 kts! Fascinating stuff.

Imagine a full strength 28kts Kido Butai in 1942 in 3 divisions with 6 fleet and 3 light carriers (and anything else we want to add as a WI, more CVLs, more fleet carriers etc.) supported by 4 Kongos, 2 Nagatos and 2 Yamatos - this without even mentioning the slower Junyos and Ryuho, which could be organized into a fourth support carrier division together with the 2 Ise and 2 Fuso.
 
Coincidentally (and most fortunate for me), the speed of Nagato is the very subject discussed in this topic on J-aircraft (btw i'm none of those folks there, username is same as here)
http://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php?topic=17193.0

So, if the existing boilers were completely replaced with 8 new ones, power would have been 127,000HP and speed 29 kts! Fascinating stuff.

Imagine a full strength 28kts Kido Butai in 1942 in 3 divisions with 6 fleet and 3 light carriers (and anything else we want to add as a WI, more CVLs, more fleet carriers etc.) supported by 4 Kongos, 2 Nagatos and 2 Yamatos - this without even mentioning the slower Junyos and Ryuho, which could be organized into a fourth support carrier division together with the 2 Ise and 2 Fuso.

It is not that simple to ionstall more power to increase speed on a ship. You also need to alter the length to beam ratio to allow any speedincrease. Added bulges slow down a ship, due to increased drag, which can be compensated by lengthening bow and tern, as well as increasing power at the same time. Nagato's refitted and lengthened hull was relatively "fat" meaning a speed of some 29 knots was not very likely on her, unless the shape of the bow, as well as length was altered.
 
Well, as shown above the japanese did had projects to reboiler the Nagatos, alter and get them to 29 kts, so it could have been done, but it appears financial limitations prevented this.

I guess the simplest way to get the Yamatos to be as fast is to make them battlecruisers, ie same guns etc, but with armour protection against only 16 inch, so this will increase speed to what, 28-29 kts? "Battlecruiser Yamato" sounds cooler at any rate.
 

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Banned
Why would the Japanese do this?
The Nagato-class already has a four-five knot advantage over the US battlefleet. what possible advantage would another knot give?

You need hindsight for the Japanese (or any other nations) admirals to come to the conclusion that you need the battleships to give close support to your carriers.
 
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