USS North Carolina

I think it takes a "politically uncorrect" leader to win battles and wars. You darn sure can't do it by being nice to the other guy.
 
Two basic types of armor were used, Class A and Class B, with different properties. Class A was surface hardened via carbonation and quenching to attempt to shatter the projectile, and was typically used on vertical surfaces where a more nearly normal impact was expected, and Class B on horizontal surfaces where some deformation, attempting to cause a ricochet was considered optimal. SODAK's armor worked well. However it was not possible to provide such protection to the superstructure and extremities. It is possible to functionally disable much of the offensive capability without ever penetrating the main armor box, whitness Bismark. One might wonder how Washington might have fared had she been the recipient of the storm of shellfire with slightly less armor in a different arrangement. North Carolina was the only modern US Battleship to experience torpedo damage during the war. She was hit at a most vulnerable location abeam the number one turret where the torpedo belt is at it's thinnest, but survived well. Thatbsame fired torpedo spread hit her, sunk a destroyer and the carrier Wasp.T
 
Another interesting innovation with the South Dakota class was that they inclined the belt armor 19 degrees inward, making it "effectivly" much thicker. All to reduce the ships overall weight to keep the ships within the 35,000 ton limit imposed by the Washington Treaty. So while the main belt was only 12 inches thick, almost battlecruiser territory, it's effectiveness was greater because of it's inward angle.

- Paul
 
Excellent point made about functionally disabling a major warship without devastating structural damage to its core. US carriers are widely considered among the most impregnable vessels on the high seas; however, this is due primarily to their multiple layers of defense (including SSNs and the ship's own fighter and AEW force), rather than any intrinsic structural strength. If you have seen "The Sum of All Fears" you'll know what I mean - they can be defeated by being overwhelmed by ASCMs, which was an anticipated Soviet tactic if the Cold War ever went hot. To also be considered: Any warship - no matter how mighty - has an Achilles Heel composed of its screws and rudders. Even the loss of only one blade off a screw is enough to seriously affect the peak performance of the largest and mightiest aircraft carrier or battleship. For all their size and apparent strength some of their absolutely essential structure is quite delicate and vulnerable. Again, witness Bismarck.
 
Well, Hollywood movies not withstanding, the defense of carrier battle groups throughout the Cold War constantly drove the technology during this period. From vertical launch systems for AA missiles, to those radar directed 20mm Vulcan close-in weapon system (CWIS) mounts, to the F-14/Pheonix system for taking out the Soviet ASM shooters at long range, to radar systems such as the “3D” SPS-48, the USN has been constantly “abreast with” if not “ahead of” Soviet tactics during this time. It would have been “interesting” (if you weren't sitting in the CIC of a targeted CVN) to see if it would have worked... As for the intrinsic battle-worthiness of the “Forrestal and beyond” classes of carriers, I guess we'll have to wait for the report of the USS America (CV-66) to be made unclassified...

Meanwhile, looking forward to the North Carolina release... :)

- Paul
 
All of the modern USN Battleships used a Skeg arrangement, North Carolina and Iowa used a skeg on the inboard shafts and the SODAK's on the outboard shafts. This had several possible advantages in protecting shafts, propellers and rudders, as well as strengthening the hull in a location where depth is not possible. The outboard skegs were tried in SODAK to avoid some of the severe vibration that the NC's had at high speed. The longer hull form and the same four/five blade prop scenario seemed to reduce this in the Iowa's to a satisfactory level.

The Iowa's were mostly a 33 knot SODAK, with similar armor and underwater protection and a considerably more effective 16" 50 cal Mk7 light weight gun. The Washington, though on paper not as effective ship, got her licks in first and devistated her opponent in short order. Good fire control! Shots that don't hit don't count. There was a possibility at Leyte that an Iowa and Yamato might have come to blows. Though the 18.1" rifles on yamato threw a larger shell, Iowa etc had a heavy shell with a higher sectional density and at least as good penetration capacity, higher speed, better manuverability and superior long range fire control. The old saying goes, "if you are in a fair fight you screwed up".

T
 
Okay folks, got a lil more done to her. After I merge all the sections of the model together it takes 3 minutes to load it...lol. Here's how shes looking.:salute:
 
Looking great! Will it work in FSX? I'd like to drop her into a formation with CV-6 out by the Eastern Solomons... Love the story told in the Revell North Carolina kit instructions. Supposedly during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, while the task force was under air attack, BB-55 put up such an amazing barrage of AA (remember, nobody in that formation had ever seen a modern battlewagon erupt with everything 5" and below all at once before) that the Enterprise asked by radio if she was "afire". Love that! I wonder if it really happened!

- Paul
 
I remember hearing that story about SODAK.

Possibly the waterline should be moved up, these sat pretty deep in the water.

Cheers. T
 
I was thinking the waterline was a little off also. I'm looking at some photos in a book and the distance from the waterline to the deck looks to be not even twice the height of the 5" turrets.

I'm really looking forward to the release of this. I hope someone will do a USS Washington repaint for it.
 
Love the bridge. Can't wait to drive it around "Iron Bottom Sound" and Indispensable Strait. :)

- Paul
 
The bridge portholes had a plate steel attachment which could be swung up on the hinges and dogged in place, with just a viewing slit in the middle for GQ.

Looking great! T
 
1689 parts built and only GOD knows how many more to go....lol

I'm going to start the compile process in the next few days and would like to have about 4 or 5 beta testers to check it out and find what my worn out old eyes have missed.
If interested shoot me an e-mail and what I'll do is take the first ones that request it.:salute:
 
USS NC Gets underway

For the first time since October 2, 1961 the USS North Carolina is in open water for sea trials off the coast of Wilmington NC. Her aircraft have not been placed aboard yet, after sea trials are conducted they will be lifted on board her decks. Well actually there is a problem with the parts and would not compile so they went back into the workshop....lol

Sorry about the jiggly swigly lines, started getting those again not to long ago and can't seem to get rid of it.

Well here she is close to completion. :salute:
 
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