Portaaviones y Portadirigibles

[The Rock Doctor]

Ships built with the primary function of operating aircraft and/or airships.  Ships with secondary aviation facilities, such as the airship-carrying cruiser Guyana, are listed under their primary function.

Casanare Class - one unit, 1915

Yubarta Class - one unit, 1917

Espiritu Santo Class - one unit, 1918

[The Rock Doctor]

Casanare Class Protected Cruiser

The protected cruiser Casanare, being of rather limited fighting value at this point, has been selected (to the delight of her crew) to be testbed for naval aviation trials.  Specifically, a sloped wooden ramp is being constructed forward, and a single small aircraft (a Gonzalez G-2 scout) is perched on top.  

Casanare couldn't support the additional weight without sacrifices, so the forward 14cm mount and her four 50mm guns have all been landed.  The ship is also unable to take on a full load of coal - her range has been reduced by 500 nm (10 kts) as a result.



Casanare, PA-01 (was CP-11), laid down 1900, altered 1915

Displacement:
   2,491 t light; 2,584 t standard; 2,892 t normal; 3,139 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   410.11 ft / 410.11 ft x 42.65 ft x 13.78 ft (normal load)
   125.00 m / 125.00 m x 13.00 m  x 4.20 m

Armament:
     1 - 5.51" / 140 mm guns in single mounts, 83.72lbs / 37.98kg shells, 1900 Model
     Breech loading gun in a deck mount with hoist
     on centreline aft
     6 - 3.94" / 100 mm guns in single mounts, 30.51lbs / 13.84kg shells, 1900 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships
   Weight of broadside 267 lbs / 121 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 200
   2 - 18.0" / 457 mm above water torpedoes

Armour:
  - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.98" / 25 mm         -         0.98" / 25 mm
   2nd:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -

  - Armour deck: 0.98" / 25 mm, Conning tower: 1.97" / 50 mm

Machinery:
   Coal fired boilers, complex reciprocating steam engines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 7,503 ihp / 5,597 Kw = 20.33 kts
   Range 4,500nm at 10.00 kts (Bunkerage = 555 tons)

Complement:
   196 - 256

Cost:
   £0.279 million / $1.117 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 33 tons, 1.2 %
   Armour: 223 tons, 7.7 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 16 tons, 0.5 %
      - Armour Deck: 199 tons, 6.9 %
      - Conning Tower: 9 tons, 0.3 %
   Machinery: 1,172 tons, 40.5 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,026 tons, 35.5 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 401 tons, 13.9 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 37 tons, 1.3 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     2,160 lbs / 980 Kg = 25.8 x 5.5 " / 140 mm shells or 0.6 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.65
   Metacentric height 3.2 ft / 1.0 m
   Roll period: 10.0 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 71 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.09
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.65

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.420
   Length to Beam Ratio: 9.62 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 20.25 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 38 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 43
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: -3.28 ft / -1.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      12.47 ft / 3.80 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   12.47 ft / 3.80 m
      - Mid (50 %):      12.47 ft / 3.80 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   12.47 ft / 3.80 m
      - Stern:      12.47 ft / 3.80 m
      - Average freeboard:   12.47 ft / 3.80 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 142.0 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 124.5 %
   Waterplane Area: 10,905 Square feet or 1,013 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 101 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 60 lbs/sq ft or 295 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.98
      - Longitudinal: 1.21
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

[The Rock Doctor]

Yubarta Class

The deployment of the protected cruiser Guyana and blimp A-9 to the Indian Ocean was a test of the concept of aerial scouting for the Armada.  In general, Rear-Admiral Ramsey found the pairing to be quite useful, from spotting refugee boats and scouting coastal cities to (later) watching for RRC warships transiting the Strait of Malacca.  On the other hand, Guyana's support facilities were somewhat modest, and A-9 was consequently exposed to a lot of wear-and-tear, eventually being destroyed during a storm in September 1916.

Although planning for a new blimp-carrying cruiser does continue, the Armada's follow-up plans have concentrated on a "mobile aerodrome" concept in which a Type 0 airship hanger would be mounted on an auxiliary-type hull.  Such a vessel would be used as a based for blimp or airship operations in regions where no such facilities existed ashore.  It could also support blimps being forward-deployed to airship cruisers.

Notional plans for a smaller vessel with a large, rolling, shuttered roof were put forward, but arguments were made about the feasibility of constructing and maintaining such a device.  Its ability to support loads (the blimp, service crews, etc) was also questioned.  In the end, a conventional hanger, with doors facing aft, was settled upon, though a longer hull would be necessary to accommodate the landing deck aft.

The Yubarta will have a modest defensive armament, though it is recognized that the bulk of the hanger will make her a very inviting target in the event of a surface engagement.  Ideally, her role in combat will be taken from a safe anchorage well out of sight of any enemy forces.



PA-02, Yubarta, laid down 1917 (Engine 1916)

Displacement:
   6,345 t light; 6,516 t standard; 7,665 t normal; 8,585 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   446.73 ft / 436.35 ft x 91.86 ft x 11.15 ft (normal load)
   136.16 m / 133.00 m x 28.00 m  x 3.40 m

Armament:
     1 - 5.51" / 140 mm guns in single mounts, 83.72lbs / 37.97kg shells, 1912 Model
     Breech loading gun in a deck mount with hoist
     on centreline forward
     4 - 2.56" / 65.0 mm guns in single mounts, 8.38lbs / 3.80kg shells, 1912 Model
     Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
     on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
     6 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1912 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 117 lbs / 53 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 250

Armour:
  - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.98" / 25 mm   0.98" / 25 mm      2.95" / 75 mm
   3rd:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -
   4th:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 7,414 shp / 5,531 Kw = 16.36 kts
   Range 12,000nm at 12.00 kts (Bunkerage = 2,068 tons)

Complement:
   409 - 532

Cost:
   £0.273 million / $1.092 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 15 tons, 0.2 %
   Armour: 9 tons, 0.1 %
      - Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 9 tons, 0.1 %
      - Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 276 tons, 3.6 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 4,816 tons, 62.8 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 1,321 tons, 17.2 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 1,229 tons, 16.0 %
   -1,050 t:  Facilities for two SSZ type blimps, including hanger, hydrogen cracker, hydrogen storage, mooring mast, workshop & stores
   -100 t:  Air group workspace (weather office, photo development, etc.)
   -54 t:  Weight reserve
   -25 t:  Long-range wireless

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     88,276 lbs / 40,041 Kg = 1,054.4 x 5.5 " / 140 mm shells or 9.1 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
   Metacentric height 5.7 ft / 1.7 m
   Roll period: 16.2 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.02
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 2.00

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has low forecastle, rise forward of midbreak, low quarterdeck
   Block coefficient: 0.600
   Length to Beam Ratio: 4.75 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 20.89 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 36 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 35
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 10.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 6.56 ft / 2.00 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      21.65 ft / 6.60 m
      - Forecastle (27 %):   21.65 ft / 6.60 m (67.59 ft / 20.60 m aft of break)
      - Mid (68 %):      67.59 ft / 20.60 m (21.65 ft / 6.60 m aft of break)
      - Quarterdeck (16 %):   13.78 ft / 4.20 m (21.65 ft / 6.60 m before break)
      - Stern:      13.78 ft / 4.20 m
      - Average freeboard:   39.23 ft / 11.96 m
   Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 32.2 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 746.7 %
   Waterplane Area: 29,317 Square feet or 2,724 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 402 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 102 lbs/sq ft or 499 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.77
      - Longitudinal: 10.56
      - 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
   Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

[The Rock Doctor]

Espiritu Santo Class

The Espiritu Santo is the next step in Gran Colombian naval aviation, and is a logical continuation of experiments performed shoreside and aboard the old cruiser Casanare.  The ship is named for a Colombian frigate lost in the Second Colombian/Island Commonwealth War.

The airgroup will initially consist of two wheeled fighter planes and two scouting floatplanes.  The fighters are stored in a small hold under the taking-off ramp, and would be lifted up to the ramp via crane.  The floatplanes are stored in a modest hanger aft, serviced with a single crane aft.  It is anticipated that a variant of the floatplane with folding wings will be operational by the time the ship is actually completed and in service, allowing the floatplane capacity to increase to four.

It is envisaged that the ship would primarily support battleline operations - using the floatplanes for spotting and scouting, and using the fighters (if necessary) to intercept enemy units attempting the same.   At such time as Colombian capital ships begin shipping aircraft of their own, she might also function as a tender to them.

The ship is built on a cruiser-like hull.  The ship is faster than current and expected battleline speeds in order to allow for station keeping and aircraft operations.  She is armored against light cruiser gunfire, although given her place on the disengaged side of the battleline, it is unlikely she would actually see action.  Her armament is minimal, but she is expected to have an escort of some sort while operating.

One unit will be laid down in July 1918; a second unit is under consideration for 1919.



PA-03, Espiritu Santo, to be laid down 1918
PA-04, planned for 1919

Enter ship name, Enter country Enter ship type laid down 1916

Displacement:
   4,252 t light; 4,372 t standard; 4,894 t normal; 5,311 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
   426.07 ft / 402.89 ft x 54.79 ft x 14.11 ft (normal load)
   129.87 m / 122.80 m x 16.70 m  x 4.30 m

Armament:
      4 - 3.94" / 100 mm guns in single mounts, 30.51lbs / 13.84kg shells, 1916 Model
     Breech loading guns in deck mounts
     on side, all aft, all raised mounts - superfiring
      1 - 2.56" / 65.0 mm guns in single mounts, 8.38lbs / 3.80kg shells, 1916 Model
     Anti-aircraft gun in deck mount
     on centreline aft, 1 raised gun
      4 - 0.31" / 8.0 mm guns in single mounts, 0.02lbs / 0.01kg shells, 1916 Model
     Machine guns in deck mounts
     on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
   Weight of broadside 130 lbs / 59 kg
   Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Armour:
   - Belts:      Width (max)   Length (avg)      Height (avg)
   Main:   2.95" / 75 mm   278.87 ft / 85.00 m   13.12 ft / 4.00 m
   Ends:   Unarmoured
     Main Belt covers 106 % of normal length

   - Gun armour:   Face (max)   Other gunhouse (avg)   Barbette/hoist (max)
   Main:   0.98" / 25 mm         -               -
   2nd:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -
   3rd:   0.39" / 10 mm         -               -

   - Armour deck: 0.98" / 25 mm

Machinery:
   Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
   Direct drive, 2 shafts, 38,000 shp / 28,348 Kw = 27.59 kts
   Range 12,000nm at 10.00 kts (Bunkerage = 939 tons)

Complement:
   292 - 380

Cost:
   £0.590 million / $2.361 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
   Armament: 16 tons, 0.3 %
   Armour: 748 tons, 15.3 %
      - Belts: 459 tons, 9.4 %
      - Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
      - Armament: 9 tons, 0.2 %
      - Armour Deck: 281 tons, 5.7 %
      - Conning Tower: 0 tons, 0.0 %
   Machinery: 1,416 tons, 28.9 %
   Hull, fittings & equipment: 1,808 tons, 37.0 %
   Fuel, ammunition & stores: 642 tons, 13.1 %
   Miscellaneous weights: 264 tons, 5.4 %
-100 t:  Facilities for four floatplanes (aft)
-50 t:  Facilities for two wheeled airplanes (forward)
-25 t:  Long-range wireless
-25 t:  Operations centre (weather, navigation, etc)
-64 t:  Weight reserve

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
   Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
     7,324 lbs / 3,322 Kg = 240.0 x 3.9 " / 100 mm shells or 1.2 torpedoes
   Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.22
   Metacentric height 2.9 ft / 0.9 m
   Roll period: 13.5 seconds
   Steadiness   - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 80 %
         - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.04
   Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.36

Hull form characteristics:
   Hull has a flush deck
   Block coefficient: 0.550
   Length to Beam Ratio: 7.35 : 1
   'Natural speed' for length: 20.07 kts
   Power going to wave formation at top speed: 63 %
   Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 59
   Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 5.00 degrees
   Stern overhang: 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
   Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
      - Stem:      25.00 ft / 7.62 m
      - Forecastle (20 %):   21.00 ft / 6.40 m
      - Mid (50 %):      21.00 ft / 6.40 m
      - Quarterdeck (15 %):   21.00 ft / 6.40 m
      - Stern:      21.00 ft / 6.40 m
      - Average freeboard:   21.32 ft / 6.50 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
   Space   - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 103.0 %
      - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 211.0 %
   Waterplane Area: 15,405 Square feet or 1,431 Square metres
   Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 123 %
   Structure weight / hull surface area: 71 lbs/sq ft or 345 Kg/sq metre
   Hull strength (Relative):
      - Cross-sectional: 0.88
      - Longitudinal: 2.93
      - Overall: 1.00
   Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is adequate
   Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
   Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
   Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily