Pamiętacie francuski „krążownik absurdalny”? Tamto było najprawdopodobniej tylko współczesną fantazją, ale okazuje się, że podobny pomysł mieli… Amerykanie. Otóż jeden z wstępnych wariantów typu North Carolina (Scheme F z lat 1934-35) przewidywał okręt z 8 działami 356 mm w dwóch wieżach na rufie oraz z wyposażeniem lotniczym na dziobie… To ostatnie miało być dość liczne, składać się bowiem miało z 2 dźwigów, 3 katapult i 8-12 wodnosamolotów, wraz z hangarem, i zajmować miało całą część dziobową. To wskazuje, że okręt należy postrzegać jako pancernik rozpoznawczy bądź eskortowy. Wyposażenie artyleryjskie natomiast zgrupowano w całości na rufie, w efekcie czego pas pancerny mógł być dość krótki. Co ciekawe, projekt ten cieszył się poparciem Roosevelta, który preferował takie okręty-hybrydy. Niemniej, nie przeszkodziło to temu, że przepadł on na dość wczesnym etapie.
North Carolina, United States battleship laid down 1935 (Engine 1938)
Displacement:
33 971 t light; 35 576 t standard; 40 473 t normal; 44 389 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
780,02 ft / 750,00 ft x 106,00 ft x 31,99 ft (normal load)
237,75 m / 228,60 m x 32,31 m x 9,75 m
Armament:
8 - 14,02" / 356 mm guns (2x4 guns), 1 376,64lbs / 624,43kg shells, 1937 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline, all aft, 1 raised mount aft - superfiring
12 - 5,00" / 127 mm guns (6x2 guns), 62,50lbs / 28,35kg shells, 1932 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, all amidships, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
16 - 1,10" / 28,0 mm guns (4x4 guns), 0,67lbs / 0,30kg shells, 1929 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, 2 raised mounts - superfiring
4 - 1,10" / 28,0 mm guns (1x4 guns), 0,67lbs / 0,30kg shells, 1929 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mount
on centreline forward, all raised guns - superfiring
6 - 0,30" / 7,6 mm guns in single mounts, 0,01lbs / 0,00kg shells, 1925 Model
Machine guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, 4 raised mounts - superfiring
Weight of broadside 11 777 lbs / 5 342 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 120
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 17,0" / 432 mm 380,25 ft / 115,90 m 14,99 ft / 4,57 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 78% of normal length
- Torpedo Bulkhead:
2,99" / 76 mm 380,25 ft / 115,90 m 29,69 ft / 9,05 m
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 18,0" / 457 mm 13,0" / 330 mm 18,0" / 457 mm
2nd: 2,01" / 51 mm 0,98" / 25 mm 2,01" / 51 mm
- Armour deck: 3,19" / 81 mm (6,26" / 159 mm over amidships), Conning tower: 17,99" / 457 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 151 217 shp / 112 808 Kw = 30,00 kts
Range 13 500nm at 17,00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 8 813 tons
Complement:
1 426 - 1 854
Cost:
£15,299 million / $61,197 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1 472 tons, 3,6%
Armour: 11 956 tons, 29,5%
- Belts: 4 424 tons, 10,9%
- Torpedo bulkhead: 1 250 tons, 3,1%
- Armament: 2 530 tons, 6,3%
- Armour Deck: 3 295 tons, 8,1%
- Conning Tower: 457 tons, 1,1%
Machinery: 4 141 tons, 10,2%
Hull, fittings & equipment: 16 028 tons, 39,6%
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 6 502 tons, 16,1%
Miscellaneous weights: 375 tons, 0,9%
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
71 783 lbs / 32 560 Kg = 52,1 x 14,0 " / 356 mm shells or 11,7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1,12
Metacentric height 6,7 ft / 2,1 m
Roll period: 17,2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 72 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0,61
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1,45
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has rise forward of midbreak
Block coefficient: 0,557
Length to Beam Ratio: 7,08 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 27,39 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 54 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 30,00 degrees
Stern overhang: 8,99 ft / 2,74 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 36,42 ft / 11,10 m
- Forecastle (27%): 36,42 ft / 11,10 m
- Mid (65%): 28,41 ft / 8,66 m (18,44 ft / 5,62 m aft of break)
- Quarterdeck (16%): 19,46 ft / 5,93 m
- Stern: 23,43 ft / 7,14 m
- Average freeboard: 29,17 ft / 8,89 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 77,2%
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 208,6%
Waterplane Area: 55 850 Square feet or 5 189 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 125%
Structure weight / hull surface area: 194 lbs/sq ft or 949 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0,93
- Longitudinal: 1,96
- Overall: 1,00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily
3 catapults, 12 seaplanes
