Commonwealth Naval projects

[Weaver]

Nice one Hobbes! 

Interesting to see what's possible once you get away from the RN's obsession with having 360 deg coverage for Sea Dart/Sea Wolf trackers isn't it?

[Hobbes]

Well, that did cross my mind when doing the drawing. With this setup, coverage is pretty awful.

I'd want a third 909 forward, another Sea Wolf tracker in the rear and another Goalkeeper.

[Weaver]

Yes, but the original trackers are in those positions with the same 270 deg coverage, and it's the same on lots of other ships.

[Hobbes]

That's what surprised me: that navies would accept this sort of arrangement. The whole arrangement of the Sea Dart (and the original SM-1) looks off: the Goalkeeper and satcom aerials on the hangar roof are in the way of the lower tracker and the launcher, so you have a blind sector aft. Granted, these systems weren't really meant for dealing with short-range low-level threats.

[Thorvic]

What about the final design for the Escort Cruiser as a Commonwealth project, not the 1961 design illustreated in Browns "Rebuilding the Royal Navy" but the 1962 concept designed with Sea Dart, Ikara and capable of operating 4 ASW Chinook. These mini carriers would make excellent flotilla leaders to Commonwealth frigate squadrons, providing Area AAW cover, helo support and flagship functions.

Pity there are no drawings as could prove to be an interesting profile and build.

Speaking of builds is anybody going to attempt to create any of the designs discussed so far ?

Geoff

[Weaver]

That's what surprised me: that navies would accept this sort of arrangement. The whole arrangement of the Sea Dart (and the original SM-1) looks off: the Goalkeeper and satcom aerials on the hangar roof are in the way of the lower tracker and the launcher, so you have a blind sector aft. Granted, these systems weren't really meant for dealing with short-range low-level threats.

Well the Goalkeeper and Satcom aerials were much later additions to the Tromps, so maybe it was Hobson's Choice instead of Hobbes' Choice.....

In general though, there were lots of big, mega-budget USN cruisers that had pairs of trackers in the same arc as the launcher. I think it might be that on early Terrier/Tartar systems, the tracker had to be close-ish to the launcher to gather the missile after launch. Another consideration with Sea Dart is that it has much greater range than the similar-sized Tartar/SM-1 and it's ramjet means that it cruises under power instead of boost-and-coast, so it's was feasible to launch it sideways from the front of a Type-42 and then steer it round onto a rear arc target.

[Weaver]

What about the final design for the Escort Cruiser as a Commonwealth project, not the 1961 design illustreated in Browns "Rebuilding the Royal Navy" but the 1962 concept designed with Sea Dart, Ikara and capable of operating 4 ASW Chinook. These mini carriers would make excellent flotilla leaders to Commonwealth frigate squadrons, providing Area AAW cover, helo support and flagship functions.

Pity there are no drawings as could prove to be an interesting profile and build.

Speaking of builds is anybody going to attempt to create any of the designs discussed so far ?

Geoff

Sound promising. I'm not sure what an ASW Chinook brings to the party though: it's damn big and if the Sea King's ASW fit is effective, then the extra space in a Chook is redundant. I'd think that an up-engined Sea King with auxiliary tanks (possibly external) would be a better bet.


The only thing I intend to build is a "Super Bristol" with 2 x Sea Dart, 4 x 909 and Aussie-style sided Ikaras. Don't even think about asking me when........

[Hobbes]

The only thing I intend to build is a "Super Bristol" with 2 x Sea Dart, 4 x 909 and Aussie-style sided Ikaras. Don't even think about asking me when........

Something like this?



(sans the Ikaras, didn't get around to finding out what you meant)

[Weaver]

That's the idea, but I stretched mine to have the 909 offices lengthways, 4 x Olympus with staggered funnels a la Spruance (but still Brit-style funnels) and midships mounted P & S Ikara as per the Aussie Adams.

This image shows the kind of thinking, but it's not fixed in stone:




This is a later version with a fictional VLS Sea Dart system. I include this mainly to show the alternative Ikara installation, this one more like the Brazilian Niteroi:



Note that neither of these has the staggered funnels.