Ship WHIF's I've found.

[seadude]

My principal issue is that it's UGLY. The Iowa-class are ugly ships anyway,

@pyro: I sir, am offended. How dare you!  *slaps you with a rubber chicken*  If you think the Iowa is ugly, then WHAT do you consider "beautiful"?

Over at the Warships Projects board, they've got a subforum dedicated to Never-were models*.

This one* in particular caught my attention

It doesn't pay to post links from that community. Nobody can see them unless they are registered there. I really wish that place would stop "hiding".  It needs to be more open so more people can enjoy the topics there. And changing to SM forums wouldn't hurt either.

[seadude]

New Jersey BB/CV
http://www.steelnavy.com/Nichimo%20New%20Jersey%20Battlecarrier.htm

[Sauragnmon]

Ah, the good old Tinian - I didn't notice until today that she had a Mk26 on the bow - interesting, and worthy of memory for my own Heavy Assault plan.

Oklahoma, I'm planning on my own version in due time, I even have custom-machined 18" Mk A guns for the turrets.  She'll be a fun one, and I'll be grinning the whole way.  I Love Big Guns.

Interesting on the Virginia CGN, though I'm left to wonder why he stepped down for Sea Sparrow and ABLs on the concept - I would have gone for broke and put up some VLS on board, it just makes more sense with an AEGIS fit.

I live and breathe Ship Whifs - remember, guys, it's where I got started at whiffing, and it's all Sequoiaranger's fault too!

[dy031101]

When I have time, I'd be planning to model a steam-turbine-powered version for each of the proposed missile cruiser (Long Beach, Virginia class, Strike Cruiser, and the likes) AEGIS upgrade to go with my parallel universe.  

I, too, consider the Sea Sparrow launcher as a retrograde...... but then, what are the cruisers supposed to protect themselves with against anything that makes it past the SM-2MR missiles?  Would the Phalanx guns really have been enough?

[Weaver]

The installation issues are different for Sea Sparrow and VLS. A Sea Sparrow box launcher can be bolted to a flat section of deck without regard to what's underneath, since reloads get to it by lifts and manhandling. A VLS on the other hand, requires several decks to be free underneath the hatches.

There are also blast issues with VLS when it's next to fragile stuff like aircraft on deck.

Lastly, Standard missiles would require MUCH bigger and more numerous target-tracking radars than Sea Sparrow, and either a decent-size long-range air-search radar to cue them or SPY-1s none of which is small, light or cheap.

[Sauragnmon]

Well, in the case of that upgraded Virginia, there was SPY-1 present in the altered superstructure.  As to the necessity of multiple decks beneath it, that would be solved with the original Mk26 Magazine, and a shift of some internals beneath it - Ticons did the same conversion.  Generally, the ship would already have the illuminating radars, as it already had been supporting two Mk26 GMLS, and with AEGIS missile cuing, it can project somewhere around twenty channels to guide missiles.  So, in summation, it's more than doable.

Let us not forget, VLS can support both NSSM and ESSM setups, in addition to the Phalanx - which when it isn't strafing friendly ships for popping chaff, can be moderately effective against threats.

[jcf]

When I have time, I'd be planning to model a steam-turbine-powered version for each of the proposed missile cruiser (Long Beach, Virginia class, Strike Cruiser, and the likes) AEGIS upgrade to go with my parallel universe.  

Strictly speaking most nuclear powered vessels are propelled by steam turbines. 

Jon

[dy031101]

Strictly speaking most nuclear powered vessels are propelled by steam turbines.  

Well then...... should have just used the term "conventional-powered"  

[pyro-manic]

My principal issue is that it's UGLY. The Iowa-class are ugly ships anyway,

@pyro: I sir, am offended. How dare you!   *slaps you with a rubber chicken*   If you think the Iowa is ugly, then WHAT do you consider "beautiful"?

Well, as far as USN ships go, the South Dakotas were much more attractive. And all the Standards were beautiful IMO, much more so than the Iowas with their horrible long, bulbous bows.

Personally I'm a big fan of the Queen Elizabeths (as built, of course), HMS Tiger 1913, Kongo, Nagato, Vanguard, Renown/Repulse, Scharnhorst/Gneisenau, and a few others. Hood is gorgeous as well, but I'd fiddle around with the positioning and height of X and Y turret to make her even more so.

[Jschmus]

Related point: how long is that Mk.26 launcher on the bows going to last (and how many reloads does it have?  )

If I recall correctly, one of the designs featured a bolt-on Sea Sparrow/ASROC box launcher in that location, as it was the only suitable launcher which could withstand the blast from the main battery.  As mentioned earlier in the thread, this unit is largely self-contained, whereas the Mk.26 needs lots of internal support structure.

[Sauragnmon]

From what I recall, somebody mentioned the Mk26 on the bow of an Iowa would likely only have the 26 round magazine, though perhaps it might go so far as to have 44.

[Weaver]

Well, in the case of that upgraded Virginia, there was SPY-1 present in the altered superstructure.  As to the necessity of multiple decks beneath it, that would be solved with the original Mk26 Magazine, and a shift of some internals beneath it - Ticons did the same conversion.  Generally, the ship would already have the illuminating radars, as it already had been supporting two Mk26 GMLS, and with AEGIS missile cuing, it can project somewhere around twenty channels to guide missiles.  So, in summation, it's more than doable.

Let us not forget, VLS can support both NSSM and ESSM setups, in addition to the Phalanx - which when it isn't strafing friendly ships for popping chaff, can be moderately effective against threats.

Doh  - all entirely correct: I was getting mixed up, thinking you were talking about the Sea Sparrow launchers on the aft quarters of the Tinian......

[seadude]

Another WHIF: USS Tun Tavern
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/misc/whatif/cv52-350-rl/rl-index.html

Odd, but definately unique. 

[Sauragnmon]

Heh - This is your Essex on Drugs.  Questions? ^^

Definately cool.

[anthonyp]

Nice find, seadude!