WI/PC Improved "Audacious" class instead of CVA-01?

WILDGEESE

Gone Fishin'
Inspired by Archibald's PA58 thread.

What if the UK govt & RN went for an improved "Audacious" class instead of a completely clean sheet of paper design of the CVA-01?

What I was thinking of is an "Ark Royal" lengthened by around 200 - 250 ft and the beam widened by the same percentage with an increase in displacement to allow Phantom type aircraft to operate from it more easily.

The twin hanger design replaced by one, allowing a greater air wing.

Would this be possible?

Would this be cheaper, allowing it to be built despite the '66 Defence White Paper?

Regards filers
 
What I was thinking of is an "Ark Royal" lengthened by around 200 - 250 ft and the beam widened by the same percentage with an increase in displacement to allow Phantom type aircraft to operate from it more easily.

The twin hanger design replaced by one, allowing a greater air wing.

Would this be possible?
All things are possible, if you are willing to spend enough money and accept the compromises.

Would this be cheaper, allowing it to be built despite the '66 Defence White Paper?
No chance. As described, you want a new design that resembles an AUDACIOUS - which means it will have a lot of limitations present in a 1940s design but still all the costs of a new design. It's the worst of all possible options.
 
Why not just buy a couple of refurbished ESSEX class carriers?

Sorry, couldn't resist. :D:D:D:D

I'd prefer a Midway to an Essex :p

The Andrew would have been better served by a 'lite' copy of a Forrestal/Kitty Hawk IMO - if built to a final design around late 1960s it could benefit from the Olympus Gas Turbine development as its primary power plant - give it 16 of them LOL

The CVA - 01 was what happens when a committee gets to reinvent the Aircraft carrier (which was not in need of being reinvented)

CVA-01 Jack of all trades and barely capable of performing them :mad:
 
An Audacious lengthened by 200ft is 1,000ft long. If the RN had been able to build 1,000ft long carriers then there would have been no need for CVA-01 which was an attempt to squeeze to much into too small a hull.
 
The basic specs for the CVA 01 were fine, it was the political hand wringing over exact tonnages and the like that lead to some of the 'innovative' ideas that made it a difficult ship in design terms. Without trying to save a couple of thousand tons for political reasons and ditching the Ikara and Sea Dart the CVA01 would have been fine.
 
I'd prefer a Midway to an Essex :p

The Andrew would have been better served by a 'lite' copy of a Forrestal/Kitty Hawk IMO - if built to a final design around late 1960s it could benefit from the Olympus Gas Turbine development as its primary power plant - give it 16 of them LOL

The CVA - 01 was what happens when a committee gets to reinvent the Aircraft carrier (which was not in need of being reinvented)

CVA-01 Jack of all trades and barely capable of performing them :mad:

That's probably doable (a Midway I mean).
 
Instead of improving the two 'Audacious class' the 'Victorious and Hermes just build the 4 (Queen Elizabeth, Duke of Edinburgh, Louis Mountbatten and Prince of Wales) 1952 design. Make Hermes and Centaur the same as Albion & Bulwark. Problem solved no need for CVA01.
 
I'd prefer a Midway to an Essex :p

The Andrew would have been better served by a 'lite' copy of a Forrestal/Kitty Hawk IMO - if built to a final design around late 1960s it could benefit from the Olympus Gas Turbine development as its primary power plant - give it 16 of them LOL

That's what they wanted - and found they couldn't afford, and didn't have facilities for. Though the dock planned fur CVA-01 was actually far bigger than it needed to be.... The docking limit would be almost exactly the size of the ENTERPRISE.

Coincidence? I think not...

Realistically, 0-2 AUDACIOUS, 2-4 1952 ships, and 2-4 1943 Light Fleets done up as commando carriers, and you get a very happy Royal Navy. Get Vickers to turn the Scimitar into a Mach 2 2-seat all-weather fighter (compare it to a Phantom and you'll see where I'm coming from) and you're laughing.
 
Top