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CHAPTER 21 -- THE DRY DOCKS 02
Dreadnought posted a City Journal entry in IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS WILHELMSHAVEN
Chapter 21: THE DRY DOCKS 02 Above, you see the Imperial Japanese Navy battlecruiser Kongo in the graving dock at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in 1924. At that time, her main battery turrets were modified to allow greater elevation and range, and her fire-control systems were given a complete update. She returned to this dock again, in 1927, when her forward superstructure was extensively modified to accommodate an ever-increasing array of fire-control equipment – resulting in the distinctive “Pagoda-mast” superstructure that would become a hallmark of Japanese capital ships. In the photograph below, Kongo is back at Yokosuka, finishing-up a refit / reconstruction carried out between 1929 and 1931. The extensive modernization involved additional armor over her magazine spaces, internal anti-torpedo bulkheads outboard of the machinery spaces, and the usual external “torpedo bulges”. She was also modified to carry three Type 90 float planes. But most importantly, her 36 old Yarrow boilers were replaced with more efficient, modern boilers, and Brown-Curtis “direct-drive” turbines were installed. The new machinery suite boosted her speed trials to 29 knots. Now capable of providing escort to fast carrier groups, IJN Kongo was reclassified as a “fast battleship”. Graving Docks could do any work done in a “Refit Basin” or a “Fitting-Out Basin” (with the exception of extreme heavy lift capability – usually only available in the Fitting-Out Basin). But only Graving Docks could preform work below the waterline – and were expensive to build and hard to come by. “Fitting-Out Basins” were cheaper and easier to build, requiring only a dock, shops, and suitable cranes. Some shipyards, where money was scarce, even did without the large, expensive cantilever cranes by building their own set of sheer-legs! And since “fitting-out” a battleship could take a year or more, basins were preferable to tying up a valuable dry dock. The “New Dry Docks” were built as a pair, sharing a center quay rail line and taking up the least possible space. The “Navy-style” cranes are on tracks and capable of reaching any part of the ship. You can see a trainload of steel plates ready to be unloaded. These will be used to strengthen the deck armor over HMS Rodney’s magazine and machinery spaces. The deck strengthening had been planned for a 1940 refit of HMS Hood, but as the largest warship in a wartime navy – they simply couldn’t spare her from duty – and she ended up “in harm’s way” just once too often. USS NEVADA IN A GRAVING DOCK AT PEARL HARBOR, 1937. Graving Docks could be used for “Refits” of a “heavy” nature – usually something requiring a 250 ton crane. Possibly changing out worn main battery gun tubes – or installing heavily armored conning towers, or range finders. Or, if there was an opening in the Graving Dock’s schedule, a “quickie” refit might be squeezed in (bottom cleaning & repaint) simply to speed up the “to do” list. Otherwise, it was best to keep the dry docks free. Below waterline service and repair was a constant nuisance, and believe it or not, hull damage from collisions among battleships was more common than you might think. In the west side of the “New Dry Dock” complex, SMS Rheinland, one of four Nassau Class dreadnoughts, has been positioned for a quick emergency survey and some urgent repair work. Two days ago, 1st Battle Squadron was practicing tactical formation maneuvers near Horns Reef with Rheinland leading the starboard column. Her sister ship, Posen, followed astern. Apparently, the squadron navigator misjudged their position and the vessels were closer inshore than estimated. Around 15:33 hours, Rheinland’s bottom scraped across a portion of Horn’s Reef when the sandy bank should have been miles to the east. With the warship’s “trim” down by the stern just a bit more than usual, there was a sudden shuddering throughout the ship and the helm jammed tight. As Rheinland slid across the bank, the shudder was replaced with a heavy vibration and rudder movement resumed, but with much difficulty. Close astern, Posen sheered off to starboard as Rheinland slowed, and she, too, struck the reef. Both battleships hove-to as “damage control” crews assessed the situation, and some thirty minutes later, the squadron set course for Wilhelmshaven at a reduced speed of ten knots. Rheinland struck harder than her sister ship, with a damaged rudder, leaking in the steering flat, and the starboard propeller either damaged or lost entirely. Posen was taking a small amount of water from a damaged bilge keel and her engineer swore the propeller was alright, but the shaft had been jolted out of alignment. The dry dock superintendent will know more when the water has been drained and a proper inspection made. In this shot of Rheinland, you have a clear view of the disposition of the main gun turrets – one on centreline fore and aft, with two “wing turrets” on either beam. This is often referred to as an “octagonal” arrangement. As the German response to HMS Dreadnought, the Westfalen Class were the first dreadnought battleships to enter Imperial service. Twelve 11 inch guns were insisted upon to “out-gun” the British vessel, but already in experimental territory with their first dreadnought, the Germans opted for a “safe” turret arrangement, which only provided an eight gun broadside. This a fine view of Rheinland’s bridge structure and her three forward gun turrets. In their own defense, the Admirals advocating the “octagonal” arrangement pointed out that though they had lost four guns on the broadside, they had gained them in “astern” and “Ahead” fire. In truth, six of the big guns were aligned to fire forward when chasing an enemy – and six fired directly astern when being chased by an enemy. But battleships traditionally fought in “line ahead” battle formation for two very good reasons; (1) Broadside fire brought the greatest possible number of guns to bear on the enemy, and (2) It was not wise to fire the giant rifles in any other direction. In order to fire directly ahead at an enemy, they would have to be aimed just as you see them pictured. Even at maximum elevation, the muzzle blast would have made the open portions of the bridge unlivable and the enclosed portions painfully uncomfortable. The blast would have pounded flimsy steel bridge bulwarks into torn ribbons of sheet metal and shredded canvas awnings and spray shields. A single gun blast would have ripped up teak decking and buckled the steel plates beneath. Three minutes of firing would have transformed the forecastle into a shamble of splinters and twisted steel. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed and this risky bit of bravado was never attempted. In this sequence of pictures, we see the damaged SMS Posen being wrestled into the “Old Dry Dock” by five steam tugs. With her starboard shaft inoperable, it is proving difficult to get the battleship properly aligned to the entrance of the older, narrow dock. It is obvious Posen has gotten a bit too close to the port side dock wall, and the tugs are doing their best to nudge her to starboard. This also gives you an excellent view of the older 250 ton cantilever cranes – very finely modeled by “Nob”, from his “1905 Naval Series”. For very large warships, dry docks could be used for both construction and fitting-out. The Japanese laid down the giant Yamato in 1937 at the Kure Naval Arsenal in a massive, newly expanded dry dock. To maintain complete secrecy, the arsenal yard was sealed off from the public and giant ship-sheds were erected over the dock so that nothing could be seen. They went to great lengths to keep the Western Powers in the dark – and they succeeded admirably. It was not until after the Japanese surrender that the Allies discovered just how big and powerful the Yamato’s were. HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN IN A FLOATING DRY DOCK_circa 1925 FLOATING DRY DOCKS Around the beginning of the 18th Century, the first crude floating dock was constructed by a British merchant Captain operating in the Baltic Sea. He removed the stern from a derelict hulk and ballasted the ship to a negative buoyancy, sinking it to the shallow harbor floor. When the vessel to be repaired was moved inside the hulk, the ballast was removed, causing the hulk to rise off the harbor bottom and lift the other ship clear of the water. Thus was born the floating dry dock. For our purposes, the picture of HMS Royal Sovereign, above, pretty much says it all. Judging from the scaffolding hanging from the ship’s bow, she has been “hauled out” to get her bottom cleaned and painted. The dock has a long bridge-like gangway on the left, so it is likely anchored in a permanent harbor location. The dock is, more or less, self-contained. You will note the two cranes atop the “wing wall” pontoons. Seated on rails, they can traverse the length of the wall to access the entire ship. The upper half of the pontoons provide sufficient buoyancy to keep the dock stable when it has been “flooded down” (like a submarine) to receive a ship. Inside the upper pontoons are administrative offices, store rooms, machine tools, and work shops – in addition to a diesel generator to provide lighting and power for the machine tools and pumps. (It would have been coal-fired in the old days.) The lower portion of the pontoons are ballast tanks that hold sea water pumped inboard to submerge the dock. Floating dry docks have many advantages, one of which, is that they can be built much like a ship and in a lot less time – for a fraction of the cost. Unlike a Graving Dock, tugs can tow a floating dock to any location, including far off coaling stations. Patrolling distant sea lanes left Royal Navy warships at the mercy of accidents and engine failures. Floating docks were a Godsend. During WW II, the US Pacific Fleet was lavishly equipped with floating “sectional” docks – pieces could be added at either end to accommodate any size ship. This kept the warships in the combat zone and “on the job”, with only the most badly damaged ships sent to West Coast Navy Yards. This was the only drawback to a floating dock – they might not be equipped for the truly heavy work that can be done in a land-based dock. Note the cranes in the picture – they appear to be no more than 60 to 100 tons capacity, and their jibe is not long enough to reach the upper superstructure. This is an overview of the Old Dry Dock area. There are four of the 250 ton cantilever cranes – two on either side of the dock. They are older models, but still quite capable of preforming the work. Seated on rails, they can be moved as needed to reach all areas of a ship. Rail lines are in direct support of both sides of the dock and the crane lines are served by an extensive collection of machine shops, forges, electrical shops, pipe fitters, and metal presses. This dock was built in an age when pre-dreadnought battleships were somewhat narrower in the beam and much shorter in length than their dreadnought successors. But the dock is still useful in servicing small dreadnoughts as well as cruisers and even smaller warships. Nestled in the crook between the New and Old Dry Docks is the industrial zone that directly supports them. Various foundries, mills, and even engine works have been assembled to preform almost any job required to build or repair a battleship. From casting engine parts to punching rivet holes in armor plate, the machines and mechanics make sure the big ships are combat ready in the shortest possible time. In addition to this duty, they also support the needs of the Fitting-Out Basin and the Refit Basin and are connected directly by rail lines for delivery of heavy or bulky components. HMS GLATTON, circa 1914. This is a classic and pronounced example of an anti-torpedo bulge. Beyond, possibly, shipbuilding or major repair work, the chief employment for dry docks between the World Wars were the – sometimes massive – “modernization” projects. And chief among the elements of a warship modernization was the “anti-torpedo bulge” (or “blister”). Dreadnoughts launched or designed prior to WW I simply were not properly protected against the below waterline threat of modern torpedoes. Pre-1914 designers had tried various protective armoring schemes – usually based on crude tests – but the “theories” all failed when tested by the “reality” of combat. Torpedoes striking a battleship’s armor belt would do relatively little damage. But since torpedoes were designed to run beneath the level of most armor belts, they were quite capable of blasting a hole 20x40 feet. (Wartime damage reports provided conclusive data that torpedoes created a hole twice as wide as it was tall.) Britain, with the most to lose, quickly came up with the “bulge” defense as conceived by Eustace Tennyson-D’Eyncourt, Director of Naval Construction. This involved fitting a bulge, or sponson, on either side of the ship’s hull, usually covering the area from the fore turrets to the aft turrets – which included magazines, boiler rooms, and machinery spaces – the “vitals” of the ship. The sponson normally started about six feet above waterline, and continued down to the bilge keels. The bulge was completely separate from the already armored hull, which usually contained an anti-torpedo bulkhead inboard of fuel or coal bunkers, which were inboard of anti-torpedo void spaces designed into the hull. But the purpose of the “blister” was to “take one for the Home Team” – to detonate the torpedo, absorb the blast effects, and confine flooding to the damaged bulge – all outside the undamaged hull. CROSS SECTION OF HMS SOVEREIGN AMIDSHIPS. D – Double Bottom Area__L – Double Bottom Bilge Area__J – Outer Torpedo Bulkhead, with voids on either side__H – Inner Torpedo Bulkhead__I – Fuel Oil Void__N – Bilge Keel to reduce “rolling”__M – Anti-Torpedo Bulge. Top of bulge is approximate waterline. The bulge is attached to – but not part of – the hull. The most effective bulge designs were compartmentalized with air-filled voids and free-flooding water-filled voids – like a submarine’s outer hull casing. The torpedo would, in theory, blast a hole and flood the outer, air-filled compartment, while pushing a thin compartment bulkhead against the inner, water-filled compartment. The compressed water in the inner compartment could erupt out of the free-flooding vents and thereby absorb the explosive blast effect while containing shrapnel and splinters, leaving the ship’s hull intact. Transverse bulkheads within the bulge formed mini-compartments, preventing large scale flooding of the bulge. This system proved quite effective, with the monitor HMS Terror absorbing three torpedo hits without internal damage. All new Royal Navy construction was fitted with bulges, beginning with the Revenge Class battleships and Renown Class battlecruisers. Older warships the world over were retrofitted during the 1920’s and 1930’s modernization programs. Various new schemes of bulge arrangements were tried – everything from packing voids with timber to sealed lead pipes trapping air for buoyancy. But bulges widened a ship considerably, adding weight and reducing the length-to-width ratio, thereby reducing speed – so various forms of “internal” bulges were devised in the late 30’s to maintain the slim hull forms needed for fast ships. It should be noted that early on in WW II, German torpedoes with magnetic detonators ran beneath a ship, avoiding the bulges, and exploding below the keel – usually, with fatal results. CONTE DI CAVOUR AS LAUNCHED, CIRCA 1929. Perhaps one of the most striking feats ever preformed in a Graving Dock was the modernization of the Italian Conte di Cavour and Andrea Doria Class battleships. Completed between 1914 and 1916, all of the ships were built to the same basic plan. (The unlucky Cavour Class battleship, Leonardo da Vinci sank at her moorings in Taranto harbor in 1916. Though the official cause was Austrian saboteurs, it was most likely a magazine explosion caused by faulty cordite charges.) CONTE DI CAVOUR WITH HER 1915 PROFILE. All four ships were taken in hand for extensive “modernization” between 1933 and 1937 – but it was more of a total re-construction. For starters, the entire superstructure, midships turret, turbines, and boilers were all removed. The bow was lengthened by 33 feet and given an elegant flair to reduce spray and head-sea “wetness”. Two propeller shafts were changed out and the two outboard direct-drive turbines were replaced with geared turbines, while a new set of Yarrow superheated boilers were installed. The new machinery suite was three times more powerful and pushed the battleships up to 28 knots on trials. The fuel oil tanks were enlarged, giving the ships a radius of 6,400 miles. All main battery gun houses were converted to electric operation while being modified to allow a 27 degree elevation. The 12 inch main battery guns were bored out to 12.6 inches, allowing for a heavier 1,127 pound shell with a range of 31,000 yards. Additional deck armor was worked in above the machinery spaces and their displacement was eventually increased by 3,000 tons. The forward superstructure was replaced by an entirely new, spacious, and streamlined conning tower and bridge combination topped with a new 27-foot rangefinder. With the removal of the midships turret, it was now possible to group the boilers closer together, which allowed the funnels to be moved up behind the bridge instead of being at both ends of the midships area. Unfortunately, the design bureau replaced the underwater protection with the “Pugliese System” – which proved not to have adequate depth against torpedoes. Another significant problem was that increased displacement meant the armor belt was very nearly completely submerged. CAVOUR PROFILE AFTER RECONSTRUCTION. CAVOUR AT SEA CIRCA 1938. Note the longer bow and sleek new look. The new Cavours were both powerful and extremely graceful ships with a respectable speed to match the look. Going into WW II, these four battleships would provide Mussolini with a core battle fleet capable of dominating the central Mediterranean. And – they just might hold the record for the most extensive “modernization” ever. By the time they rejoined the fleet, only 40% of the original ship remained. CAVOUR AT HIGH SPEED. Note the massive new rangefinder atop the bridge structure. These two shots are an overview of the “Mainland” area, often referred to in the preceding chapters. This stretches all the way from the Fitting-Out Basin in the north, to the Double Quay on Marshy Point. While other areas of the dockyard are important to the operation of the Hochsee Fleet, these basins and dry docks are vital to the existence of the Battle Fleet. Finally – I leave you with an “homage” to the gallant USS Nevada. At the elderly age of 25 years, she was moored astern of USS Arizona along Pearl Harbor’s “Battleship Row” on the fateful morning of Sunday, December 7th, 1941. While her ship’s band played “Morning Colors” and the “Colors Detail” hoisted the ensign, Japanese airplanes arrived about 7:55 AM. “Battle Stations” was sounded and Nevada’s gunners opened fire almost instantly. At the same time, with two boilers already lit off, the engineers began to raise steam with all possible speed. Fifteen minutes into the attack, Nevada took an aerial torpedo amidships on the port side. The anti-torpedo bulkhead held, but it opened several seams and she started taking on water. Nevada was not moored alongside another battleship off Ford Island and, free to maneuver, she cast off about 8:40 AM, making for the harbor channel and the open sea beyond. She became an instant target for every Japanese plane with a bomb. It was their intention to sink her in the main channel and “bottle-up” the fleet. Nevada passed “Ten-Ten Dock” about 8:50 – taking more and more bomb damage as the below decks flooding spread. As her worsening condition became evident, it was obvious Nevada could not put to sea, and she was signaled to proceed to the west side of Ford Island where shallow water salvage would be easier. But the “Old Lady” was already too badly damaged – she was deliberately grounded on Hospital Point and eventually sank there. Nevada lost 109 wounded and 69 dead, took one torpedo, and as many as ten bombs during her “dash for the channel”. In so doing, she became “the only bright spot in an otherwise dismal and depressing morning” for the United States Navy. In a fitting tribute to the courageous crew that fought her that day, she was salvaged, reconstructed, and returned to fight the enemy that had wounded her. In the pictures below, Nevada, followed by her sister ship Okalahoma, is recreating her dash for the harbor mouth with tugs rushing to assist as she rounds Marshy Point. AND – just for the record – to my knowledge, this is the ONLY large, diagonal, ship model in the game. Courtesy of @Barroco Hispano. Well – that concludes our installment of Imperial Dockyards: Wilhelmshaven – and I apologize for the length of the last four chapters, but the subjects were complicated and not suited to quick explanation. There will be an “undetermined intermission” at this point – but the series will return soon with a new installment -- Imperial Dockyards: Cuxhaven. The new harbor is already “a work in progress”, but there is no way to tell how long it will take to reach completion. This new installment will highlight the 1st Scouting Group of the Hochsee Fleet, including a phenomenon more or less unique to WW I – the battlecruiser. There will be new models by “Barroco Hispano” AND “AP”, as well as a lot more new props and “vignettes” contributed by “AP”. AP’s kind offer of assistance has blossomed into a full scale collaboration and WE hope to present you with a number of interesting and even amazing scenes. Once again --- MY MANY, MANY THANKS to @Barroco Hispano for his generously given time and talent creating so many beautiful warships. MANY THANKS as well to @AP for volunteering his considerable talents and valuable time in providing lots and props that have added so much variety, originality, and “life” to the dockyards. AND MY THANKS to the many people that have contributed in their own way with files, advice, and guidance – always cheerfully and promptly given. Without ALL of this help, I would never have even begun a project of this size and scope. If you enjoyed anything you saw – please punch the “like” button so I will know. A comment would be even more informative. Comments and critiques requested and gratefully accepted. All questions answered promptly to the best of my ability. THANK YOU for your visit and the COMMENTS many of you have been kind enough to make! I do hope you will join us when we debut the NEW installment...... NEXT TIME…...IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS: CUXHAVEN.- 6 Comments
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CHAPTER 12 -- THE COMMERCIAL PIER
Dreadnought posted a City Journal entry in IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS WILHELMSHAVEN
Chapter 12: THE COMMERCIAL PIER Like all naval bases, the Imperial Dockyards Wilhelmshaven must have a pier to receive commercial deliveries by civilian shipping. These two tramp steamers from the 1930’s are indicative of the dingy freighters carrying mundane cargo along the thousands of miles of sea lanes between Shanghai and San Francisco or Colombo and Bristol. Nondescript, rusty, and slow, they were not as flashy as the “Great Liners” of their day, nor did they display the dash and daring of the mighty warships. But they hauled the goods to feed nations, the smelting ore for roaring blast furnaces, and the manufactured goods that were the staples of the World’s economy. One of the chief reasons for the existence of powerful battle fleets was to protect these ugly ducklings and the vital commerce of nations. Located in the “Center Loch”, the cargo pier originally consisted of a small, somewhat shabby, wooden structure with a steam powered crane. As time went by, and the Hochsee Fleet grew in numbers, it became necessary to construct a more modern facility to meet the needs of the ships and the sailors that manned them. The small pier was rebuilt and extended, and large container cranes installed to handle the new type of freight. A smaller bulk-break cargo pier was built beside it, specifically to handle non-containerized goods. The Maxis seaport was far too “vanilla” for realism, and the PEG seaports were decidedly “un-military” – so I set to work to see what could be done. Using the PEG Container Seaport as a starting point, I first built a single 20x7 lot that included both piers and the handling yards. But, for some unknown reason, the game refused to recognize this lot as a seaport and insisted in sending freight trains off the map. I cut the project down to a single container pier on a 12x7 lot and tried again. This time, something worked and trains were accepted by the pier. I then tried re-lotting the PEG “Vandy Shipping”, but plopping that one broke the rail link and the game refused to send trains. Consequently, I tried the “Vandy” lot without modification – and that worked – but only for through traffic. So the trains will not stop in the Vandy lot, but will run through and be accepted by the container lot. For anyone who has tried working with the PEG seaports, you have my admiration for the degree of patience you posses! The old PEG container dock was lengthened by two squares and WMP Seawalls installed around the edges to provide wooden “bumpers” for docking. The PEG container cranes were removed and replaced with far more realistic NBVC Cranes. The ship was replaced with a better looking PEG “timed prop”. I completely re-worked the handling yard behind the cranes with more realistic container props and trucks and generally organized it rather than scattering stuff all over the place. The bulk of the lots and props are from NBVC’s container port kit. They are VERY useful, as well as remarkably flexible and easy to use. @tariely did me a huge favor by “traffic-enabling” the new rail lines and vehicle gates. The rail line comes in east of the cargo area, loops around in a “horseshoe”, runs through just behind the piers, and continues off the map to the west. In this shot, you can see one of the ships has “disappeared” – the “timed-prop” creates the impression of ship traffic coming and going. Across the road is a storage / handling area for incoming freight. This provides a temporary storage point until the proper warehouse or supply team can pick it up. This was composed from a huge collection of 1x1 custom lots I have made for use in seaports and industrial zones. The modular nature of 1x1 lots gives the area a slightly jumbled look and helps to avoid repetition. Note the Tugboat Station in the upper left. This one is located to assist shipping at the cargo piers as well as the coal receiving piers. Steam tugs courtesy of @WolfZe. Off the south end of the peninsula, the USS Alaska and USS Guam have been anchored in a “temporary berth”. Normally assigned to the 1st Scouting Group of the Hochsee Fleet, they have been ordered to the main anchorage for installation of improved rangefinders and fire control equipment. When one of the refit or repair basins opens up, they will be moved in. The two-ship Alaska Class was launched in 1943 and named after US Territories rather than states or cities, because they were neither battleships nor cruisers. At launch they carried the designation of “battlecruiser” and were the only two ships in the history of the US Navy to do so. However, as they neared commissioning, their role was reconsidered. Since there was no major German surface fleet to fight, and the Imperial Japanese Navy had been considerably reduced in strength, the chance of the Alaska’s participating in a set-piece fleet engagement was practically zero. Pre-war, they had been conceived as a counter to the German “pocketbattleships” of the Admiral Graff Spee Class, and later it was thought they might be effective against the “super-cruisers” rumored to be building in Japan. But eventually, the Pacific war turned against Japan and the new US battlecruisers found themselves without specific targets. Being practical, the Navy canceled the remaining four ships of the class, and reclassified the two finished units as “large cruisers”. After many studies. the final design was based on a scaled-up version of the Baltimore Class heavy cruisers – and they were, indeed, “large cruisers”. At 808 feet, they were longer than many battleships. With a beam of only 91 feet, they appeared inordinately long and thin. In keeping with a battlecruiser’s reputation for speed, the ships were equipped with eight boilers driving steam turbines with reduction gearing turning four shafts. This was the same equipment installed in the Essex Class carriers and the Alaska’s were capable of up to 33 knots. With a cruising range of 12,000 nautical miles, these ships could have been deadly commerce raiders – but by the time they joined the fleet, the Japanese had no commerce left to raid. Heavy cruisers of the era were equipped with 8 inch main battery guns, mainly due to the constraints of disarmament treaties between the wars. But Alaska and Guam, originally conceived as battlecruisers, were equipped with the newly developed 12 inch 50 caliber Mark VIII rifles – making them the most heavily armed cruisers in the world. The Mark VIII could throw a 1,140 pound shell out to 38,500 yards at a rate of 3 rounds per minute. And the quality of this superior weapon was equal to or slightly better than any of the pre-war 14” gun battleships. The nine guns were arranged in triple-mount turrets – two superimposed forward, and one aft – making this ship a true “cruiser-killer”. Even Alaska’s armor arrangement was, by comparison, exceptional. The class devoted 28.4% of total tonnage to protective armor. The old HMS Invincible had 19.9%, while the HMS King George V (1940), USS Iowa, and HMS Hood were only rated around 32%. Though scant underwater protection left them vulnerable to torpedoes, mines, and shells falling short enough to hit the hull below the waterline – for a 30,000 ton ship, the Alaska Class showed a remarkable balance between speed, protection, and firepower. By the time of The Great War, swarms of “torpedo boats” (about 140 present at Jutland) had become a deadly menace to the lumbering leviathans of the battle line. The small, fast, ships could twist and turn at high speed, avoiding the defensive fire of the battleships, while rushing in close enough to launch their lethal load of torpedoes. As time went on, the various navies developed the “torpedo-boat-destroyer” – an equally small and fast ship designed to repel enemy torpedo boats with quick-firing guns – usually 4 inch, 4.7 inch, or 5 inch weapons. As “torpedo-boat-destroyers” became bigger and more heavily armed, the name was shortened into what we now know as the “destroyer”. Eventually, they would carry their own torpedo armament alongside the guns and the simple torpedo boat fell out of favor. By the WW II era, destroyers had become a jack-of-all-trades. They screened battle groups from submarine attack or attack by other destroyers, launched their own torpedo attacks, laid smoke screens, and became the primary practitioner of anti-submarine warfare in two World Wars. Off the east side of the peninsula two sets of mooring points are occupied by Fregattenkapitan Schuur’s 2nd Destroyer Flotilla. They are but one of the nine flotillas assigned to escort and protect the Hochsee Fleet during time of war. The flotilla is composed of ten boats of the USS Fletcher Class, named after Admiral Frank F. Fletcher. With 175 ships, the Fletcher’s were the largest class of destroyers ever built for the US Navy. During WW II they would be seen in all theaters of war engaging in every imaginable duty. The ships were a significant improvement over previous classes with a lethal increase in firepower, numerous anti-aircraft weapons, and more armor plating than their predecessors. Destroyers were often referred to as the “Greyhounds of the sea”, and the flush decked, two stack construction of the Fletcher’s gave them a sleek and swift appearance, while their top speed of 36.5 knots fully lived up to the image. Built between March, 1941, and February, 1945 – the Fletcher Class was the first generation of destroyers laid down after the abrogation of the naval arms treaties of the 1930’s. During that time, the Navy planners had come to realize that Japan would be their chief antagonist in any future war. The new destroyers were built large at 2,000 tons and nearly 400 feet in length, with double-bottoms to store the fuel oil necessary for a 5,500 mile cruising range in the vast expanses of the Pacific. To counter the known Japanese destroyer types, the Fletcher Class was designed with a ship-killing punch. Five dual purpose 5 inch / 38 caliber QF guns in single turrets were mounted two forward, one amidships, and two more aft – all on centreline. These MK XII guns could fire 15 rounds per minute – effectively “smothering” a target. Grouped fore and aft of the second stack were two centreline quintuple 21 inch torpedo mounts. The fantail carried two racks for depth charges and six K-Gun depth charge “throwers” were arrayed on either beam for anti-submarine work. The men who manned these ships were often referred to as “Tin-Can Sailors” because the joke going around the Fleet was that the armor on destroyers was so thin it could be opened up with a can opener! But the Fletcher’s were deemed an unqualified success and were popular with their crews. If you want to know just a little about “courage in the face of the enemy” – you might want to “Wiki” the “Battle Off Samar” – and perhaps, even read a book about that battle. The “Tin-Can Sailors” lived by a creed...”I wish to have nothing to do with a ship that does not sail fast – for I intend to take her in Harm’s way.” – John Paul Jones In the previous chapter, I mentioned the searchlights that were considered basic equipment on dreadnoughts of the Hochsee Fleet, and how they were used in battle. I was lucky enough to find an oil painting illustrating a real incident of night fighting. HMS Black Prince was an armored cruiser assigned to a scouting group of the British Grand Fleet in the May 31 – 1 June, 1916, engagement at Jutland. During the chaos of battle, the cruisers found themselves trapped between the two mighty lines of battleships and careened about trying to avoid falling shells while dashing in and out of thick clouds of funnel smoke and banks of gunsmoke. Some time around 17:00 (GMT), Black Prince became separated from her squadron mates, and in the gathering darkness, was unsure of her position – or that of the enemy. Just after 23:30 hours, Black Prince encountered and briefly engaged SMS Nassau, one of the battleships in the van of the Hochsee Fleet returning to base. The cruiser scored two hits with 6 inch shells before dodging back into the night. Turning back to her original course, Black Prince unknowingly approached the German battle line yet again. As black shapes and luminescent bow waves appeared ahead, the British helm went hard-over – but it was too late. SMS Thuringen snapped on her searchlights, fixed Black Prince in their glare, and opened fire. SMS Nassau, Ostfriesland, and Friedrich der Grosse quickly joined in. With the range of the various ships being between 750 to 1,500 yards – this was point-blank – flat trajectory fire for the German’s 11 inch and 12 inch guns. Forty-five seconds later, it was clear Black Prince was finished. The Germans ceased fire, switched off their searchlights, and were once more hidden in night’s protective cloak. The flaming, listing wreck of the armored cruiser had been hit with a minimum of 12 heavy caliber shells and numerous 6 inch shells from the battleship’s secondary batteries. Within 15 minutes, she had gone down with all hands. MY THANKS to @Barroco Hispano for his beautifully done warship models – and to @mattb325 for his “Offshore Mooring Pontoons”. Their talents are ALWAYS appreciated. If you enjoyed anything you saw – please punch the “like” button so I will know. A comment would be even more informative. Comments and critiques requested and gratefully accepted. All questions answered promptly to the best of my ability. THANK YOU for your visit ! NEXT WEEK…...Shore Billeting.- 7 Comments
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CHAPTER 07 -- MUNITIONS COMPLEX
Dreadnought posted a City Journal entry in IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS WILHELMSHAVEN
Chapter 07: MUNITIONS COMPLEX The Fleet Munitions Complex is a large, sprawling affair, specifically designed to facilitate the receiving and storage of vast amounts of powder and shells. It has been deliberately placed in the most isolated location on the naval base to minimize the effects of accidental explosions. Naval history is frequently punctuated with the sudden explosion of warships laying peacefully at anchor. One well known case is the loss of the USS Maine in Havana harbor. Sometimes it was the result of magazines located too close to coal bunkers – fires in coal bunkers were all too common among coal-burning vessels. In other instances, it was the result of aging and unstable powder in a ship’s magazine. In other situations, working parties ashore or afloat might become careless in their handling of explosives. So the only logical precaution was to isolate the munitions depot and separate the various components as widely as possible. At the bottom of the picture below, there is a railyard for the storage of empty rolling stock. Just above that is a small basin with docks to accept seaborne supplies for the depot itself; building and repair materials, daily operating supplies, and the occasional ammunition delivery – though it was deemed safer to bring in munitions by rail. Above the basin is a line of bunkers where various calibers of shell are stored. Beyond that is the railroad loading docks and through traffic rail lines. And at the north end of the compound are two large bunker complexes where the powder charges are stored. The railyard was deliberately placed between the two different bunker compounds to simplify the receiving, storage, and distribution of the materiel while providing some safety by separating the storage areas. In front of the bunker complex is a tugboat station to assist warships arriving or departing the actual “munitions piers” located at the end of causeways extending out into the harbor. This is a closer view showing the layout of the shell storage bunkers. Note the high security fencing (by PEG) and the numerous water towers to protect against the ever-present danger of fires. Inspectors were tasked with performing regular, rotating inspections to guard against deterioration of the stored shells. The row of shell storage bunkers is made up of the PEG “Small Ammunition Bunkers” from their Army Base series. The water towers are custom lots, with the tower borrowed from the old Maxis Movie Studio lot. The landscape uses custom tree filler lots and MMP work. I believe the dirt roads are from the PEG “Spam” agricultural sets, modified to make them more MMP-friendly. The munitions handling arrangements are simple and straightforward. Munitions trains enter from the left and are shunted either right or left for unloading to their respective storage bunkers – shells to the right and powder charges to the left. The same tracks can be used by switch engines to load rolling stock with munitions to be delivered out to the warship loading piers. The center track can be used to move munitions directly to a warship loading pier as needed, or empty trains can shuttle through the switches on the front end and then exit via the center track through the rear of the compound. Simple and flexible. The handling platforms are the “PEG” CDK docks, re-purposed for use on land. The trucks and cranes are custom lots. In this detail shot, the train is a traffic enabled custom lot using the PEG steam Tank Engine, modified to show “steam”. 167_Railyard Night These are the powder storage bunkers on the north side of the complex. They contain the brass-cased main propellant charges as well as the smaller, bagged fore-charges for the ship’s main battery guns. A typical powder charge for a large, QF rifle might be a 157lb main charge with an additional 53lb fore-charge. Not to belabor the point, but that’s 210lb of a highly explosive material (often cordite) to fire one shell. Storing thousands of these charges was quite hazardous, so it was decided to place them on the north side of the compound. The open expanse of water beyond them would somewhat mitigate the blast effects of an accidental explosion. This is a detail shot of the PEG “Large Ammunition Bunkers”. Note the small warehouse in the lower corner. This is where random testing would be conducted to ensure the stability and quality of the stored powder. This is the tugboat station dedicated to service the warship munitions pier extending out into the harbor. The landscape is composed of custom tree filler lots with MMP work and MMP ground cover vegetation used to the rear of the station. The piers and attached sheds are modified “Somy” lots. The small oil tanks are custom-lotted props (old Maxis ??), and the control tower is borrowed from one of the Maxis airport lots. The very fine little steam tugs are courtesy of @WolfZe. The causeways on either side lead out to the warship piers and are constructed using NBVC Marina Seawalls. The area between the bunker complex and the harbor seawalls took several attempts before the correct spacing was achieved. I used the wide “NAM 32” railroad curves to get the proper arc and connected them to the bunker complex with a complicated switching yoke of regular Maxis rail. This was mainly an “homage” to the more graceful rail system used at the US Navy Munitions Station at Point Luna, California – my chief inspiration. Studying the picture below, you will notice a distinct “thinning” of the vegetation on the north side of the bunker complex, with a virtual absence of trees to the front. This is the direct result of an accidental explosion on the center causeway some years ago. A tank engine was pushing five carloads of powder about 100 meters along the causeway when car #3 disintegrated, took another car out, and dumped the locomotive, tender, and a third car into the harbor. Two cars remained on what was left of the rails and causeway, and the engine crew was fished out of the harbor, bruised, a bit bloody, but otherwise unharmed. What had been the heavily forested area between the bunker complex and the causeway was now a flattened mass of broken and twisted timber. All three rail lines were blocked by fallen trees – some of which had been thrown into the complex, itself. Once everyone was accounted for and received medical treatment, work began immediately to restore the facility to operational readiness. A company of Deutsches Heer Railroad Construction Pioneers were called in to repair the tracks while a local battalion of Pommeranian Grenadiers were ordered in to clear the fallen timber. Ten days of round-the-clock work restored the complex to full operation, and since then, an ongoing program has been instituted to thin out the more heavily forested areas around the compound. I would like to point out that my goal in creating a massive naval base was not only to showcase the magnificent warship models of @Barroco Hispano, but to demonstrate how much could be done with the lots and props that are available to the community as a whole. Using my meager “lotting” skills, combined with some serious lateral thinking and a hefty dose of “creativity”, I have been able to fill a large-sized map with almost all of the assets you would find in a naval base. About 80% of what you see is material that has been “re-purposed” directly from existing SC4 lots and props, while the remainder of essential items had already been created by PEG and were modified for use. Moral to the story – If you think it can’t be done, then THINK AGAIN. “Nothing is written…...” The “Munitions Complex” is quite large, so there will be one more “chapter” devoted to exploring the actual loading piers. If you enjoyed anything you saw – please punch the “like” button so I will know. A comment would be even more informative. Comments and critiques requested and gratefully accepted. All questions answered promptly to the best of my ability. THANK YOU for your visit ! Next time…...The Munitions Piers.- 3 Comments
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CHAPTER 06 -- THE SOUTH MOLE
Dreadnought posted a City Journal entry in IMPERIAL DOCKYARDS WILHELMSHAVEN
Chapter 06: THE SOUTH MOLE Having finished the Fuel Oil storage complex at the end of the East Mole, and settled on the type and width of the southern exit from the dockyard, I decided the South Mole would be left mostly empty. There was not enough room to accommodate any additional facilities south of that point, and in all probability it would be left as a forested zone. Since neighboring maps had no populated areas nearby, it seemed the best place for the Munitions Depot. Battleships of the “Dreadnought Era” varied widely in their individual armament, ranging in size from (mostly) 10 inch to 16 inch main battery guns, with between 8 and 14 guns per ship. Each gun was usually supplied with 150 to 200 rounds stored in on-board magazines located deep within the hull behind layers of thick armor plate. Simple math demonstrates that any given battleship would carry between 1,600 to 2,800 shells (usually armor-piercing) with their associated powder propellant charges. This may sound like an over abundance of shells, but the average “QF” (Quick Firing) battleship gun could fire two or three rounds per minute. A mere 30 minutes of firing – perhaps stretched over several hours of enemy contact – could exhaust or seriously deplete a warships ammunition stocks. A Munitions Depot would probably stock sufficient shells and powder to replenish a warship twice over, and a large fleet of capital ships would require a massive storage facility. Since accidental explosions were not uncommon in those days, such a large facility would have to be located as far as possible from other dockyard installations as well as any populated areas. In this first shot you can see that the munitions complex has been roughed-in, but after looking at it for a couple of days, I decided the bunker system was too far forward and the piers too short. The original concept was taken from a modern naval munitions pier system at Point Luna, California. On this second map, you can see that I moved the bunkers a bit farther back, worked out the rail line arrangement, reduced the land in front of the bunkers to fit, reduced the space between piers, and extended the causeways out into the harbor. In the third map shot, the munitions area has been completed and the surrounding area forested. The ships and quay on the north edge of the water were placed during testing for “The Long Quay” lots. This is the finished South Mole. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse by SM2 marks the South Channel entrance. Laying at anchor off the South Mole are three Admiral Graf Spee Class “pocket battleships”. They just recently returned from a “Courtesy Tour” in the Mediterranean to “show the flag” and keep Germany’s Italian Allies happy. Berthing space is currently at a premium in the dockyard, so an anchorage close inshore has been arranged and supplies are being brought out by the “lighters” alongside. The ships will be rotated in and out of the harbor as soon as the refueling dock is available. Unfortunately, I do not have accurate models to represent all three ships of the class. KM Admiral Graf Spee was completed as you see in the picture, while KM Admiral Scheer and KM Deutschland (ex – KM Lutzow) were completed with variations to the fore-bridge structure or the “Pagoda-like” bridge tower. The world Press Corps dubbed these vessels “pocket battleships” because they mounted 11 inch guns, but displaced only 16,000 tons. So, in all truth, they were simply “large cruisers”. But they had the guns of a battleship mounted on a speedy cruiser hull – possibly the worst nightmare of a Britain heavily dependent on seaborne commerce. They could, in effect, “Sink anything they could catch, and run away from anything they could not sink”. As always – these exceptionally detailed and beautifully executed warships are courtesy of @Barroco Hispano. This shows the end of the seawall at the boundary of the naval base. At the corner, a “Shore Patrol” detail is taking a break before setting out on another leg of their fence patrol. You can see the texture and detail of the “JS Seawalls” to good effect, and PEG’s high security fence has been “modified” to be “MMP-friendly”. The landscape is done with “Heblem Sands” and a variety of MMP trees and ground-cover (largely the work of @Girafe). This is a small railyard annex and the “Munitions Basin” where cargo can be landed from small ships and scows. These facilities support the larger munitions complex without the need to move large amounts of high explosives through the rest of the dockyard. Note my friend “Moby” at the bottom of the picture. No doubt he has been inspecting the anchored squadron – they are, after all, in his waters. This is a closer shot of the support services area. A crane locomotive is always kept available here in case other equipment malfunctions, or in the event of large scale damage to the complex. Loaded ammunition trains are never brought into this yard, but empty cars may be parked here pending transfer. Some empty cars and two switch engines are always on duty to help remove ammunition that might be endangered by fire. The loading quay on the other side of the basin provides the option of receiving goods by water rather than rail. Bulk cargoes of building materials (sand and gravel, timber, etc, etc) are cheaply and easily brought in by scow. This is a detail shot of the railyard area. Most everything here is from PEG, SFBT, or SM2 and has been re-lotted or re-purposed to suit the needs of a small “parking area” for rolling stock. Here we have a close-up of the loading quay on the north side of the basin. The Munitions Complex is so large I think it would work better broken down into two more “chapters”. That will allow more pictures to pick out the details. This chapter again demonstrates one of my long-time goals in SC4 -- being able to create almost any type of environment out of the lots and props readily available in the game. "Do more with what you have." With the exception of the wonderful PEG sets -- the Army base and the SNM Naval series -- none of these lots were ever designed to be used in a military / naval scenario. I have NO 3D batting skills, so I am unable to construct my own models that would be more specific to the subject matter. But with a reasonably good working knowledge -- I am able to "re-lot" other lots and props from the game and "create" or "re-purpose" them for use in my dockyard. Even the PEG lots were given a "face-lift" to improve their realism and add flexibility to make them more useful. A "modular Approach" was employed to allow key lots to be pieced together like a puzzle -- creating installations of various sizes and shapes. This guarantees visual variety, while limiting the number of lots added to your plugins folder (another key goal of mine). A classic example of this would be a city park. You can, using your lotting skills, create a unique 4x4 park for your city. Or -- you could create a dozen 1x1 lots in a modular style and use them to create a park of any shape or size. That way each park will be unique in appearance, while fitting into any odd shaped area -- big or small. If you enjoyed anything you saw – please punch the “like” button so I will know. A comment would be even more informative. Comments and critiques requested and gratefully accepted. All questions answered promptly to the best of my ability. THANK YOU for your visit ! Next time…...The Munitions Bunkers.- 3 Comments
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Nelsons Gate Named after the Great British Admiral, Lord Nelson, this is one of the ornate Gates to Portsmouth Naval Base. One of the lucky landmarks to survive the bombs this stands today as a grand entrance to the base. ZIP Contains 1 1x2 Ploppable landmark lot found in the Landmarks menu.
