Beyond The Sprues

Current and Finished Projects => Profiles and Pixels => Topic started by: dy031101 on December 19, 2011, 06:53:58 AM

Title: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on December 19, 2011, 06:53:58 AM
This is where I'll post my mental notes...... and until I could get new stuff done...... guess I'll post old ones in groups according to themes.

The first batch has its background based on Arc3371's Soviet Manchuria buffer state story.  The People's Republic of China (PRC) was proclaimed in Manchuria after the ROC's Nationalist government army successfully reversed the Communist momentum at the Siege of Nanking in 1949 and pushed the Communist forces to the Northeast until the 1950 Soviet Intervention.  From that point forward, Manchuria has been given some of the best military aids the Soviet Union has to offer (CCP in this timeline has learned to keep their ideological conflict with the Kremlin to themselves).

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/SYS_FirstTurret_0.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/SYS_FirstTurret_1.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/SYS_FirstTurret_2.jpg)

The Sun Yat-Sen tank has been in the Republic of China service since before the end of World War II- alarmed by the news of Japanese purchase of a Tiger I tank, the Republic of China Army wanted something for a counter in case such a purchase either leads to a more-extensive acquisition or inspires a comparable design.  To that end they sent a delegation to inspect a Tiger tank captured in North Africa...... without prior experience in building a heavy tank, Chinese engineers mistakenly assumed that heavy tanks are meant to have overlapping road wheels and copied the so-equipped suspension of the Tiger.  They did make some adaptations for local manufacturing techniques and available raw materials (which by co-incidence became very similar to late model Tiger I, also modified to cope with material shortages).  Sprocket drive wheels were mounted to the rear in an attempt to further simplify the automotive scheme- it ended up lowering the vehicle's overall height, as the Americans found out during the development leading to the M26- and the hull and turret were mostly made of flat but sloped armour plates that were more easily put-together.

A French-made 90mm DCA gun was used to arm the tank due to non-availability of US-made 90mm gun (as of 1944); initially three ZB vz. 26 7.92mm machineguns functioned as a co-axial weapon, a hull-mounted weapon, and a commander's cupola weapon, respectively.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/SYS_FirstTurret_3.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/SYS_FirstTurret_4.jpg)

As US-made arms started coming in, SYS tanks also began to be produced with machineguns replaced by M1919 (hull and co-axial mounts) and M2HB (commander's cupola).  The main gun remained unchanged- in fact, the SYS tank would have been stuck with either 3" gun M7 or 76mm gun M1 in the first place if it wasn't for the French eagerness to regain prestiege by trying to establish its status as a full partner among the Allies after the liberation of France......

The tank overall outclassed Shinhoto Chi-Ha, the most numerous Japanese tanks during World War 2 (it took the higher-velocity gun of Chi-To just to stand a fighting chance, and only a planned version of Chi-Ri, to be armed with a 88mm gun, could compete on an equal footing- it never made it into mass-production), continued to reign supreme on Mainland China after the War of Resistance Against Japan is over- during the Chinese Civil War, the only true counter this tank available to the Communist insurgents are captured or defecting SYS tanks (otherwise they must rely on sappers pouring gasoline or throwing explosives)- until T-54 and T-55 were deployed by the Soviet Russian and Manchurian armies, whose nightfighting equipment gave the Soviet tanks an edge during the various border conflicts with China.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/SYS_BestTurret_1.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/SYS_BestTurret_2.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/SYS_BestTurret_3.jpg)

The eventual number of SYS tanks produced means that the type remains numerous into the 21st Century and has along the way received several stages of upgrades, with the latest (and quite possibly the last) being an European-inspired, 120mm gun turret originally developed for another new indigenous MBT.  The one as depicted above is being readied for the 2001 Afganistan campaign in concert with NATO forces.  Granted, it won't be this clean after a few RPG hits.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/F104WhatIfROCAF.jpg)

In the sky over and around Manchuria, the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) was able to maintain a qualitative advantage in terms of hardwares from late 1960s to early 1990s: the Soviets had been willing to supply the PRC with reasonably up-to-date aircraft as well as technical assistance for licenced-production (MiG-19, MiG-21, and MiG-23 as J-6, J-7, and J-8 respectively), whereas purges of political dissidents, territorial "arguments" with Japan and South Vietnam, and American paranoia that a well-equipped air force might make the ROC confident enough to militarily provoke the Soviets and then drag the US into the mess, led the Americans to place restriction on arms sales: licenced-production of F/TF-104G were granted, but request to purchase the F-4s had been repeatedly turned down.

Nevertheless, the ROCAF didn't remain still.  Their training remained formidable, and bits and pieces of advanced technologies continued to come through Europe as well as Israel to reinforce indigenous R&D efforts aimed at creating self-sufficiency.  Seeing the slow but increasing pace of Sino-European cooperations, the Americans did also gradually relaxed the restrictions they placed, and by early 1990s the ROCAF began a large-scale modernisation programme......

With the decision made in 1997 to mass-produce the TC-2 medium range air-to-air missile (built around a seekerhead based on design that lost the AIM-120 contract), F-104s capable of using this missile are rolling off production line.  In addition to a further improved fire control radar capable of supporting the TC-2 BVRAAM, this new variant of the Starfighter also comes equipped with licenced-manufactured Israeli Python III (as the TC-1B) and an indigenous helmet-mounted sight.  AIDC attempted a joint venture with Lockheed to market it under the designation "F-104GX" but found no taker (not that there are that many to begin with since the 1990s).

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/f_ck_101_1.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/f_ck_101_2.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/f_ck_101_3.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/f_ck_101_4.jpg)

The F-CK-101 is the Chinese response to the MiG-29 Fulcrum and Su-27 Flanker then being introduced by the USSR in the 1980s and Manchuria later on.  During AIDC's cooperation with General Dynamics (after a previous venture with Lockheed was unable to receive continued US approval), American advisors have always maintained that if AIDC is interested in using the J79 turbojet to power the new fighter jet, using F-16/79 as the basis will save a lot of time and money.  This proposal was later accepted in 1982, when the US finally approved the export of the J79-17X (or J79-119, as the mass-produced turbojet is designated) after having thwarted all previous Chinese attempts to purchase the engine.

Under the design designation XX-101, the basic F-16/79 was modified initially with a double-delta-wing planform.  This was reverted to the traditional delta-wing planform after analyzing the Mirage-2000, which proved that manuverability can be achieved with the progress of aviation technology such as fly-by-wire and relaxed static stability airframes.  The engine air intake was also replaced by one that turned out to be very similar to that of the later Eurofighter Typhoon (although both efforts are unrelated) to improve the airflow, and to satisfy the ROCAF's request "the more AAMs it can carry, the better", a wingtip over-under twin rack for short-range air-to-air missiles was devised, with the added benefit of the twin racks' aerodynamic fairing providing space for ECM equipment.

Fire control radar borrowed heavily from the APG-67 with some features of the APG-66 and was produced locally as the Golden Dragon 53 (as in real-life except for optimisation to conform to the F-16's avionics capacity and the presence of a CW illuminator for AIM-7 guidance).  Interestingly, the aircraft is provided with Bendix-King AN/ARC-200 high frequency single-sideband radio and the Teledyne/E Systems APX-109 Advanced IFF system, both otherwise reserved for fighter interceptor version of the F-16 defending Continental US, and a 150000 candlepower night identification spotlight was installed on the port side of the nose (below and in front of the cockpit) to aid in the identification of nighttime intruders.

Fixed armament is composed of the usual M61A1 Vulcan cannon, and there are 13 store attachment points- one twin over-under rails on each wingtip for AAMs, three under each wing (similar to the stock F-16A), one on each main landing gear bay door specifically for beyond-visual-range AAMs (although this feature was rarely used), and one under the fuselage centreline for either a 300-gallon fuel tank or the ALQ-184 ECM pod.

Anti-aircraft-specialized weapons at first included AIM-9P Sidewinder missiles and local copies of the AIM-7 Sparrow, reverse-engineered from ground-launched examples used by the Skyguard system.  Two can be carried under the wings, and two more on the main landing gear bay door rails.  Later on the Tien Chien 1 and 2 missiles would round out the air-to-air arsenal of the aircraft.  Although initially meant as an interceptor, surface attack stores, such as the HF-2 AShM and its derivative cruise missiles, were integrated as their developments were complete to conform the changing national defense strategy of the ROC, and the type has seen prominent deployment of rockets and guided bombs during ROC's 2001 campaign in support of the Global War on Terror in Afghanistan.

The F-CK-101 would later be joined by the EF-2000 Typhoon.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/ROC-AOEH-MtShei.png~original)

Meant as an early experiment on operations of aircraft carriers, the ship's design was altered so that the rear superstructure was offset to the starboard side, and an angled flight deck was sponsoned to the port side.  In addition, the ship serves as a test ship for command and control systems (which indeed started in a rudimentary configuration) that would eventually be used for indigenous warships, a high-speed diesel engine (which allows for a maximum speed of 26 knots but is deemed impractical on the smaller major surface combatants), and a helicopter-mounted airborne early warning radar inspired by an ex-ARVN ELINT UH-1H that force landed on a ROCN LST during the Vietnam War.  When Philippine started stationing F-8P jet fighters on Thitu Island, a small airgroup of five FV-8Cs are embarked operationally to provide air defense for South China Sea naval patrols.  The ship itself as built was armed with a Sea Chaparral missile launcher, two Phalanx cannons, and various small arms.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/RoC-CGH-YiXian-1-AU.png~original)

ROCS Yi-Xiān is an aircraft-carrying cruiser, first of its kind in the Republic of China Navy, and the second aircraft-carrying ship after the Mt. Shei AOEH with its experimental STOVL support facilities.  Only one was built, and its stint as an ASW taskforce flagship against Manchurian and Soviet navies in case Cold War goes hot is brief, being supplemented by the larger Ning-Hai class cruisers, but along with Mt. Shei, it  operates frequently in South China Sea against the encroaching Filipino and Vietnamese.

It follows the layout defined by the Soviet Kiev class aviation cruiser and the abortive US Strike Cruiser Mk.II- armaments forward, superstructures offset to the starboard side and a flightdeck aft and offset to the port side- although its outside appearance does nothing to hide the heavy influence placed upon it by ROCN's existing fleet of multi-role export variant of Spruance class destroyers.  The armament comprised a single 120mm TAK-120 turret, one 44-round Mk 26 Mod.4 launcher for RIM-66 Standard MR SAM and ASROC anti-submarine rockets, two quadruple Hsiung Feng II missile launchers, and two Phalanx Mk 15.  The air group comprised six FV-8C (American version of Sea Harrier based on AV-8C airframe and initially equipped with a version of AN/APQ-159) and nine Seahawks helicopters.  Three hangars in the superstructure could house six of the Seahawks, the rest of the air group being carried in an aft below decks hangar.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/ROC-CVS-SCS_WeiSheng-1-AU.gif)

Two STOVL carriers, based on the Spanish export design that became the Royal Thai Navy carrier Chakri Naruebet, were ordered in the late 1990s to further expand upon the ROCN's aviation cruiser forces.  Unlike other ships of their family, they are equipped with their own ASW sensor suite and armed with RGM-84L launchers, anti-submarine torpedoes, as well as 40mm L70 guns to give them some "cruiser" characteristics.  Despite the illustration calling for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as part of their airwings, the JSF programme going the way it has means that Sea Harriers would soldier on aboard.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/MiG-29S_PLAAF.jpg)

As previously explained, the PLAAF was able to maintain a qualitative advantage in terms of hardwares from late 1960s to early 1990s: in addition to the Red Army units stationed in Manchuria, the Soviets had been willing to supply reasonably-up-to-date technology to the People's Republic of China.  The MiG-29 was acquired in 1992, replacing J-8s and the oldest J-7s in the PLAAF arsenal.  They are capable of firing R-77 missiles, although initially the Fulcrums came with R-27 as their primary BVRAAM.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Beefier Airabonita With A Radial
Post by: dy031101 on February 10, 2012, 09:05:08 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/XFL-1_r2800_colour1.jpg)

So...... what if Bell designed the P-39/XFL-1 around a radial instead of a liquid-cooled engine?

Yeah, I suppose it's only a matter of time before I think about putting colours into it.  What do you think for this first try?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: Tophe on February 10, 2012, 12:17:24 PM
I love your radial-engine Airacobra/Airabonita, most of all... :-*
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: Empty Handed on February 11, 2012, 02:01:15 AM
Quote
What do you think for this first try?

Count me in as a fan!  :-*
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: JP Vieira on February 11, 2012, 03:38:26 AM
Great Work!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: GTX_Admin on February 11, 2012, 04:13:36 AM
Outstanding!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on February 11, 2012, 08:40:35 AM
Late model with four-blade propeller and a new wing.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/XFL-1_r2800_colour2.jpg)

Hum...... I dunno, but the something doesn't feel all that right with this one...... maybe I'll try another colour scheme later.

Suggestion would be welcomed.  ;)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: GTX_Admin on February 11, 2012, 08:41:41 AM
Looks good to me.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: M.A.D on February 11, 2012, 01:22:30 PM
G'day dyo31101

Mate I love your F-CK-101!!!!!!

I'm a great fan of the F-16XL (original F-16E/F series) and your F-CK-101 is a great utilisation of a design which I believe should have gone into service  :(

Is that a IAI Lavi intake arrangement incorporated into its design?

Any chance of a side profile of this baby??

P.S I am particularly interested in the twin wing-tip Aim-9 Sidewinder arrangement!!
Are you aware that General Dynamics actually studied such an arrangement for the F-16?   

M.A.D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: elmayerle on February 11, 2012, 02:04:17 PM
And Northrop looked at something similar for the F-5E/F and F-20.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on February 11, 2012, 11:36:39 PM
I love your radial-engine Airacobra/Airabonita, most of all... :-*


Your comment makes me wonder if a zwillinged tail-dragger is a good idea, but then I realized there was always the F-82......

===========================================

This is the real-life illustration of how the design, XX-101, would roughly have been implemented:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3283/3530222216_be23036bba_o.jpg)

I'm a great fan of the F-16XL (original F-16E/F series) and your F-CK-101 is a great utilisation of a design which I believe should have gone into service  :(


The XX-101 design was originally intended as a replacement of the F-104, so high-speed performance was part of the requirement, leading to interests in delta wing planform (although the XX-101 was evaluated only with double-delta wing).

Is that a IAI Lavi intake arrangement incorporated into its design?


Everything was based on the F-16/79.  But since the plane itself is going to be newly-built, components can be further optimised for the J79 turbojet.

Any chance of a side profile of this baby??


I would very much like to have a chance to do that, since I have something to work from (thanks again, Coops213!).

P.S I am particularly interested in the twin wing-tip Aim-9 Sidewinder arrangement!!


The "the more missile it can carry, the better" phrase was indeed the real-life initial requirement of the ROCAF.

Are you aware that General Dynamics actually studied such an arrangement for the F-16?

And Northrop looked at something similar for the F-5E/F and F-20.


Cool!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: M.A.D on February 12, 2012, 03:26:00 PM
And Northrop looked at something similar for the F-5E/F and F-20.

I never knew that my friend  :o
Have you any pics/drawings of these configurations???

M.A.D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: elmayerle on February 12, 2012, 10:15:45 PM
I'm afraid not as it was 30 years ago and I only saw them in passing while working there on other programs.  I do remember that it was a Y-rack configuration but that's about all.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- GTX's Single-Seat F-14 In Colours
Post by: dy031101 on February 13, 2012, 06:06:21 AM
GTX's line drawing reminds me one thing- hey I did fantasize about a single-seat F-14, too.

So one day I figured what the hell, I'd just go ahead and re-produce that fantasy, which began when I first finished the arcade "Air Combat 22" at Playdium (a.k.a. SEGA CITY back then), since the line drawing is pretty consistent with what I have in mind anyway.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/F14X_acesLead.jpg)

Although inheriting the F-14X designation from a stripped-down version of the Tomcat, this aircraft in fact retains most of the fully-equipped Tomcat's capabilities by adopting the fire control system of the abortive F-15N, including the Phoenix-capable AN/APG-64 radar.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Blue-and-blue
Post by: dy031101 on February 14, 2012, 12:48:49 PM
I am by no means the first person to think of a F-14 clad in the colour scheme of F-2A, but I thought the camo goes well together with the one used above...... the intended theme for this one is "ally/friendly-rival" for that single-seater.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/F-14A_aeriesLead.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: M.A.D on February 14, 2012, 03:12:15 PM
I'm afraid not as it was 30 years ago and I only saw them in passing while working there on other programs.

 :o You worked their? As in Northrop???  :P


M.A.D
Title: Re: 's Mental Notes- Blue-and-Blue
Post by: M.A.D on February 14, 2012, 03:16:00 PM
Quote
GTX's line drawing reminds me one thing- hey I did fantasize about a single-seat F-14


Ok............ not that there is anything wrong with fanticisy over an F-14 dy031101
Mind you there is not much right about that either  ;) Ha ha ha

M.A.D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Blue-and-Blue
Post by: GTX_Admin on February 14, 2012, 03:28:16 PM
Nice F-14s
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: elmayerle on February 15, 2012, 10:38:03 AM
I'm afraid not as it was 30 years ago and I only saw them in passing while working there on other programs.

 :o You worked their? As in Northrop???  :P
A-yup.  12-1/2 years evenly divided between the B-2 (I can claim great intimate knowledge of the No.1 aircraft) and the AGM-137A/BGM-137B Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: apophenia on February 15, 2012, 11:53:46 AM
A-yup...

So are you with Northrop's Leeds or Bradford Division, Evan?  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Blue-and-Blue
Post by: elmayerle on February 15, 2012, 12:03:22 PM
*snicker* Neither - started with the Advanced Systems Division in Pico Rivera, then moved over to Aircraft Division in Hawthorne (still lived near Pico Rivera and had to drive across the LA basin to and from work - a standard transmission was a mistake in that traffic, some days felt like I was rowing to work).  My speaking and word choice tends to be somewhat influenced by having lived a fair bit of time in Texas (it's not the state I was born in, but it's the one I most feel at home in).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Blue-and-Blue
Post by: apophenia on February 18, 2012, 06:21:17 AM
Funny to think of working on some of those most advanced technology on the planet but stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on the way there and back again!

Out of curiosity, is "a-yup" reet common aht theeare in the The Lonestar State? Or, 'appen, summat tha’s sammed up abroad?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Jaguar With A Tail Gun
Post by: dy031101 on February 19, 2012, 04:09:20 AM
Genius!!! :icon_surprised:


I'll take your words for it, Rafa.  ;D

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/JaguarTailgunColour.jpg)

Maybe a couple more AS.30s under the wings would further its potency...... but anyway......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Jaguar With A Tail Gun
Post by: JP Vieira on February 25, 2012, 07:18:24 PM
Very interesting idea
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- The Mood Strikes Me
Post by: dy031101 on February 27, 2012, 04:23:14 AM
Another Shipbucket alteration done without much of a rhyme or reason...... alright, maybe Nil's models kinda fuelled the urge- and I didn't even think much of the Sea Tornado idea before......

The Royal Oak is there either when regular fleet carriers are overkills or when fleet carriers cannot bring enough airplanes to bear.  Due to size it can carry fewer types of aircraft in fewer total numbers, meaning that she can carry out fewer roles simultaneously than her bigger fleet counterparts.  But the Spanish-designed CVL is cheaper.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/GB-CVL-Bazan-BSAC-220_-Royal-Oak.gif)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Shipbucket Alteration
Post by: JP Vieira on February 27, 2012, 05:16:36 AM
Great one. Love the Sea Tornado
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Shipbucket Alteration
Post by: dy031101 on February 27, 2012, 05:30:21 AM
Thanks.  I am inclined to start thinking of Shipbucket drawings as something that is like a "small and simple, but illustrating an idea" kind of thing.  I like that.

Granted, a 3D model can be more detailed, but they are like a plastic/resin/diecast model in that they take time and attention to detail to make, just not occupying physical volumes......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Two More Shipbucket Alterations
Post by: dy031101 on February 29, 2012, 11:48:51 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/upgradedGearing.gif)

I always wonder what if we put Gearing FRAM mod. and DDG-1 Gyatt together...... then I want to protray it as part of an European-influenced navy, so Otomat SSM was added.  The launcher is a hybrid of Mk.10 and Mk.26 put together by the ship's operator country; target illumination for SM-1MR is actually meant to be provided by two STIR-180s emplaced side-by-side.  I originally wanted to keep two twin 5" forward but then realized that I didn't quite know where else to put ASW torpedo launchers, so one of the main gun turrets was replaced by a Sea Vulcan and the torpedo launchers.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/cruiser_Nike-Pheonix.gif)

I want to do this one as a Nike-Phoenix ship after elmayerle mentioned it.  I did start out from the Albany class cruiser drawing, but I intended it as a merely-Albany-influenced newly-built (maybe somewhere in or after the '70s, and maybe not even made-in-USA) vessel.  I figure that with a more-compact fire control system, the superstructure wouldn't have to be that tall...... except for the smokestacks I guess.

Expect further minor adjustment to this...... first off, I don't know if I'm happy with keeping the original style of bridge superstructure- I always thought the Russian Kirov class has a cooler-looking style to it and am a little bit tempted to emulate.  Two, I wonder what kind of European-influenced sensor suite would be as close as I get or better to the American NTU (granted, since I'm going for the Nike-Phoenix anyway, the question "why don't you just go for NTU" is bound to surface somewhere down the road).  Third, either that ASROC launcher amidship would be modified to fire Harpoon missiles, or it has gotta go and be replaced with dedicated AShM containers......

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Shipbucket Alteration
Post by: JP Vieira on February 29, 2012, 06:51:32 PM
Thanks.  I am inclined to start thinking of Shipbucket drawings as something that is like a "small and simple, but illustrating an idea" kind of thing.  I like that.

Granted, a 3D model can be more detailed, but they are like a plastic/resin/diecast model in that they take time and attention to detail to make, just not occupying physical volumes......

Agree. I enjoy both working methods (it depends on my mood): either more detailed or faster but still very effective.
I am also developing a method of illustrating some ideas (particular scenes) in a less time-consuming way.
Thank you
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Keeping Brainstorming
Post by: dy031101 on March 02, 2012, 09:57:41 AM
Keeping brainstorming...... now adding more of elmayerle's idea (by the virtue of Rockwell VFX's AWG-9).  I'm also hoping that some minor cosmetic change to the bridge can "give off a different feel to it".

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/cruiser_Nike-Pheonix_1.gif)

I don't know why I felt the urge to replace the 5" guns with the Japanese 100mm/L65...... I just did feel it.  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Nike-Phoenix Cruiser Brainstorming
Post by: JP Vieira on March 03, 2012, 01:31:54 AM
Very good
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off / Vikramaditya or Kreml?
Post by: dy031101 on March 03, 2012, 03:13:12 PM
Yesterday it came to me...... the Rockwell VFX for some reason kinda reminds me of the MiG-29......

Well then, it just might go well with a carrier that reminds me of either Vikramaditya or Kreml, too.

Two questions in the meantime:

1. does anyone know how the Rockwell VFX would have carried the AIM-54?

2. Vikramaditya or Kreml (http://www.shipbucket.com/images.php?dir=Never%20Built%20Designs/Russia/R%20CV%20Kreml%201.gif)? (See poll: the WIP went Vikramaditya for now but surely I can still push it either way.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off / Vikramaditya or Kreml?
Post by: Tophe on March 03, 2012, 03:31:56 PM
It seems I am the first one to vote, dy. I was not understanding the words but Google helped: Indian carrier of Sea-Harrier or Russian classical carrier, right?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off / Vikramaditya or Kreml?
Post by: JP Vieira on March 03, 2012, 07:28:54 PM
Kreml for sure
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off / Vikramaditya or Kreml?
Post by: dy031101 on March 03, 2012, 09:43:26 PM
It seems I am the first one to vote, dy. I was not understanding the words but Google helped: Indian carrier of Sea-Harrier or Russian classical carrier, right?

Vikramaditya is the ex-STOVL aviation cruiser converted into a more-traditional STOBAR configuration for India's upcoming MiG-29.

Kreml as linked to in my post is the speculative configuration of what turns out to be Kusnetzov.  Before the real Kusnetzov showed up, the West thought it would simply have been a bigger and badder Kiev class with catapults.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off
Post by: dy031101 on March 06, 2012, 11:39:56 AM
It appears that Kreml votes outnumber Vikramaditya, so here it is:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/cruiser_Aviation.gif)

It's meant to be a companion ship to the Nike-Phoenix missile cruiser, and the embarked aircraft are already armed with long range missiles, so the aviation cruiser itself does not carry area air defence weapons.  Instead, the ship's onboard armaments are intended primarily for anti-ship (Harpoon missiles) and anti-submarine (ASROC) warfares.  And because it's a companion ship to that Nike-Phoenix missile cruiser, I was going to use the Japanese-made 100mm/L65 guns again but ended up thinking that a more-optimised AA gun might be more useful, hence the ultimate choice of the 76mm guns.  The ship is intended to have two "internal" type deck elevators like the Kiev class or the Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Now putting the Kreml next to it:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/cruiser_Kreml.gif)

......

...... okay.  Maybe I should have used the Tomahawk ABLs instead of the Harpoon launchers......

Comments and suggestions are welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on March 11, 2012, 10:38:20 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/cruiser_CGV.gif)

Added below-waterline parts to the aviation cruiser and replaced the Harpoon launchers...... inside the modified Armored Box Launchers is a twin-tube for a fictional evolution of Rb08 as a counterpart to P-500 Bazalt SSM used by the Kiev class (maybe all that is left of the Rb08 is the general external appearance).

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/cruiser_catobarKrechyet.gif)

Think of its angled deck as in the configuration of the one used by Vikramaditya except, since it launches non-STOVL aircraft without a skijump, for the presence of two catapults and associated blast deflectors.

I was having an intellectual exercise on what an exportable Kiev class cruiser would have been like but was stuck after putting Volna launchers in place of the Shtorm systems.  I wonder how potent those post-2000 Pechora upgrades could have made the Volna system......

==========================================================

A while ago I heard that MEKO 360H2 was actually one of the candidates for the Taiwanese project that ultimately led to the local construction of O.H. Perry class FFG.  Hum......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/ROC-FFG-Meko-360-_Cheng-Kung-1.gif)

Granted, the 12-round SM-1 launcher falls far short of the 40-round capacity of O.H. Perry; I frankly don't know how or if the ROC would have actually armed the MEKO with SM-1 missiles (considering there would have been no ROCN O.H. Perry in this case, however......); the four 40mm/L70 positions would have been quite some counter to the PLAN of the old though.

The electronics remain mostly unchanged (except for the removal of the dedicated FCRs for the 40mm since 40mm guns in ROCN are an anti-FAC weapon rather than a CIWS) as the ROCN had a history of using Dutch products on their warships, too.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: JP Vieira on March 11, 2012, 06:17:27 PM
Looking great
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on March 12, 2012, 12:23:07 PM
This is...... a couple of "antagonist" vessels.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/enemyDestroyer_ASW.gif)

Although primarily intended for anti-submarine warfare (hence a glider-delivered-torpedo launcher at the stern), this class of destroyer is actually also armed with a turbojet-powered evolution of the Termit AShM, making it capable of contributing in fleet actions.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/enemyDestroyer_ASuW.gif)

Anti-surface warfare version of the destroyer illustrated in the top picture.  SAM launcher is relocated aft, and the 5"/L40 DP gun as well as the glider-delivered-torpedo launcher gave way to two twin 5"/L50 turrets that are more powerful against surface targets but only nominally capable of AA use due to their very slow training speeds compared to the truly-DP 5"/L40.

========================================================================

Maybe I should come up with a wider variety of ships to carry the evolved Rb08 for fleet actions, too...... or a version of it as LACM......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Aircraft Cruiser
Post by: dy031101 on March 18, 2012, 02:21:33 PM
Notes for the picture (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg12650#msg12650):

Another aircraft cruiser- this onet has six 15"/L42 guns, four in two twin turrets and one in a casemate on each side, as a bombardment weapon with a range of about 32000 yards.

In sorties involving anti-aircraft manoeuvres, the cruiser can embark F7U-4 Cutlass interceptors, version re-equipped with J54 (a.k.a. Avon) turbojets, a stronger double-extensible nose undercarriage leg (so that the forward fuselage can remained lowered until catapult launch for easy crew access), and a TV camera that enables the two-man crew to visually identify target for Sparrow missile attacks.  It is also known to operate the somewhat more-versatile F5D Skylancer air-superiority fighters (with a frequently-exercised secondary role of surface attack using bombs and rockets), the compact H-2 Seasprite helicopters, and E-1 Tracer AEW aircraft.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: JP Vieira on March 19, 2012, 12:09:25 AM
Your boat designs are great
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: Rafael on March 19, 2012, 12:32:35 AM
Ditto!!!

And this heavily armed Aircraft Cruiser means business
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on March 19, 2012, 06:09:56 AM
Thanks.  ;)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/cruiser_CutlassSkylancer.gif)

Re-arranged things a little to increase the number of CIWS from two to four (each icon is now denoting a pair, port-and-starboard of the superstructure and the stern).  And the F7U-4 now uses bridles like everyone else on the ship.

Would keeping some fire control radars around help the Simbad launchers in their operations?  Or do they really need only the 3D air search radar and nothing could be gained with anything more?

People might also wonder why this cruiser has sonar despite a lack of ASW weapons...... maybe utility/transport Seasprites outfitted with torpedo pylons to carry out vectored attacks could be the weapons.

=======================================================================

And an old one of mine:

(http://i.imgur.com/jdzxh2S.png)

All previously-posted aircraft cruisers (excluding that Kreml with Russian Red Star in #35; it was there just for comparison) in this thread are actually meant to go with this one in a Strangereal-like parallel worlds setting, hence the rather liberal mix of equipment of various origin for those ships  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on March 23, 2012, 08:57:00 AM
Just some very fast one today......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/FFG-Horizon-0-AU.gif)

Alterations are rather limited in scope here.  Just the CNGF-UK from the Never Built section with hull of Horizon from the Real Design section.  Just figured that since they share common origins......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: apophenia on March 23, 2012, 09:58:09 AM
Nice! That Dauphin looks a little lost on the Forbin deck though (compared with the Merlin anyway)  ;)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on March 24, 2012, 09:26:08 PM
That Dauphin looks a little lost on the Forbin deck though (compared with the Merlin anyway)  ;)


Better? (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg13124#msg13124)  ;)

Yeah, I probably should have modded the upper drawing with a NH90, too, even if just for comparison purposes.

=========================================================

This is meant as the alternative to the destroyer armed with navalized HAWK missile here (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=212.msg9539#msg9539).

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/PU-DDG-County_-withNavalHAWK-1-AU.gif)

Due to the location of the loader, the launcher faces toward the helipad for reloading.  And the hanger is now of a telescoping type.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: apophenia on March 25, 2012, 11:12:01 AM
Better? ([url]http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg13124#msg13124[/url])  ;)

Yeah, I probably should have modded the upper drawing with a NH90, too, even if just for comparison purposes.


Much!  My comment was aimed more at  Marine nationale's RW capabilities than your excellent image. Now if NHI could just deliver on time ... ;)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on March 28, 2012, 08:03:57 PM
Just...... some of the stuff you might see again in the future.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/planes.gif)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: elmayerle on March 29, 2012, 11:49:57 AM
Looks like some interesting Vigi developments there.  Any chance of seeing a KA-5 derivative of the RA-5C?  That's on my list of projects along with an EA-5.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on March 30, 2012, 08:15:03 AM
Looks like some interesting Vigi developments there.

I remember that once upon a time, I saw a line drawing of an interceptor version of the Vigilante armed with AIM-54...... and I don't mean the NR-349.

My memory tells me that it has VG wings...... but now all I could find is the attached picture.

And I am still thinking hard on what kind of ships I ought to put them on  :icon_meditation:
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 03, 2012, 12:33:10 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/PU-FFG-MEKO360_-withStandard1MR-0-AU.gif)

This is a result of me wanting to see another ship otherwise unable to easily be armed with area air defence weapons taking the trainable-box Tartar launcher (except that Tartar is then replaced with Standard 1MR).  Ultimately I continued with the MEKO 360......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU-FS-Type1-0-AU.gif)

Helicopter patrol craft

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU-FFG-Knox_-withNonWesternAShMs-0-AU.gif)

Inspired by what Indonesia did to one of their ex-Dutch frigates, this Knox class FFG is armed with C-802 and Yakhont  >:D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 07, 2012, 12:32:04 PM
Before I could finish thinking the current brainstorm topic, new ones came along......

This picture is more or less based on Ace Combat 04 videogame for PS2...... The "Invincible" Aegir Fleet.  Granted, their carrier ingame is a Nimitz class, but since they seem to be an avid user of Kamov helicopters, I put together a carrier that justifies their use and also put them on the "cruiser" (the Hatakaze class DDG in real-life) and the "destroyer" (in reality the Cassard class FFG), too.  Also I gave them a more-European sensor suite.

The carrier is STOBAR type, and some Ka-25Ks have their bigger radomes housing a different radar to function as AEW assets onboard the ship due to concern that the skijump might have problem supporting heavier fixed-wing AEW aircraft.  And the ship is again given some cruiser characteristics in the form of AShM launchers.

Their standard CIWS is the triple launcher for Sea Cat Mk.2, which is essentially a Sea Cat launcher modified to launch an all-new missile that leveraged technologies from the Sea Wolf PDMS.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/erusianFleet.gif)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 11, 2012, 11:48:50 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/nz6zq9n.png)

This one carries 16 evolved Rb 08 AShMs (I want to place more emphasis on the "cruiser" part of this hybrid).  I realized that VLS would have been better as primary armaments are concentrated forward, but I also want to avoid systems including and later than Mk.41......  My only regret is to not be able to find a spot for a forth Sea Wolf Light-Weight launcher and tracking radar set.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: GTX_Admin on April 11, 2012, 03:49:24 PM
I like that.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: ChernayaAkula on April 12, 2012, 07:48:31 AM
With Rb 08 AShMs? Neat!  :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 12, 2012, 08:07:29 AM
Thanks.

With Rb 08 AShMs?

An evolution thereof, so to speak.

Analogous to how the PRC made all the spin-offs out of the basic Termit design and all...... because I don't want to use Tomahawk.  >:D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 15, 2012, 11:47:49 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/battlecruiser_Skyhook-1-AU.png)

I remember reading somewhere that Yak-41, due to the hot exhaust generated by both the main jet AND the lift jets, actually does not lend itself to well to shipborne operation, and that an elaborate water spray system is planned to cool down the flight deck.

Hum...... I wonder if hovering over the water alongside the carrier, then, rather than over the carrier itself would help alleviate the "exhaust heat too hot for flight deck" problem, hence the look at the Skyhook......

A Skyhook cruiser with at least 30-plane capacity is what I'd ultimately like to aim for though.  Does anyone have a suggestion?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: elmayerle on April 15, 2012, 11:57:45 AM
You'd probably need multiple skyhook units for that capacity, say two  or three per side and spaced far enough apart for movement clearances.  Your upper works would have to be built around clearing the access hatches for each skyhook to reach the hanger deck.  It would make for a different looking ship.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 15, 2012, 12:09:39 PM
Your upper works would have to be built around clearing the access hatches for each skyhook to reach the hanger deck.

Hold on...... somehow I am not exactly clear on the "built around clearing the access hatches for each skyhook to reach the hanger deck" phrase.

Would you mind elaborating?

Just want to do it right.  :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: elmayerle on April 15, 2012, 12:16:56 PM
You will need an access hatch in the main deck for each skyhook to allow the crane to reach down and acquire the aircraft.  You likely will not be able to easily have structure intruding into the movement envelope this requires and, as a result, the upper works will have to be designed to  leave those volumes of space clear.

I hope this makes my concept more clear.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 15, 2012, 12:31:29 PM
You will need an access hatch in the main deck for each skyhook to allow the crane to reach down and acquire the aircraft.  You likely will not be able to easily have structure intruding into the movement envelope this requires and, as a result, the upper works will have to be designed to  leave those volumes of space clear.

I hope this makes my concept more clear.

Oh so you mean that, rather than having the hatches at the sides (see attachment), you are visualizing the hatches being on the hanger roof, correct?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: elmayerle on April 15, 2012, 12:51:45 PM
Correct, and it allows the hanger deck to be fully sealed for combat, except for when the hatches are open.  The side hatches/sponsons look to require a hanger deck that's more open.  I can see arguements for both approaches and I imagine they'll both be gamed intensively in the design phase.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 16, 2012, 11:00:37 AM
You'd probably need multiple skyhook units for that capacity, say two or three per side and spaced far enough apart for movement clearances.


Just getting started but for the sake of the above-quoted suggestion:

*See Below* (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg15533#msg15533)

Is it far enough?

I've based it on the Kiev class hull...... thinking that the hull depth of the Kiev class means more space for whatever the VTOL airwing would need- it's a safe assumption, right?  Or would the hull depth of, say, Kirov class be sufficient?  (If the choice of powerplant would be a factor, I'll state my intention of keeping it conventionally-powered.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: elmayerle on April 16, 2012, 12:03:14 PM
Looks good to me.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 18, 2012, 07:45:23 AM
How does this look?

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/carrier_Skyhook-0-AU.gif)

Comments and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: GTX_Admin on April 18, 2012, 04:27:41 PM
Looking damn fine.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: arc3371 on April 26, 2012, 03:29:16 AM
Having just played India in a forum game I would love to see your take on the Vikramaditya (and Vikrant or Kolkata)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 26, 2012, 08:05:59 AM
Having just played India in a forum game I would love to see your take on the Vikramaditya (and Vikrant or Kolkata)

How different is it to be from the real-life one?  8)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: arc3371 on April 26, 2012, 08:22:09 AM
Finished on time? ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 26, 2012, 08:25:22 AM
No I mean there is this (http://www.shipbucket.com/images.php?dir=Real%20Designs/India/In%20CV%20Gorshkov_%20VIKRAMADITYA%201.gif)......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: arc3371 on April 26, 2012, 08:55:06 AM
Havent seen that one before but how about Barak 8 SAMs and Tejas?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 27, 2012, 12:46:41 PM
An old one:

(http://i.imgur.com/ABAFUAN.png)

CVF outfitted for STOBAR à la Kusnetzov and ex-Varyag (though probably closer to the upcoming Indian Vikrant class).  The hull is also increased in height so that Evolved Rotodynes can fit through the hangar access.  Typhoon and militarized X-32 can be equipped with wingtip Sidekick radar pods as a backup to AEW Rotodynes.  The carrier has directors for Sea Wolf missiles, but Sylver A-43 VLS and Aster 15 are ultimately used.

This ship has a sci-fi backstory of some sort...... in fact, I want to what-if a carrier-borne interceptor developed from blueprint of the MiG 1.44; does anyone think that a navalized MiG 1.44 would be able to operate from the ship, especially when configured for air defence role?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: GTX_Admin on April 27, 2012, 12:57:29 PM
Wow!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on April 28, 2012, 07:12:16 AM
Another old one, and story-wise the predecessor of the STOBAR CVF:

(http://i.imgur.com/SdIb3ek.png)

That old Rotodyne is there to serve in a diminishing COD capacity pending the introduction of Evolved Rotodyne configured to take over that role.

Modified Giuseppe Garibaldi design serving as assault carriers:

(http://i.imgur.com/7e2JCSE.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/OcqfCKw.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: arc3371 on April 28, 2012, 08:55:41 PM
Good looking ships!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on May 12, 2012, 02:28:01 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/PU-DDG-M_-withNavalHAWK-0-AU.png)

Wanting to throw a couple of other "cute" things (rare naval artillery and ASW Chinook) together with the naval HAWK launcher, I changed the basis for naval-HAWK-armed destroyer yet again.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Getting Moving Again
Post by: dy031101 on August 07, 2012, 11:48:33 AM
After month of getting stabilized on my (no-longer new) job, I've finally started having time doing something other than reading and commenting on posts......

First I decided to overhaul the idea that I used to mess around with involving HAWK launchers on ships and planes.  Then I got reminded of the Geratria military idea that Logan Hartke brought up a while ago and figure I can base my stuff loosely on it again, leading to the following Shipbucket pics:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Geratria_Enemy-DD-F69B-0-AU.png)

The first one is actually meant to depict a ship from the "opposing force".  B in F69B stands for "Bombarder" (hopefully I got the right French word)...... to denote the presence of an 8" automatic main gun.

Now on to the good guys.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Geratria-CV-CVV-0-AU.png)

The second one is a carrier with its hull based on the CVV line drawing posted in the Alt. RAN thread somewhere on this forum.  "Based on" because line drawings, being what they are, won't allow me to do a perfect CVV without investing more time than I could currently spare.

(http://i.imgur.com/Z5iARP8.png)

Third, the baseline Type F69 class DDG and the common starting point of the other Type F69 pics in this post.  I want it to be an export-type warship related to the Georges Leygues class frigate, but then I wasn't imaginative enough to go beyond swapping guns and electronics.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Geratria-DD-F69-1-AU.png)

Forth, reverse-engineered adaptation of the Type F69 class with the aft gun replaced with a naval HAWK launcher- compared to the F69B in the first pic, which is afforded with the full-range of French exports (plus an US-made 8" gun; until the F69B destroyers went to war against their half-sisters, which is why the French didn't give 'em the Sadral launchers), this one has just bits and pieces of modern foreign products.  As for the Seacat 2 launcher...... maybe it's indeed British-inspired.

Oh and where did that Panther come from since I've already implied that the "opposing force" is the one getting modern French imports until very lately?  That could actually be a Z-9C; the ship's already got C-802s to replace the MM38 launchers, after all......

Comments and suggestion welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 07, 2012, 05:41:14 PM
Nice CVV
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on August 08, 2012, 11:02:38 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Geratria_Enemy-CV-Bazan_BSAC_220-0-AU.png)

Aircraft carrier of the "opposing force".  Not much modification other than the Phalanx guns.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: Brian da Basher on August 09, 2012, 06:38:36 AM
You've got a fantastic fleet, dy031101!

Brian da Basher
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- My Thought Spins Off Continued
Post by: dy031101 on August 10, 2012, 07:51:57 AM
Thanks.  ;)

===============================================

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Th-CVS-Vertical-Support-Ship-3b_-Chakri-Nareubet-1-AU.png)

I remember reading somewhere long ago that the Russians attempted to sell their Project 9.31 MiG-29K to Thailand for the Chakri Nareubet.

Now the consensus amongst second-opinions is that the carrier might not even be big enough for the MiG...... but what if the Spanish incorporated the American development of the SCS into their export designs so that the Chakri Nareubet would definitely have been big enough?

(EDIT: Uploaded the wrong one; the correct one has relatively more-complete deck marking...... at least they are my uneducated  guesses on what they might look like......)

(I heard that the Chakri Nareubet has three Sadral launchers; I have no clue where the other two should be.  Does anyone know?)
Title: Question: "Boosted" PT. 428?
Post by: dy031101 on August 10, 2012, 12:22:37 PM
On Shipbucket's Alt. Universe Missiles part sheet (http://www.shipbucket.com/images.php?dir=Parts%20Sheets/MissilesLaunchersAU.png) there is a "Boosted" PT.428......

I heard that PT.428 is a low-level SAM and the predecessor to the Rapier system.  Does anyone know if it's referring to the missile in its boosted or unboosted form?  And if the answer is latter, what is the role of the boosted variant?
Title: Re: Question: "Boosted" PT. 428?
Post by: AGRA on August 10, 2012, 06:38:55 PM
On Shipbucket's Alt. Universe Missiles part sheet ([url]http://www.shipbucket.com/images.php?dir=Parts%20Sheets/MissilesLaunchersAU.png[/url]) there is a "Boosted" PT.428......

I heard that PT.428 is a low-level SAM and the predecessor to the Rapier system.  Does anyone know if it's referring to the missile in its boosted or unboosted form?  And if the answer is latter, what is the role of the boosted variant?


Ohh man Shipbucket, it hurtz my eyez!

Boosted PT.428 was the PT.428 missile with add on first stage booster in an attempt to meet the RN's requirement for a new air defence missile. It was judged to be lacking in range and the SIGS program, which became CF.299 (aka Sea Dart), was launched in its place. It was a going thing around 1961.

PT.428 gave birth to both the Rapier and the Sea Wolf. To grossly simplify it was a Rapier missile with Sea Wolf guidance system neatly packaged in a firing unit that would fit on the back of a four ton truck with 18 ready to go missiles. The best source on the PT.428 and all things British and missilery is Chris Gibson’s “British Secret Projects: Hypersonics, Ramjets and Missiles.”
Title: Re: Question: "Boosted" PT. 428?
Post by: dy031101 on August 11, 2012, 12:51:03 AM
Boosted PT.428 was the PT.428 missile with add on first stage booster in an attempt to meet the RN's requirement for a new air defence missile. It was judged to be lacking in range and the SIGS program, which became CF.299 (aka Sea Dart), was launched in its place. It was a going thing around 1961.

Can I then get away with using the SIGS, boosted PT.428, and navalized Rapier as equivalents to Standard, Sea Sparrow, and RAM?
Title: Re: Question: "Boosted" PT. 428?
Post by: AGRA on August 11, 2012, 09:50:19 AM
Can I then get away with using the SIGS, boosted PT.428, and navalized Rapier as equivalents to Standard, Sea Sparrow, and RAM?

You can get away with whatever you want but there is no way history could have produced all three of those weapons side by side. You could have SIGS (Sea Dart) alongside a navalised PT.428 (but not boosted) and even Sightline which was an optical guided version of PT.428 (which later evolved into Rapier). In this case PT.428 would displace Sea Cat from the RN (and Sea Wolf via Terminator style retro-abortion) and maybe Sightline as a lighter and simpler weapon system.
Title: Re: Question: "Boosted" PT. 428?
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 11, 2012, 10:32:52 AM
Boosted PT.428 was the PT.428 missile with add on first stage booster in an attempt to meet the RN's requirement for a new air defence missile. It was judged to be lacking in range and the SIGS program, which became CF.299 (aka Sea Dart), was launched in its place. It was a going thing around 1961.

Can I then get away with using the SIGS, boosted PT.428, and navalized Rapier as equivalents to Standard, Sea Sparrow, and RAM?

Do whatever you want mate...so long as you are happy with it.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question: "Boosted" PT. 428?
Post by: dy031101 on August 11, 2012, 12:08:29 PM
I heard that Invincible class CVS was to have four(!) Lightweight Sea Wolf launchers......

Let's say...... if we're gonna put Sightline/Sea-Rapier launchers onto a CVS, what should the ratio be between the launchers and Blindfire radars?

Also, how heavy is an unboosted PT.428 compared to a Sea Wolf and a Sea Cat?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question: "Boosted" PT. 428?
Post by: AGRA on August 11, 2012, 03:24:26 PM
I heard that Invincible class CVS was to have four(!) Lightweight Sea Wolf launchers......

The lightweight Sea Wolf launchers were pretty small each having only two ready fire missiles. Quite a few RN ships concepts from the 1970s had a lightweight Sea Wolf on each quarter, even a ~2,000 tonne frigate. Sea Wolf itself isn’t a big missile but the fire control system is quite bulky.

Let's say...... if we're gonna put Sightline/Sea-Rapier launchers onto a CVS, what should the ratio be between the launchers and Blindfire radars?

Sightline was the PT.428 missile with only optical guidance. Rapier evolved the missile somewhat and added radar target indication and IFF. Blindfire was later added to Rapier to provide an alternative fire control to optical for night and all weather capability. PT.428 had Blindfire from the get go. So Sightline with Blindfire is actually PT.428.

PT.428 was about the same size and weight as Rapier so much lighter than Sea Cat and Sea Wolf.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on August 12, 2012, 09:59:59 AM
Most of my pics have a "parallel universe" setting to them- "never-were" items that didn't make it in our world (and items I deem cool but were discontinued due to their countries of origin, say, losing a world war) did there, but history background in our timeline doesn't apply.

So what I have in mind right now is that I'll just use the boosted PT.428 box launcher on primary surface combatants that are not fleet/area-AAW (Sea Dart ships and aircraft carriers) assets and pass it off as something along the line of a boosted Rapier......

Comments and suggestions are welcomed.

==============================================================

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU-CVS-SCS-_D-Class-1-AU.png)

Convair Model 200 and Mirage IIIV don't embark on this one at the same time; it's one type or the other, depending on the operator.  Lynx and Sea King are common, however.

I was trying to mimic somewhat the WWII USN colours on the choppers...... oh well.

Once again, comments and suggestions are welcomed.

==============================================================

The poll has been replaced!  Have at it!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: elmayerle on August 12, 2012, 10:28:18 AM
A-6F's supplemented by EA-6H's (re-engined and re-winged EA-6B's) and KA-6H's (tankers taking advantage of the larger volume and greater power of the EA-6H airframe).  For fighter coverage, F/A-18A+/B+ aicraft where the airframes have been zero-timed and the lighter and more powerful elements of the F/A-18C/D have been added; I understand they are quite the "hotrods".
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on August 20, 2012, 07:43:13 AM
Judging from the results...... two votes.  Others seem pretty inspired by 0:42 of this:

 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLYOxk3b9pE#)

Meanwhile, two more to go with the Post #76.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Geratria-FFH-Naxos-0-AU.png)

This is meant to be a helicopter frigate- it was hoped that by adopting an ASW modification of H-21 helicopter the ship itself would not need be armed against submarines.  Otherwise it made quite a bit of use of recycled ordnances as well.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Geratria-FFH-Naxos-1-AU.png)

This is after a limited upgrade.  Visible changes include the British-inspired Seacat-2-imitation replacing the old Seacat, C-802 replacing the MM38, torpedo tubes for some basic ASW firepower just in case, and the H-21s giving way to an ASW version of imported Z-8J.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 20, 2012, 05:29:30 PM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: Empty Handed on August 21, 2012, 06:16:45 AM
Very purposeful looking Frigate and I love the ASW H-21 idea!  :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on August 23, 2012, 01:16:49 PM
Alright, thanks folks.

As for the ASW H-21...... expect to see Chinook, Rotodyne, and Osprey in the future as well.

Actually someone beat me to it with respect to Chinook (http://www.shipbucket.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=139&start=30) and Rotodyne (http://www.shipbucket.com/images.php?dir=Alternate%20Universe/GB%20DDG%20Daring_%20Type%2046%201%20AU.gif), but I still want to think up something, even if I might risk producing something very similar......

================================================

Oh and can someone suggest a good illustration on a good way of tethering a balloon or airship to a manoeuvring ship?  Or would a strong cable really all that's needed?

================================================

See Below (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg25613#msg25613)

Based on some proposed evolution of Arleigh Burke class AEGIS destroyer, this development then incorporates optimisation for embarking SV-22 ASW Osprey and AW-101 Merlin (acquired due to availability constraint of the ASW Osprey- aircraft carriers and strike cruisers would received the tiltrotor first), as well as two Bofors 57mm CIWS firing programmable ammunitions.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on August 24, 2012, 11:31:31 AM
Hum...... no balloon-tethering idea?  Or really I just need a strong cable?  :icon_meditation:

===========================================

Scroll Down Some More (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg25794#msg25794)

Made some minor changes to the my AU Arleigh Burke development, namely the option to be built with either the 155mm gun-howitzer or the Oto-Melara 5" and replacing one of the Merlins with an adaptation of the MCH-101.  I would have wanted to know enough to give that MCH-101 some weapons fit à la HH-71 CSAR-X (http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k85/photobucketrich/?action=view&current=HH71_002.jpg&newest=1) though.

Now I wonder what similar changes I can do to a cruiser......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on August 26, 2012, 10:50:51 AM
So a stalemate between A-6F and A-7F so far......

====================================================

Deprecated (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/FN_CSGH_MkII_1_AU.png); new version here (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg40339#msg40339).

When I saw the Hornet Class Strategic Sea Control Ship (http://z11.invisionfree.com/shipbucket/index.php?showtopic=1289&st=30) drawing at the Shipbucket forum, I was thinking...... hey, if there was a predecessor to the Strike Cruiser Mk.III and Mk.IV drawings that I modified into, this might be like it.  As the name implies, I intend it to be the vanguard to an aircraft carrier or battlecruiser (Westernised Kirov class) battlegroup before the programme got expanded into capital ship status......

The original author called for a fairly-high degree of logistical commonality with the Ticonderoga class AEGIS cruiser and an airwing of six Harriers and six Sea Kings- I take it that what's good for the Sea King should be good for the Merlin......

The Millennium cannons and SEAPAR-derivative gun control radar (meant for both the Oto-Melara 5" gun and the Millennium systems) are installed after the Turn of the Century, replacing the Phalanx systems and AN/SPQ-9, respectively, although I actually couldn't decide if I should have upgraded the Phalanx to Block 1B or replaced them with RAM and/or SeaRAM instead.  The Millennium from its description sounds closer to the Bofors 57mm CIWS I put on the Strike Cruisers, however, and should pack more of a punch against rocket boats (which is a common "bad guy" platform in my AU) that got too close than a Phalanx would.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 26, 2012, 11:41:49 AM

Oh and can someone suggest a good illustration on a good way of tethering a balloon or airship to a manoeuvring ship?  Or would a strong cable really all that's needed?


I can't help so much with an illustration, but I would suggest that perhaps a tower/capture basket similar to that shown below might work:

(http://dmn.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/18.jpg)

This could be made retractable/foldable when not required and could also provide A ready crew access point.

As for when maneourvering, I would tend to think you would show the airship/blimp etc not attached 'hard' but rather away for the ship and maybe only tethered.  So long as the cables had fast reacting drums to control slack/taughtness of cable you should be ok with the ship maneourvering.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on August 27, 2012, 02:10:49 PM
Had some fun with AEGIS ships today:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Export-AEGIS_1.png)

I attempted to replace some generic items for this drawing of a G&C Air Warfare Destroyer proposal...... granted, choosing the Bushmaster II sounds rather deranged on my part since the 30mm guns aren't much of an anti-missile defence but rather an anti-FAC weapon, IIRC, so I gave it a RAM launcher on top of the hangar, just behind the aft VLS battery (either the helicopter control radar, the missile launcher, or both are to be offset, ostensibly so as to be out of each other's way).  And I honestly am not sure if the thing behind the forward missile director (see attachment below) is indeed a SPQ-9B......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/FN_CG_Ticonderoga-class_2_AU.png)

I really wanted to put a Merlin on the Tico...... and if there weren't so many estates on top of the hangar superstructure, I would have done something to the hangar to make that possible......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/FN_DDG_Arleigh-Burke_Flight-IIIFN_1_AU.png)

I'm fixing things as I go here...... oh wait, isn't the USN planning to incorporate SPY-3 into the AEGIS destroyer (see attachment below)?  Guess that's some more thing to try......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/USA_DDG_Arleigh-Burke-Flight-3_1_AU.png)

And given my penchant for look-alikes, this is what I did after seeing a drawing of an alternate universe "Linebacker CIWS" on the Shipbucket site.  The original author of the Linebacker drawing called for a 30mm gatling gun (which I assume to be GAU-8) and six RAM missiles. And the destroyer has three of them.

Now that I think about it, I might still need a fire control radar or two for the Mk110 and Linebacker since, IIRC, neither of them has on-mount fire control radar.  Dang!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on August 29, 2012, 02:31:27 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/PU_LF-DDH-DDG51_-SkyHook-1-AU-1.png)

Some more fun with AEGIS ships.

This time it's a Skyhook.  Kongo class was chosen as a basis because of the bigger command facility, which I assume to also be beneficial to air operations as well...... but I'm not exactly depicting a Japanese ship; I do want to try making it look less advanced than Atago and newer batch of Arleigh Burke classes just this once though, so bonus points for the lattice mast.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 29, 2012, 05:28:21 PM
Love your Skyhook! :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on August 31, 2012, 12:19:17 PM
The AEGIS Skyhook made me want to attempt to update some other Shipbucket Skyhooks that I butchered before...... albeit I didn't do much (replacing the aircraft and reducing the platform aft of the hangar) to this one then, and I didn't do much to this one this time.  I didn't understand the use of that platform (not big enough for the STOVL to land on, I think) back then, but now I realized that it could at least be used to make room for moving aircraft around.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU_LF-DDH-Tribal_-SkyHook-1-AU.png)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/PU_LF-DDH-Tribal_-SkyHook-1a-AU.png)

The only difference between the top and bottom pics is the use of TAK-120 gun on the bottom one.  Looks like a tight arrangement there, so I think I'll stick with the 76mm SR after all......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 01, 2012, 01:04:36 PM
I decided to butcher the Spruance class again.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU_LF-DDH-DD963_-SkyHook-1-AU.png)

It gets SPY-1F this time.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: GTX_Admin on September 02, 2012, 02:12:21 AM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: GTX_Admin on September 02, 2012, 02:15:13 AM
I wonder how you would go with something even larger (say an Iowa or Kirov class) with skyhooks?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 02, 2012, 05:53:10 AM
I wonder how you would go with something even larger (say an Iowa or Kirov class) with skyhooks?


Two attempts have been made on the Kirov class; there (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg15261#msg15261) and here:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/R-CGN-1144-Kirov_-Kalinin-1a-AU.png)

The hangar deck for this one is a bit better sealed for combat (since it's not opened to the sides) but probably not as roomy.

As for Skyhook on battleships...... hum...... I wonder, too......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/C-DDG-Type_052_Luhu-1a-AU.png)

I chose the Harbin (better known as Luhu) class rather than the larger Shenzhen because this class is what the PLAN utilized Western-origin technology in an integrated (kind of) manner with for the first time and is likely used to demonstrate the Skyhook concept.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: GTX_Admin on September 02, 2012, 06:06:09 AM
Doh!  That should teach me to look back over threads... ;) :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 02, 2012, 01:12:53 PM
Well......  ;D

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU_LF-FFG-MEKO360-2-AU.png)

Not a Skyhook this time, but something that would sortie with the Skyhooks.  A MEKO 360 with an upgrade that draws heavily from the Australian ASMD programme except for a modified Tartar box launcher that gives each frigate 12 SM-2MR missiles so that it can serve in an interim fleet air defence capacity.

I went straight to the upgraded configuration because I do not really know if there is a fire control radar that can be used to direct both the 100mm gun AND the Sea Wolf missile.  Can anyone suggest a FCR that can do that?

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/PU_LF-DDG-County-2-AU.png)

When I thought about why the above-posted MEKO needs to participate in fleet air defence duties, this is the first idea taken under advisement- so that these modified County class destroyers can serve in reduced number, with some being cannibalized to keep others serviceable and/or to offset the cost of upgrade.  They differ from their British sisters in ditching the Sea Slug system in favour of the Mk.13 launchers firing Standard missiles.  The launchers recently received upgrades to fire SM-2MR.

I am still unsure how plausible this (County + SM-2MR) could be though!  Might try some other ship(s) for the story......

(And at least one more Skyhook is on the way, just in case anyone is interested.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: elmayerle on September 03, 2012, 04:09:46 AM
Just a thought, how about an equivalent of the FACES-II Iowa-class conversion for HMS Vanguard?  Given the links between that ship and the HMS Lion design studies and that a battlecarrier version of the latter was studied, I'd reckon you'd have a interesting looking ship when finished.  I know I've seen drawings of the battlecarrier version somewhere, so they are out there.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 03, 2012, 10:15:29 AM
Just a thought, how about an equivalent of the FACES-II Iowa-class conversion for HMS Vanguard?  Given the links between that ship and the HMS Lion design studies and that a battlecarrier version of the latter was studied, I'd reckon you'd have a interesting looking ship when finished.  I know I've seen drawings of the battlecarrier version somewhere, so they are out there.


Right now I'll just say that I'm a bigger fan of angled deck than axial deck......  ;)

=====================================================

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU_LF-DDH-Pr956_-SkyHook-1-AU.png)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU_LF-DDG-Pr956-1-AU.png)

These ships were picked up as repayment for debts, which is why you're seeing Type 583V and SH-2G instead of Yak-41 and Ka-40 on their flight decks.

(Okay, I think there will be a bigger Skyhook ship coming up, too...... I just need to figure a few things out......)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: elmayerle on September 03, 2012, 10:58:12 AM
Just a thought, how about an equivalent of the FACES-II Iowa-class conversion for HMS Vanguard?  Given the links between that ship and the HMS Lion design studies and that a battlecarrier version of the latter was studied, I'd reckon you'd have a interesting looking ship when finished.  I know I've seen drawings of the battlecarrier version somewhere, so they are out there.

Right now I'll just say that I'm a bigger fan of angled deck than axial deck......  ;)


And I don't see any reason you couldn't use one of the FACES II angled deck proposals as a basis.  IIRC, there was at least one with symmetrical, port and starboard, ski-jumps (albeit, angled such that their guidelines crossed in the middle) to decrease the maximum launch cycle time.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: Volkodav on September 03, 2012, 04:48:28 PM

([url]http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/PU_LF-DDG-County-2-AU.png[/url])

When I thought about why the above-posted MEKO needs to participate in fleet air defence duties, this is the first idea taken under advisement- so that these modified County class destroyers can serve in reduced number, with some being cannibalized to keep others serviceable and/or to offset the cost of upgrade.  They differ from their British sisters in ditching the Sea Slug system in favour of the Mk.13 launchers firing Standard missiles.  The launchers recently received upgrades to fire SM-2MR.

I am still unsure how plausible this (County + SM-2MR) could be though!  Might try some other ship(s) for the story......

(And at least one more Skyhook is on the way, just in case anyone is interested.)


Good work, love the Tartar County concept. 

While yours is probably closer to what was envisaged I have always thought a better, cleaner way, with more efficient use of space would have been to shift the hanger and flight deck as far aft as possible, drop them a deck in height and insert Tartar (including directors) in between the hanger and aft funnel.  Removal of the Seaslug would have left plenty of space to sink the Mk13 into as well as to reduce the height / size of the superstructure to permit Ikara to be worked in on each beam and maybe reducing top weight sufficiently to permit the installation of a second Tartar system in B position with a another pair of directors over the bridge.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 04, 2012, 01:41:34 PM
Thanks.

=======================================================

And I don't see any reason you couldn't use one of the FACES II angled deck proposals as a basis.


 ;)

=======================================================

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU_LF-FFH-Halifax_-SoupedUp-1-AU.png)

I was going to think of this derivative of Halifax class as a failed competitor to the above-posted MEKO 360...... but VL ASROC with Tactical-length Mk.41 and the ability to embark a SH-3 Sea King (and later the Sikorsky Cyclone)?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 10, 2012, 07:18:45 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU_LF-DDH-DDG51_-SkyHook-1a-AU.png)

Okay, I am abandoning all pretence of looking less-advanced then- Japan is the only one going for lattice mast for their first batch of AEGIS destroyers, and they can't really be described as technologically inferior.  This Skyhook AEGIS gets a solid mast.  And a VL Sea Wolf battery aft- a version of STIR 1.2 in fact has Sea Wolf capability, so it shouldn't be inconceivable for a STIR 1.8 (already used by the Portuguese with French-made 100mm guns) development to do the same upon customer request.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/USA-CGH-ArleighBurke_-MarineCruiser-1-AU.png)

I originally wasn't going to give the original of this drawing a second look, but somehow a moment where AB-212 and UH-1Y appear in the same mental sentence came about, and I know what kind fun it could be (even though I realized that ASW isn't on the job description of USMC; on the other hand, UH-1Y is developed from UH-1N, which along with AB-212 are merely different interpretations of militarizing the Bell 212).  The hull isn't an accurate representation though, I think, nor is it meant to be.

(I found the original in the Never-Built Designs section- it doesn't have anything under the waterline.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: elmayerle on September 10, 2012, 08:13:33 AM
The AB-212 and the UH-1Y are siblings; the UH-1Y being closer to the 214ST, though, but with improved engine installation and exhaust installation.  I could see a variant of the basic UH-1Y adapted to the same role as the AB212.
Title: Oh, and Volkodav......
Post by: dy031101 on September 10, 2012, 10:03:12 AM
While yours is probably closer to what was envisaged I have always thought a better, cleaner way, with more efficient use of space would have been to shift the hanger and flight deck as far aft as possible, drop them a deck in height and insert Tartar (including directors) in between the hanger and aft funnel.  Removal of the Seaslug would have left plenty of space to sink the Mk13 into as well as to reduce the height / size of the superstructure to permit Ikara to be worked in on each beam and maybe reducing top weight sufficiently to permit the installation of a second Tartar system in B position with a another pair of directors over the bridge.


You might find what's posted here (http://z11.invisionfree.com/shipbucket/index.php?showtopic=1289&st=15) to your liking.  :)

==================================================

I could see a variant of the basic UH-1Y adapted to the same role as the AB212.


AB-212 ASW in USMC service comes to pass pending the outcome of SH-1Y (which may or may not happen since the USN has a counter-proposal involving more MH-60Rs for them rather than having the Marines invading their area of expertise  ;D)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: elmayerle on September 11, 2012, 12:25:44 PM
And would nicely pit Bell against Sikorsky.  The real winner would be GE since they'd supply the engines either way.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 14, 2012, 08:12:40 PM
This picture (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg26784#msg26784) came from my desire to butcher yet another Spruance class destroyer drawing.  Skyhook is tried already, so I figured that this time I might as well do that to a skijump.  Then an AU drawing of SPY-5 (http://z11.invisionfree.com/shipbucket/ar/t2934.htm) came to my attention......

A lot of European parts are still used.  It might change during later revisions though.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: GTX_Admin on September 15, 2012, 02:38:12 AM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 15, 2012, 10:04:39 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/hmxDY6d.png)

LUSH, Ka-25 AEW, NH-90 NFH.

Minor revision: TAK-120 as the main gun.  I left the flare racks on but instead of flares, I've meant them to fire decoys because I can't find other places for decoy launchers.

I dunno if I should be comfortable with choosing the Millennium guns for CIWS- Millennium doesn't have built-in targeting radar, and the fire control component of the SPY-5 is probably more geared toward missile guidance- hopefully AHEAD ammo would work better with the SPY-5 (otherwise I'd be back to Phalanx 1B)......

(http://i.imgur.com/QsJEpm7.png)

When I contemplated butchering another air-capable Spruance drawing, I was originally intending it to be a "rival" to the Skyhook ships...... so I originally put VAK-191s (another supersonic type) on it before thinking of the Sea Harrier.  You can decide which one is easier on the eyes.  ;D

The opinions I have heard on the "air-capable" Spruance designs tend to see them as worthwhile only when embarking ASW platforms superior to the LAMPS- longer combat radius, wider variety of sensors, and maybe on-board instead of off-board sonobouy processing...... how does the NH-90 compare to the SH-60 and the Sea King in those regards?

Comments and suggestions for all or any of the above-mentioned points and/or other ideas related to the pic will be welcomed as well.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: GTX_Admin on September 16, 2012, 02:59:05 AM
Errr...something wrong with the second image...
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 16, 2012, 03:04:23 AM
Errr...something wrong with the second image...

Photobucket screwing me over for the past half-day.  Should be working now.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: GTX_Admin on September 16, 2012, 03:53:13 AM
Yep, all good! :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- So This Time The A-7F Is In Favour
Post by: dy031101 on September 17, 2012, 12:30:17 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/E8Dyb8P.png)

Helicopter destroyer, using quite a bit of Eastern-bloc equipment.  The twin 130mm gun came from the PRC- I don't remember seeing the Russian-made original or the later twin automatic, for that matter, being exported until those four destroyers with Moskits for the PLAN......

Helicopters are Mi-14 with locally-designed folding main rotors.

(Admittedly I did it because I want to see Mi-14 on a ship  ;D)

The armaments as built actually only consist of the 130mm guns, Osa missile launcher, depth charge rocket projectors, and 21" torpedo tubes; AK-630M and ZU-23 systems are added in due course.  Further anti-ship firepower is provided by Mi-14s armed with Kh-23 ASMs.

(http://i.imgur.com/hazbIDr.png)

Helicopter destroyer re-purposed à la Iroquois TRUMP.  The 130mm gun was replaced by a Mk 41 VLS battery, the Osa missile by a Russian-made 76mm, and masts with new, solid-style ones.  I originally want to try interpreting the Barak 8 missile, but I don't know enough about the system setup or when the system is to be available.  Maybe when I figure out how I'd put AESA radars on it......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Ir-LHD-Persia-1-AU.png)

This one is another deranged butchering on my part- since Iran keeps talking about sending warships off US coast (they probably want to regain some prestige lost to the Revolutionary Guards, but that'd be just my uneducated guess), let's see...... what says a command ship?  This Chinese-designed LHD is nevertheless mostly equipped with systems familiar to the Iranians and, for that particular mission, has a number of Sea Kings for VERTREP and Panha 2091s (Iranian-upgraded and/or built AH-1J) outfitted with air-to-air missiles to provide some (well...... some......) degree of additional air cover for the fleet......

(As for the deranged part...... trying to dogfight jets in a chopper over the open ocean......  ;D)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/AU2-DDG-DD963_-Kidd-Class-2-AU.png)

And finally a quick-and-dirty representation of a Kidd-class destroyer that received the same upgrade as the previously-posted Ghiradella-designed flight deck Spruance (the upgrade is in fact primarily intended for the Kidd class in the first place).  The turret-mounted decoy rails are not installed because the Kidd class has separate decoy launchers, and the shorter-legged SH-60s are embarked instead of the NH90.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Question: '"Boosted" PT. 428?' Clearing Up
Post by: dy031101 on September 24, 2012, 02:48:17 AM
Sightline was the PT.428 missile with only optical guidance. Rapier evolved the missile somewhat and added radar target indication and IFF. Blindfire was later added to Rapier to provide an alternative fire control to optical for night and all weather capability. PT.428 had Blindfire from the get go. So Sightline with Blindfire is actually PT.428.


I've been a bit unclear about the optical guidance- if we put the Sightline on a ship, would it have been as handicapped at night or during inclement weathers as their land-based counterpart, or would the existing sensors on the ship (search radar, for example) have provided enough back up such that it would have had no real issues in terms of all-weather performance?

=================================================================

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/AU4-FFG-FFG1_-2-AU.png)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/AU4-FFG-FF1052_-2-AU.png)

Brooke and Knox classes again.  This time they have improved air defense (SM-1MR and Sadral), and the Knox class has englarged aviation facility.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/AU4-FFG-FFG7_-1-AU_zps60f9d7b2.png)

O.H. Perry class up-armed along the line of the Taiwanese Chung Kung class except that the 40mm gun on each side platform is an automated Fast Forty Model B (no deck penetration) whereas the Taiwanese vessels use early manually-aimed Bofors 40mm/L70- and in Taiwanese service, the 76mm main gun is actually found to generate enough muzzle blast pressure to actually harm the gun crew of the Bofors guns.  One of the helicopters embarked is a MH-60S outfitted for ASuW and AMCM roles.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/AU4-FFG-KangDing_-2-AU_zps3013c21e.png)

The way I got it figured, since the Kang Ding class is meant for ASW...... what would ASROC launchers sound?  Since the B position is too shallow to accommodate tactical-length Mk.41, I made do with modified Standard box launchers and had the position surrounded by low-RCS panels......  Nevertheless, I do want some kind of missile-based AA weapon, so its CIWS is now a Crotale NG launcher.

Despite the use of HF-2 AShM, I am not really depicting Taiwanese ships.  Maybe they're from some AU nation that cooperated and shared a lot of military R&D as well as procurement efforts with them- I haven't got much of a backstory for this batch of mental notes (or other recent batches, for that matter).

The above-posted mental notes depict ships meant as escort to this:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/AU4-CH-JeanneDArc_-Skijump-2-AU_zps5b863442.png)

Modified Jeanne D'Arc design, with British-designed skijump sponsoned to port and an EW superstructure sponsoned to starboard.  The ship was otherwise almost identical to the French cruiser, but an early-2000s upgrade saw the installation of an area air defence system suite.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- New Poll's Up!
Post by: dy031101 on September 25, 2012, 03:29:11 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/AU1-DDH-Tribal_-EnlargedSkyhook-1-AU.png)

Vosper Thornycroft Skyhook design kinda "going Canadian"  :D

Sea Vulcans controlled by STIR 1.2 directors (each FCR controlling two guns) serve as a stand-in for Phalanx guns.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/AU1-DDH-Tribal_-1b-AU.png)

Iroquois class DDH built with greater emphasis from the outset on AA weapons instead of a bombardment gun.  Now this idea isn't new (there's an older drawing of the same idea by someone else on the Shipbucket site), but I figured that Canada might have stuck with the British 3"/L70 instead of the Italian 76mm Compact......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Reverse-engineered KV
Post by: dy031101 on November 19, 2012, 12:20:23 PM
I think I can say that the poll is over with...... at one point I did think that A-6F would maintain its popularity momentum though.

Now on to the new mental note:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/kv70.jpg)

arc3371's SYS-2000 tank inspired me into thinking of a reverse-engineered KV-85 modernised with, amongst other things, a turret from the Ikv-91......

Then I figured that it probably could use some protection to the tracks, so I lifted a side skirt directly off a Leopard 1 drawing.

Though likely invisible as far as drawing is concerned, somewhere along the way I was reminded rickshaw's "Steam Power for Tanks" thread, too...... or maybe I'll pretend the fuel drums are actually wood-gas cylinders  :-\

(I still don't know for sure the turret ring size of KV-85 v.s. Ikv-91 though.)

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Reverse-engineered KV
Post by: arc3371 on November 19, 2012, 01:19:42 PM
Love it! Got a centurion look with your modifications

Asked about the turret ring on the Swedish Armor Society so hopefully we will get an answer soon.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Reverse-engineered KV
Post by: GTX_Admin on November 19, 2012, 03:05:34 PM
That looks cool.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Reverse-engineered KV
Post by: arc3371 on November 20, 2012, 04:48:50 AM
The IKV91 turret ring is about 2000mm
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Reverse-engineered KV
Post by: dy031101 on November 20, 2012, 05:33:21 AM
The IKV91 turret ring is about 2000mm

Guess it might really have to be a result of reverse-engineering and re-engineering as opposed to merely being rebuilt from captured hulls ......  >:D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: dy031101 on November 22, 2012, 01:22:24 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/m26_HVSS_test1_0.jpg)

I don't know if I should be happy with this first stage result, produced as a result of my fascination with HVSS-equipped T25 Medium Tank...... I have trouble keeping the turret and the hull to the same scale.

I started with hull of the M26, again with the theme being foreign development in M26's likeness.  Maybe someone asked the US for the M26/M46 and got balked at.  Someone having extensive experience messing around the Sherman.

I don't want to turret to end up looking too small, and the one from AMX-30 ended up being chosen in the end.  Too bad- I would have wanted to outfit a T-72 turret as an upgrade and imagine it side by side with imported TR-125 or M-84, particularly after finding that T25 with heavy tank 105mm gun drawing I posted in Upgunned Tanks thread.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Reverse-engineered KV
Post by: GTX_Admin on November 22, 2012, 06:23:02 PM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: arc3371 on November 23, 2012, 02:45:30 AM
That is a very interesting tank looking forward to future versions
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: dy031101 on November 23, 2012, 12:56:58 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/m26_HVSS_test1.jpg)

Perhaps going down the evolution path instead of creating a baseline model- in fact the French-made 105mm gun is still there- but a few detail changes nonetheless.  Plus an Iraqi-inspired spaced armour array (yeah, it is an upgraded model after all).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: arc3371 on November 23, 2012, 09:42:25 PM
The thing on the back of this tank (and the Iraqi Enigma) is that a counterweight?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: dy031101 on November 23, 2012, 10:03:14 PM
The thing on the back of this tank (and the Iraqi Enigma) is that a counterweight?

Could be that and/or protection to the turret rear.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: GTX_Admin on November 24, 2012, 03:46:53 AM
The thing on the back of this tank (and the Iraqi Enigma) is that a counterweight?


Could be that and/or protection to the turret rear.


Yes and yes...it was both.  See here:

(http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk74/Colin-album/Bovingtons%20Enigma/Bovington011.jpg)

More images here (http://s277.beta.photobucket.com/user/Colin-album/library/Bovingtons%20Enigma)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: dy031101 on November 24, 2012, 01:40:16 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/m26_HVSS_test0.jpg)

The tank came out of the production line with a local copy of M36 tank destroyer turret, a product of previous efforts to refit all Sherman tanks in service with a more-up-to-date main gun.  Armoured cover is not shown here but became standard issue.  The definitive turret won't be retrofitted until much later.

As for what the definitive turret might be...... let's just say it may or may not be that AMX-30-inspired one.  Still thinking......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: arc3371 on November 24, 2012, 08:46:14 PM
The thing on the back of this tank (and the Iraqi Enigma) is that a counterweight?


Could be that and/or protection to the turret rear.


Yes and yes...it was both.  See here:

([url]http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk74/Colin-album/Bovingtons%20Enigma/Bovington011.jpg[/url])

More images here ([url]http://s277.beta.photobucket.com/user/Colin-album/library/Bovingtons%20Enigma[/url])


Thanks GTX
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: arc3371 on November 24, 2012, 08:47:57 PM
The TD looks good
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: dy031101 on November 25, 2012, 01:19:56 AM
The TD looks good


It's a tank with no real tank turret.  ;D

Designed to supplement and eventually supplant the M36 tank destroyers (in both directly-imported and built-on-M4-Sherman-hull varieties, all refitted with HVSS).

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/m26_HVSS_test2.jpg)

An export T-72 turret was acquired somewhere along the way and trial-fitted.

Looks like...... well, I'm kinda used to tanks that at least look like they have turret in the middle even if it's an illusion caused by a turret bustle.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.  Although I didn't really do much this time......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: arc3371 on November 25, 2012, 08:56:09 AM
It looks modern, perhaps adding some deeper sideskirts á la Centurion?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: dy031101 on December 02, 2012, 11:46:42 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/m26_HVSS_test2_0.jpg)

Exactly as per arc3371's suggestion.  I'm still thinking about how I want to go from there.

Now, the driver's cupola is offset to the tank's left-hand side.  I wonder if Russian/Ukrainian-style ERA placement would end up interfering with it...... perhaps something similar to that of the PT-91 would be better?

Then once again I found an opportunity to put a T-28 and a M6 in the same WoT screenshot:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/shot_016-1.jpg)

(Again, damn the dev team for taking away my T-28's 85mm gun......)

Wanting to spin something out of that picture, I put a Pershing turret with long-barrel 90mm and turret rear counterweight onto the M6......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/M6-Heavy_Super.jpg)

So what do I do with the T-28?  I can only say right now that the end result won't be a T-28...... it would be something like a T-28, but not a T-28.

Stay tuned.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: arc3371 on December 02, 2012, 12:29:55 PM
The sideskirts really changed the looks of the tank and the M6 looks like an US ARL44
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- HVSS Tank After The Sherman
Post by: dy031101 on December 03, 2012, 05:34:20 AM
As part of the incentive for choosing to upgrade import TR-125 to PT-91 standard, Poland offers technology transfer to benefit indigenous tanks as well:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/Intellectual%20Exercises%20Only/m26_HVSS_test2_1.jpg)

(That M2HB mount sure seems tall.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Starship Perfect
Post by: dy031101 on December 10, 2012, 11:34:56 AM
Okay I'm taking a detour again......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/m60a4_1_zpscc255c1d.jpg)

Inspired by the discussion in the Pershing/Patton tank thread, it's an imitation of the M60-2000/120S tank...... but adopting an improved version of the XM150 152mm gun-launcher (semi-combustible cartridge case, sliding breech block (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=2098.msg32590#msg32590), MGM-51 ATGM remanufactured with solid-state electronics, and etc.) and fire control system from the MBT-70.

As for the kill marks on the bore evacuator...... I was trying to imagine a world fighting a technologically more-advanced enemy, who employs tanks with low-profile turret.  Couldn't quite complete the story, though.  :icon_crap:

Oh yeah, and the pop-culture reference (http://izunayuzu.deviantart.com/#/d3cxl9z)......  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Hybrid Vanguard
Post by: dy031101 on January 02, 2013, 08:11:32 AM
As per elmayerle's suggestion, I took a shot at STOVL battleship conversion of the Vanguard......

(http://i.imgur.com/953n1aS.jpg)

I'm not too big a fan of take off decks on both sides though, so I pick the familiar port side to leave the skijump be even though I reckon that American naval architects put two skijumps in each scheme probably for a reason.  If someone wants to share the knowledge, that'd be great, too.

The Royal Navy didn't buy the Tomahawk before mid-1990s, and a battery of Sea Wolf VL launchers was given to the Vanguard instead.  I also haven't yet the creative idea on a new pair of masts, so this one gets an imported SPS-48A.  The radar is positioned somewhat lower than the old ones though.  I wonder if it'd still be okay.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.

And Happy New Year!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- "Antagonist" Aircraft Carrier
Post by: dy031101 on January 10, 2013, 09:18:05 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/UNON_J-CVN-ACCA1-1-AU.png)

First encounter involving this carrier ended up being a surprise to the Armies of Frontier Nations as they explore one parallel universe after another- its operator, identifying themselves as the "United New Order Nations", never offered even a pretence of peaceful dialogues before subjecting the exploration detachment to airstrikes and anti-ship missile barrages.  Strike Tomcat 21s and Su-33s from Strike Cruiser Kara, flagship of the exploration detachment, were barely able to fight them off before all ships under Kara's charge successfully made a hasty retreat.

Reports from debriefed pilots suggest an opponent that also uses derivatives of the Su-33, as well as the F/A-18 "Legacy" Hornet, as carrier aircraft although the hostile Su-33 sports winglets, which the FN Intelligence Corps speculates to be meant to improve cruising performance and therefore range.  The carrier itself also appears to possess significant firepower- during the entire engagement it was accompanied only by a destroyer-class escort but was able to threaten the exploration detachment until the latter's complete withdrawal.  Extreme caution has been advised on all possible future surveillance operations on that carrier's universe of origin......

==============================================

Inspired by this (http://su-37jk.sakura.ne.jp/illust/orizinaru_f/acca-1.html) although slightly modified to make use of existing Shipbucket parts.  I've meant it as a vessel for an antagonist faction of some sort against most of my other Shipbucket items......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- "Antagonist" Aircraft Carrier
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 11, 2013, 02:44:28 AM
I like the carrier design.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- "Antagonist" Aircraft Carrier
Post by: dy031101 on January 30, 2013, 05:14:44 PM
Another one then.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/UNON_J-CVA-AC1-AU.png)

Zuiryu ("Lucky Dragon") class aircraft carriers are one of the oldest classes of carriers still in service with the United New Order Nations by the time of UNON's first encounter with explorers from parallel universe.  Despite originally being a 40-year old design, these carriers are continuously reconstructed (illustration depicts their latest configuration) to accommodate new aircraft and eventually tested many technologies to be used on newly-built advanced carriers- it is the fact that they can accommodate the swing-wing F-4(FV) Phantom that rescued them from utter obsolescence, a fate not shared by any of their predecessors.   Their hangars are judged to have insufficient height for fully-supporting the Su-37JK, so F/A-18 Hornet (referred to as "Legacy Hornet" by the Armies of Frontier Nations) started to supplement and will likely supplant the swing-wing Phantom in the near future.  Out of similar concerns, they carry no fixed-wing AEW aircraft but rely on AEW helicopters instead.  Each carrier has two bow catapults, one waist catapult, two centreline elevators, and one deck edge elevator.

(Inspired by this (http://su-37jk.sakura.ne.jp/illust/orizinaru_f/tac-1.html), but once again modified to use existing Shipbucket parts......)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- "Antagonist" Aircraft Carrier
Post by: Logan Hartke on January 30, 2013, 11:04:56 PM
The ship has nice lines, dy!  It reminds me of some of the early supercarriers of the Cold War.  I don't always comment on these, but as a big fan of naval subjects, I love them.  Keep it up!

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- "Good Guys" Aircraft Carrier This Time
Post by: dy031101 on February 01, 2013, 09:15:50 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/BunLNAv.png)

During their campaign of containment against the United New Order Nations, the Armies of Frontier Nations would discover that UNON's control of its own home universe is far from firm, with remnants of countries that UNON's founding states defeated in a past World War still carrying out struggle against the UNON forces- in fact, they've been slowly but surely rebuilding their forces, acquiring and even constructing weapons despite all UNON's attempts to eradicate them.  The presence of supercarriers within their naval forces is one proof of that fact, as is the A-7F and F-14C (multi-mission upgrade of F-14A powered by F401 turbofans) on their flight decks.

This shipbucket graph is originally just my idea of cleaning up HMCS Warrior, a what-if reconstructed USS Forrestal transferred to alt.-Canada upon initial decommissioning (http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=3052107&postcount=60).  Then...... one thing leads to another until it gains a slightly-altered airwing to denote an unrelated story......

(Hopefully I'll be able to stop flip-flopping on what aircraft will go on its deck soon......)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- "Good Guys" Aircraft Carrier This Time
Post by: Cliffy B on February 01, 2013, 11:44:38 PM
Loving these ship designs, please keep them coming!!! 

Three things:

The CIWS on the after part of the island and your after Sea Sparrow Illuminator need to switch places.  Look like you're using SATAN, IE Goalkeeper with a different guidance package?  Either system needs below deck space for the massive mag and to support its weight.  You need to switch them.

Standard practice for any large ship with Sea Sparrow is TWO illuminators per launcher to make it effective since each one has to guide the missile the entire time.

Lastly, if the launcher, at any point, can aim itself at the deck, ships' structure, or personnel, then you need to add an anti-radiation shield around the illuminator or else you'll be frying the ship and her crew.

You said its a modded CV-59 so take a look at where they put the illuminators and the associated missiles and guns if you want to move some things around.  I'm always a proponent of the "four corners" defensive set up since it allows for maximum coverage around the ship.  Add one more CIWS on the stern, and possibly one on the Ilse to cover any blind spots and help with saturation attacks.  Grouping Sea Sparrow and a CIWS system on each corner and just a CIWS on the starboard bow (you don't want missiles there EVER in case an aircraft goes over the side; BOOM!) and stern, and you're golden.  Like I said, add one more on the Isle if need be.

Just my $0.02 man  8)

-Mike
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- "Good Guys" Aircraft Carrier This Time
Post by: dy031101 on February 02, 2013, 01:48:05 PM
I have attempted to implement Cliffy B's suggestions on the three recent Shipbucket graphs, as well as replacing the AEW aircraft onboard the large UNON carrier; the results should be visible at the relevant past posts now  ;)  Please do check back and offer further comments and suggestions if there is any.

The CIWS used on the "Good Guys" supercarrier is Sea Dragon, which has the same basis as the Goalkeeper and SATAN but uses Sea GIRAFFE radar for search (in this case a fictional version with antenna enclosed in a dome).  A third and forth Sea Dragons are located off port bow and stern, and a third Sea Sparrow launcher at port stern, all invisible from the starboard side view.

Real-life carriers do have missile launchers at their starboard bow but not port bow (except for RAM launchers onboard US supercarriers), which I took to be because of their proximity to the path of the angled deck?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- "Good Guys" Aircraft Carrier This Time
Post by: Cliffy B on February 03, 2013, 05:52:37 AM
Yeah, I meant port bow sorry... :P 

Meant to add these to illustrate the "anti-radiation shield" I was talking about.

Right above the bridge windows and right below the 2 white comm domes
http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/026846.jpg (http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/026846.jpg)

See the 2 ribbed upwards turned cones?  Those are the shields; one on the after end of the isle and the other on the radar mast.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/027522.jpg (http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/027522.jpg)


Here's a few I took aboard CVN-75 in 2009
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/CliffyB/Truman%20Cruise%202009/DSC_3533.jpg)
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/CliffyB/Truman%20Cruise%202009/DSC_3550.jpg)
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/CliffyB/Truman%20Cruise%202009/DSC_3560.jpg)
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/CliffyB/Truman%20Cruise%202009/DSC_3556.jpg)

The one interior shot I got of them; ribbed on the outside. smooth on the inside.
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/CliffyB/Truman%20Cruise%202009/DSC_3903.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Antagonist Ship Again
Post by: dy031101 on February 04, 2013, 10:52:57 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/E7ZiRin.png)

Hai-Xing is one of the capital ships intended for collaborationist navies raised in countries defeated by what would become founders/permanent-members of the United New Order Nations, part of a gradual-relaxation of the unwritten policy exercised by core UNON members that client states, whose governments exist more often than not just to rubber-stamp UNON occupation of overseas territories, shall never be given qualitative parity.  In the past, only patrol craft and old destroyers were sold or otherwise given to collaborationist navies; even if agreements were made on the transfers of several warships of light cruiser class or above, most ended up being negated, and for all intents and purposes those warships are to serve core UNON navies until they fall apart.

Over time, however, home-grown political tensions in core UNON members and subsequent operations to suppress domestic dissidents have spreaded their military strength thin, prompting them one by one to consider giving their client states a more substantial role in the defence of their interest overseas.  An impressive-looking array of collaborationist armies would also serve as useful propaganda tools.  To that end, at first some capital ships that had venerable combat services were sold off, and they were later joined by newly-constructed vessels that were deliberately made significantly better than what collaborationist navies had but less capable overall than warships serving core UNON navies.

Like other ships built for this purpose, Hai-Xing itself appeared impressive on paper, offering a fixed-wing naval aviation capability and a suite of heavy naval artillery to a navy that lacks both in a single package, but at the same time the design is a compromise- and not a very refined one.  Due to the two twin 12"/50 gun turrets and eight twin 140mm gun casemates, the flight deck and hangar space are too small for a truly multi-role airwing; that space ends up being shared by a small air defence detachment (this became especially apparent when the air defence detachment enters supersonic age- the F-8 Crusader is acquired because one, the collaborationist government's request for the F-4 Phantom is blocked by core UNON nations, and two, the ship is unable to support the F-4 or its swing-wing evolution anyway) and a helicopter detachment.  The ship's main and secondary guns are effective against both naval (light cruisers and below) and shore-based targets, but it is vulnerable against retaliations from 6-inch guns and heavier as well.  It's axial-deck aviation facility means that the experience of being catapulted over forward turrets would also prove somewhat turbulent to fighter pilots serving aboard.  All in all, it combines the capability of a large light cruiser with that of an escort carrier, but considering the collaborationist navy flagship that it replaced is a 860-ton gunboat, it represented an improvement nonetheless.

For all its shortcomings, however, the ship does have adequate speed and maneuverability to actually keep up with UNON fleet operations, and its crew- always hand-picked out of a pool of personnel well-trained by a meticulously-run local naval academy- are known for their discipline, professionalism, and loyalty to the collaborationist government.  Throughout its career its captains, crew, and naval aviators have played their roles intelligently and professionally given the limitations of their ships, a fact that was respected even by Resistance captains who fled the UNON and collaborationist forces from the world's Far East region and therefore resented what it stands for as a collaborationist fleet flagship.

The ship has been very active in providing convoy escort and naval gunfire support to UNON and collaborationist forces, and while Hai-Xing was never converted into a full carrier because core UNON members are reluctant to allow client states to possess aviation vessels with greater capacity than that of an escort carrier, continuous upgrade has been made to keep it as relevant as possible, and the ship's crew took very good care of it in the meantime.  Along the way the ship gained a true blind-fire capability for its main and secondary guns, some anti-ship missiles, a new island, more space for provisions used by onboard aircraft complement due to the removal of the forward twin 140mm guns, modern CIWS, and finally two octaple VL SAM-16 active-radar-guided point-defence missile launchers located between the island and the smokestack at starboard side.  The helicopters were replaced with a type that has an AEW variant (although this eats into the number of ASW/SAR heloes embarked), and the F-8 fighter jet detachment ditched their overworked mounts in favour of zero-timed airframes taken from storage and then given cockpit and weapon upgrades.  Some old 25mm autocannons were retained in single mounts for use against close-in surface targets such as small boats and floating mines.

Now, decades after its entry into active service and having been joined in the fleet by a fast escort carrier, Hai-Xing is about to be involved in the ensuing chaos following UNON's first encounter with explorers from parallel universe......

==============================================================================================

This was originally intended as a "shoot" idea to be named "Shi-Lang"...... but then I spent too much time on it and decided that it's more acceptable to see the darn thing as just something crazy than as a shoot.  Nonetheless, comments and suggestions are welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Two "Good Guys" Ships
Post by: dy031101 on February 19, 2013, 08:58:27 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/imNBEG7.png)

Another Resistance forces supercarrier.  Instead of the F-14C and/or F/A-18, some Resistance supercarriers embark navalized versions of Su-30 and militarized EAP, both clandestinely developed for the Resistance forces by disgruntled industrial interests that have been forced to forfeit technologies and other results of their works to core UNON member nations; many are also genuinely working toward the liberation of their homelands from UNON control while others are in because the Resistance, while not as wealthy as the UNON, is at least willing to negotiate a proper compensation.  The Su-30 supplmented the more expensive F-14C although it ended up gaining its own following, and the EAP, known as the Sea Fury after naval and operational optimisations, is to make up for the low number of F/A-18s that the Resistance was able to get "diverted" from shipments ordered by UNON members.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PU-CGV-PingYuenClass-2-AU.png)

Some of the universes previously explored by the Armies of Frontier Nations have had interacted on such good accords that those universes are willing to pledge support when the Frontier Navy, naval arm of the Armies of Frontier Nations, need to commit fleet assets but wouldn't be able to get them where they need to be quickly enough- recently during the commencement of hostility with the United New Order Nations this offer is taken up once more.  This particular aviation cruiser is deployed from one such universe to provide escort for Frontier Navy replenishment vessels and carries a mixed airwing of Mountain Eagle (http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=11946.0) "emergency fighters", Brave Hawk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AIDC_F-CK-1_Brave_Hawk.jpg) tactical fighters, and on a recent evaluation basis Vanguard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengdu_J-10) fighter-bombers, supported by Turbo Tracker AEW, Turbo Trader aerial tankers, and AW-149 ASW helicopters.

The ship itself also just received upgrade involving a navalized Sky Bow III missile system, including a modified (for shipboard use and providing guidance to Sea Dart anti-aircraft missile) version of phased array radar, for use in anti-theater-ballistic-missile role.  A vertical-launch system is designed and installed to launch Sky Bow, Sea Dart, Sky Sword II, and Naval Tactical Missile System in both its land-attack and anti-ship varieties.  Other weapons this cruiser carries include one 120mm naval artillery gun, four twin 40mm Fast-Forty Type B close-in defense cannons, three Sea Antelope (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope_air_defence_system) close-in missile launchers, and four quadruple Long Tassel II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CY-1) ballistically-delivered torpedo launchers.

=======================================================================

Aircraft cruiser with a skijump and my first attempt to do a rough top-view layout.  I am trying to get on it an aviation facility as close to that of the Vikramaditya as possible while staying within the size range of the never-built Kreml and my Strike Cruiser Mk.IV derivative of it, but the result ended up being a tad longer......

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Two More "Good Guys" Ships
Post by: jorel62 on February 20, 2013, 11:30:36 PM
Great stuff.......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Fun With SCADS
Post by: dy031101 on February 24, 2013, 04:14:27 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/VXJLz8Z.png)

Another ship deployed by universes friendly to the Armies of Frontier Nations to assist- this support ship helped refuelling Frontier Navy contingents as the latter are out looking for trouble.  When needed, this ship can carry out both sealift and underway replenishment functions.  There are also medical (a small one that includes an operating theater and intensive care facilities) as well as command facilities onboard.

The cargo area can be configured to expand existing capabilities (housing for more troops/cadets or field hospital module, for examples) or take a reduced set of Shipborne Containerized Air Defense System (a hangar for six Sea Harriers or others, and a takeoff/landing area with skijump; the helicopter servicing section is not included due to the military ship's already-existing facility), basically adding the functionality of an escort carrier when the ship is not required to transport cargo containers.  This is more often than not for training purposes, however, as operationally the SCADS is meant to be installed on any sufficiently-sized civilian container ship to protect merchant convoys from anti-ship bombers used to blockade shipping lanes.  In this case the entire SCADS set also includes a helicopter hangar module.

==============================================================

The cargo cranes problem remains unresolved.  :-\  Maybe we'd keep a few crane trucks onboard, too......

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- One Aircraft Top View
Post by: dy031101 on February 27, 2013, 01:09:06 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/F7U-3_TriEngine_1.jpg)

There are two instances where the Armies of Frontier Nations actually encountered enthusiastic users of the F7U although their Cutlasses have major differences from the Cutlass in the history of the FN forces's homeworld.  One of them is a two-seater powered by two J54 a.k.a. Avon turbojets, and the other, as illustrated here, is a single-seater powered by three J46 engines (essentially compensating for the low thrust of each engine by having one more; see attachment below for engine arrangement).  Although developed in two different parallel universes and therefore not really related to one another in the strictest sense, they are also both equipped with a double-telescoping nose landing gear strut, which appears far less problematic than the long fixed-length one recognisable to those history-savvy amongst the Frontier Navy aviators, to allow for high angle of attack takeoffs.  They in their respective current iterations are otherwise broadly identical to the F7U-3.

=========================================================

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- One Aircraft
Post by: GTX_Admin on February 28, 2013, 02:30:47 AM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on March 06, 2013, 04:17:19 PM
Sea Control Ship types.  More or less ideas I've been harbouring since playing Naval Ops: Warship Commander on PS2 (but can't actually build them due to game limitations), and since Shipbucket offers readily available templates, I might as well mess around with them.

The Harriers are basically Shar FA.2 except each has a nose similar to the one used by the Harrier II+ that contains AN/APG-65 radar and a camera for identifying far away targets.  They are meant to be armed with clipped-fin Aspide missiles although 30mm Aden cannons remain an option.

Also, seeing that the official status of old icon for Mk13 launcher has been discontinued, I saw fit to use it and pass it off as being capable of loading ASROC......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CGV-Series-9-2-AU.png~original)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CGH-Series-21-2-AU.png~original)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CVS-DD963_-Flight-Deck-1a-AU.png~original)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CVS-DD963_-Flight-Deck-2-AU.png~original)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CVS-R05-1-AU.png~original)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: jorel62 on March 06, 2013, 10:04:18 PM
Great stuff..... Love the Tracker on floats.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: GTX_Admin on March 07, 2013, 02:21:19 AM
Ditto!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: elmayerle on March 07, 2013, 02:26:08 AM
Beautiful work.  I'm not sure how much in the way of external changes would be required to fit an AN/APG-65, as modified for the AV-8B+, in place of a Blue Vixen.  OTOH, a version of the AV-8B+ was proposed to the FAA to replace the Sea Harrier FA.2 (not sure if it would be a Harrier FG.11 or a Sea Harrier FA.3).

Further note: It would be rather interesting to see a mid-life update to both with the mechanically-scanned antenna replace by an AESA antenna.  I'm not sure it would show externally, but I'll wager the overall performance would improve.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on March 07, 2013, 10:25:52 AM
Loudest pop in a while- thanks.  :)

==========================================

OTOH, a version of the AV-8B+ was proposed to the FAA to replace the Sea Harrier FA.2 (not sure if it would be a Harrier FG.11 or a Sea harrier FA.3).


One equipped with Blue Vixen radar, Homeworld colours:

(http://i.imgur.com/PHnxsvS.jpg)

In use onboard Frontier Navy Vanguard Cruisers and Strike Cruisers  :D:

(http://i.imgur.com/KXNSo7P.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/WzVFPF9.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on March 10, 2013, 11:32:07 AM
"The Lost Fleet" is the self-proclaimed name of a mysterious fleet of ships that appear to also possess the ability to travel between parallel universes although their world of origin is currently unknown.  Contacts between the Armies of Frontier Nations and the Lost Fleet are as of now few-and-far in between and tend to be rather brief if non-confrontational, but the fact that they actively commence hostility against the raiding fleet of League of Kings, an organization of warlords in exile and one of FN forces' mortal enemies, as well as those who aid and abet them have made the FN forces take notice.  They are also believed to be on a level that approaches the FN forces in terms of technologies, in some areas very closely.

Other ships identified as part of the Lost Fleet (just in case people want to refresh their memory): (1) (http://i.imgur.com/nz6zq9n.png) (2) (http://i.imgur.com/ABAFUAN.png) (3) (http://i.imgur.com/SdIb3ek.png) (4) (http://i.imgur.com/JxAuDjW.png) (5) (http://i.imgur.com/OcqfCKw.png) (6) (http://i.imgur.com/7e2JCSE.png)

(http://i.imgur.com/eQBRCYN.png)

This air defense destroyer class is very much like an enlarged La Fayette class frigate, but data gleaned during the few windows of ELINT operational opportunities thus far revealed a sensor specification similar to that of a Horizon class frigate.

(http://i.imgur.com/Jg4tZFp.png)

ASW destroyer.  In addition to the Ikara launcher, Sylver A-43 VLS, Harpoon AShM, and one twin 128mm/L61 gun turret, this class is also one of the first to receive a CIWS development of the twin 5.5cm/L77 autocannon.

==========================================

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: jorel62 on March 10, 2013, 10:36:50 PM
Nice stuff.......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on March 11, 2013, 12:36:16 PM
The "League of Kings" is a band of warlords in exile after losing a campaign to reshape world order on their homeworld, the same one where the original founding members of the Armies of Frontier Nations came from.  FN military command, despite having moved on past petty Homeworld political/ideological squabbles and willing to pay little attention to either unless their bases and supply lines are directly threatened, correctly suspected that the League of Kings might start engaging in subversive and/or militant activities across parallel universes , thus adding complications to the FN forces' on-going missions.  They would indeed go on to become responsible for arming and advising some of the most murderous militarist powers FN forces end up crossing paths (and swords) with.

(http://i.imgur.com/i5t8zb5.png)

This carrier class is built on high-speed merchant hulls and features the best of what the organization can buy or, in case of things they can manufacture, improve with reverse-engineered technology.  The carrier is intended to incorporate the operational characteristic of a cruiser as well out of the consideration that not all factions and patrons could muster a multi-role airwing for it.  A modified version of the easily-available MiG-21 created by incorporating the RD-33 turbofan and incomplete stolen specifications of the JL-9's carrier trainer variant into a MiG-21bis production line (further modifications include a periscope on top of wind shield frame for improved visibility during landing, reduced-sweep outer wing leading edges, wingtip air-to-air missile rails, and blown flaps) became the primary fighter aircraft for most of these carriers.  It would appear, however, that the League of Kings and their patron forces still rely on modified land-based aircraft (http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/specialaircraft/y8j.asp) or flying boats for fleet airborne early warning.

Built-in armaments of this carrier class include 32 Noor anti-ship missiles, Shahab Thaqeb anti-aircraft missiles in 24 proprietary octaple rotary VLS silos, and AK-630M in both single (2) and twin (4) mountings.

(Thanks to elmayerle for suggestion on navalizing the MiG-21)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: finsrin on March 11, 2013, 12:58:26 PM
Must say that I find all ship profiles-descriptions since #146 extra interesting.  :)
Looking forward to more.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: jorel62 on March 11, 2013, 10:35:01 PM
I agree. The descriptions are great.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on March 12, 2013, 11:56:07 AM
Well, my original intention (which still stands) is to allow for a scenario where I can put all my contraptions on the same battlefield for some triple-threat warfare: Armies of Frontier Nations and their friends on one end, League of Kings and their patron militarist powers on another, and on the third side...... I need to work on that the most.  ;D

More to come.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on March 14, 2013, 03:24:18 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/N4GFhjq.png)

This battleship, left incomplete following the end of the World War that led to the official declaraton of the United New Order Nations, ended up falling into the Resistance's hands before the UNON could claim it as a war prize.  It took the Resistance four decades to decide to complete it to a hybrid design incorporating the functionality of a helicopter assault carrier- the originally-specified aft 16-inch turret was left out in favour of a hangar and flight deck for 30 helicopters (20 in the hanger and 10 on deck) and 12 mechanized landing craft, as well as accommodations for 1800 troops.  The eventual weapons configuration includes two triple 16-inch guns, two single rapid-firing 5-inch cannons, two six-round Mistral missile launchers (as a close-in weapon system due to difficulty in mounting Sea Dragon CIWS anywhere with a good firing arc), two eight-round Sea Sparrow launchers, plus various man-portable small arms.

Nonetheless, its time to shine will have to wait until the arrival of visitors from other parallel universes, when the knowledge that there is a military power beyond their own universe throws the UNON into chaos.

With a mix of AH-63 Knightcobra, OH-1 Cobra Scout (with mast mounted sensors), and Sea King (troop transport with a secondary anti-ship role using Exocet and Sea Eagle missiles) for an airwing, this ship would go on to feature prominently during Operation: Metal Black, Resistance counter-offensive aimed to capitalize on the chaos and weaken UNON overseas occupation forces in the world's Far East region......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: finsrin on March 14, 2013, 04:01:33 PM
SWEET --- I like much.
Combines older with newer gracefully.   8)
Kinda build I would like to do if kitbashing in 1/350 - 1/720 range.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: jorel62 on March 14, 2013, 08:10:19 PM
Very nice work..... I like it.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on March 17, 2013, 08:45:55 AM
The Armies of Frontier Nations is a military organization that explores parallel universes in search of clues on a mysterious entity, who refered to itself "the Sages", that attacked their homeworld 20 years ago (their inter-universal transit capability in fact came from reverse-engineering technology left behind by the said entity).  Since its formation, this military organization is staffed by the finest soldiers and officers and afforded the best hardwares their homeworld has to offer.  Supplied by multiple nations on their homeworld, the variety of their weapons of war is as diverse as the people that operate them.  Recently they begin to be plagued by political infighting on their homeworld that resurfaced following a decade of relative peace after the Sages invasion was repulsed, but they nonetheless faithfully carry out their founding objectives as they will always keep in mind the fact that the enemy they are looking for knows no national, political, or racial boundaries.

Some of other ships in service with the Armies of Frontier Nations: (1) (http://i.imgur.com/zhsLzNd.png) (2) (http://i.imgur.com/X5caOs7.png) (3) (http://i.imgur.com/yjhMGXm.png) (4) (http://i.imgur.com/KXNSo7P.png) (5) (http://i.imgur.com/WzVFPF9.png) (6) (http://i.imgur.com/Wt2TYCr.png)

(http://i.imgur.com/Plj0Ifl.png)

The standard destroyer of the Frontier Navy, the naval fighting arm of the Armies of the Frontier Nations, is the Arleigh Burke class destroyer.  Designed to be a multi-purpose warship and the basic anti-aircraft warfare vessel within the Frontier Navy capable of throwing a large defensive "bubble" over a fleet of other ships (which may or may not possess the ability to defend themselves) operating in hostile waters, the basis design is further modified so that it can operate the larger Merlin naval helicopters of the Frontier Navy.  The newest production ships feature the AN/SPY-3 radar, Mk110 57mm Close In Weapon System firing 3P all-target programmable ammunitions, and redesigned propellers.

Some ships carry an airborne mine countermeasures variant (both the ASW and AMCM Merlins have a secondary role of anti-surface warfare support via Brimstone missiles) of the Merlin in one of their hangars.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on March 18, 2013, 12:33:07 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/am8V569.png)

A trio of warship classes armed with Sea Dart missiles.

The cruiser on the top portion can be loaded with a variant of the Sea Dart that is more or less equivalent to the SM-2ER.  The single Lynx embarked would be lowered into the hangar below the flight deck after landing to give the aft Sea Dart launcher a relatively-clear field of fire.

The destroyer in the middle can carry two Sea King class helicopters.

The frigate at the lower portion uses a 3D search radar as opposed to separate 2D long range air search and surface search radars.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Opinions Wanted: Standard-Phoenix or Sea Phoenix?
Post by: dy031101 on March 19, 2013, 12:39:29 PM
Scroll down for the current version. (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg41403#msg41403)

Modifications done to search and fire control sets based off the "Notional High-risk NTU" (http://z11.invisionfree.com/shipbucket/ar/t2612.htm) I found in the Shipbucket archives.

Now here comes a question I'd like some audience opinions about.

I want to put it in the same "Resistance Fleet" as the supercarriers and helicopter battleship that I recently posted.  These ships are at war...... maybe staying off the radar until the timing is right to strike.

Two ways I'd like to go with this- I can give the Super NTU ships Standard-Phoenix (my tentative name for Phoneix missile electronics in Standard missile body, boosted or otherwise) and let Sea Sparrow ships keep their Sea Sparrow launchers, or I can give everybody Sea Phoenix (again, boosted like depicted in this pic or otherwise) to take advantage of have a single base missile with different boosters (and maybe FCRs of different size) for different needs.  In the latter scenario, those with Mk 10, Mk 13, Mk 22, or Mk 26 can keep their launchers, but those that use it as a Sea Sparrow replacement (including supercarriers and helicopter battleship I previously posted) will have corresponding new box launcher(s).

I kinda think that have a single missile body design as the basis for all (the latter scenario, plus the carrier aviation F-14Cs and Su-30s) might help logistics somewhat...... but that's my uneducated opinion.  How would the more-knowledgeable folks here think?  Which scenario makes relatively-more sense for a navy at war?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Opinions Wanted: Standard-Phoenix or Sea Phoenix?
Post by: jorel62 on March 19, 2013, 11:56:39 PM
 :) :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Opinions Wanted: Standard-Phoenix or Sea Phoenix?
Post by: dy031101 on March 20, 2013, 03:13:01 PM
I based the next version on my further un-educated thinking on the topic.  I don't know if alterations to the launchers would cause any impactful delay to NTU implementations.  Plus the compatibility to the existing stock of SM-1ER (granted, that is already no longer guaranteed with the change of FCR units).

So for now it goes as follows:

(http://i.imgur.com/6d0kISp.png)

Resistance forces have long recognised the need to defend their naval battlegroups from saturation attacks while attempting such attacks of their own during any renewed war against the formidable United New Order Nations navies.  Development of a new combat data system with associated phased array radar is showing promise, but in its current form there are weight, volume and topweight concerns preventing its introduction to the fleet on anything but a quasi-dedicated hull.  Even though steps were already made to ensure that such a hull will eventually be developed, it could take a long time before ships with this new combat data system can be available in any meaningful number.  In time, one interim solution appeared to be the adaptation of the F-14C's AWG-9 (which could control at least 6 missiles on a threat axis and be lighter than previous purposedly-designed shipboard systems) and Phoenix missile to the surface-to-air role.  Ultimately the decision is made to incorporate Phoenix missile electronics into the SM-1MR/ER missile body, both to facilitate rebuilding the existing missile stockpiles to the new standard for life-extension purposes and with hope that naval adaptations of the AWG-9 could be made to work with the old Standard missiles if necessary- it didn't work out this way, however, and the entire stockpile of late-model Terrier, Tartar, and SM-1MR & ER missiles were eventually remanufactured into Standard-Phoenix MR and ER anyway.

Two variants of the weapons fire control system based on AWG-9 were defined: Type 1 would have two transmitters and two antennas (dedicated surveillance and search/fire control); Type 2 would have two transmitters but only the search/fire control antenna. By locating these units apart, a ship could engage no less than 12 targets (based on 6 per AWG-9; later found expandable to 12 with computers that would fit aboard ship but not aboard F-14), and 6 (later 12) targets in a casualty mode with the CIC entirely decapitated.  On renovated DDG-37 class destroyers, the main gun fire control radar is removed forward and replaced with a Type 1 "SWG-9".  Aft, both missile guidance illuminators are removed in favour of a Type 2 unit.  Other than the capability to contribute in defence against a serious saturation attack, the destroyer also benefited from a tertiary high-data-rate air search capability being introduced, as well as reduced manning and improved maintenance situations due to all targeting systems being replaced with a single type.

Still open to suggestions.

(There might be a "heel" ship coming next...... maybe.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on April 01, 2013, 10:48:18 AM
"Face" ships again...... the next batch will definitely have ones for the "heels".

=============================================================

(Anyone who played Naval Ops: Commander on PS2?)

Navisha Continental Treaty Organization (N.C.T.O.) is a collective-defense alliance that brings all military forces on their home continent, Navishia, under one unified overall command in order to better defend the continent in the midst of a cold war between superpowers on their home universe.  As N.C.T.O. brought militaries from different civilizations (even former colonies of those superpowers) together, their naval warships tend to exhibit different asthetic styles even though they perform comparable functions.  They are slowly moving toward a degree of logistic commonality with standardized weapons and electronics, however.

When explorers of the Frontier Navy arrived, they found themselves involved in a standoff with both N.C.T.O. and the Empire of Virshia, one of the superpowers on the planet.  The Empire of Virshia at that time has been undertaking an invasion, which began with a daring first-day-of-war airstrike that knocked out N.C.T.O.'s naval Mission Command and has since not only placed N.C.T.O.'s eastern-most member country under siege but also overtaken most of the oceanic oil fields between the continents (mostly on the west- Navishia's- side).

However, hostility commenced by the Imperial Virshian Navy (as Virshia suspects ulterior designs for their world and dismissed the notion that the Armies of Frontier Nations are only interested in ascertaining whether the Sages has or had any presence on this world or not) soon led to N.C.T.O. rendering assistance to the Frontier Navy contingent, in part because it means diversion of Virshian forces that could have been committed to the invasion of N.C.T.O.'s home territories.  Frontier Navy contingent initially responded by having its Harrier FA.9 and Osprey HAS.1 flying a few combat air and anti-submarine patrols for Navishian merchant convoys operating in proximity as the contingent proceeds to survey the planet, but both forces ended up somewhat working together in one fleet battle, in the process establishing good reputations to one another.

The Empire of Virshia has since sued for peace, and N.C.T.O. became one of them who would respond to FN forces' call for assistance.

Other known ships under N.C.T.O. flag:
(1) (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CGV-Series-9-2-AU.png~original) (2) (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CGH-Series-21-2-AU.png~original) (3) (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CVS-DD963_-Flight-Deck-1a-AU.png~original) (4) (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CVS-DD963_-Flight-Deck-2-AU.png~original) (5) (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/NCTO-CVS-R05-1-AU.png~original) (6) (http://i.imgur.com/VXJLz8Z.png)

(http://i.imgur.com/KwSAudq.png)

Idavar is one of the battleships sunk on the very first day of the war against Virshia, when the Imperial Virshian Navy Air Service launched a daring air raid that knocked out N.C.T.O.'s naval Mission Command.  Just like most of those other ships, however, it was relatively-easily salvaged because the harbour at the Mission Command is in shallow waters.  In light of the strength of Virshian Battlefleet "Deep Blue" (with a concentrated force of six attack carriers, as well as submarines that could be used against Navishian merchant navy) currently wreaking havocs to the continent's east, N.C.T.O. sought to bring as many naval aircraft into battle as possible to counter it, leading to a number of the damaged battleships and cruisers being rebuilt with the ability to operate a small combat airwing.

This particular ship is fitted with an angled flight deck and two catapults which, despite being merely 61m and 46m in length, can each launch a fully-laden F-4K Phantom (the standard naval fighter of N.C.T.O. forces at the beginning of the invasion) although onboard ordnance stowage means that versatility of the onboard airwing is relatively limited compared to those serving fleet carriers.  This airwing also included both ASW and AEW variants of the Sea King helicopters.  To make room for the flight deck and a hangar below it, the original aft armaments are removed.  The remaining twin five-inch guns are removed as well, replaced by four more-modern ones that despite being single-barrelled are automated, faster-firing, and having a longer range.  Four quad anti-ship missile launchers were installed amidship, and two point-defense missile launchers and three 12-barrelled 20mm autocannon turrets rounded out its air-defense weapons suite.  The ship's command and control system upgraded, an electronic warfare systems set installed, as were new 2D and 3D search radars.

Following its return to service, Idavar performed a variety of tasks including convoy escort, coastal bombardment, scouting, and fleet air defense support (the latter two via its onboard Phantoms).  Although it has kept the two forward main gun turrets, the consensus amongst commanding officers of N.C.T.O. hybrid ships is that their heavy guns should only be used to defend against fast enemy combatants they cannot outrun or to bombard shore targets so as not to expose the flight deck to unwarranted risks.  Their value lies in the fact that they can bring what is needed (more guns or more aircraft, not both simultaneously) to where it is needed the most.  After the war the hybrid ships were retained in order to maintain naval forces level.

=============================================================

Somewhere along the way, the Armies of Frontier Nations discovered the one thing that escalated their campaign against the United New Order Nations from that of containment to that of intervention- advisors from the League of Kings, terrorist organization that once shared homeworld with the FN forces and has since become one of FN forces' mortal enemies.  Data of biological weapons research has known to be exchanged between the UNON and the League of Kings, and more intelligence of similar natures are still coming in.  An assault force is being mobilized, and warships from allied universes have been requested for protection of staging area until the mobilization is complete.

Both the United New Order Nations and League of Kings forces have attempted to pre-empt such a move...... only to learn that things don't get meaningfully easier for them simply out of the notion that they weren't running into Strike Cruiser/Battlecruiser/Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups of the Frontier Navy......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/PU-BB61-_BBHG1-2-AU.png~original)

In the midst of the fleet of ships from allied universes is a rarity- a guided missile battleship.  Originally sporting two Terrier missile launchers forward and one Talos launcher aft, the advent of Standard 1ER missile led to the phase-out of the Talos missile and the addition of four(!) Tartar missile launchers for Standard 1MR.  Later the non-operational Talos launcher and magazine was replaced with an enlarged aviation facility that can support short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing jet fighters, as well a battery of 48 vertical launch systems, but perhaps more importantly, the fire control system was vastly improved with a shipboard version of the AWG-9 radar to take advantage of the introduction of Sea Phenix missile (in MR and ER flavours just like the Standard 1).  A ship with one surveillance and two fire control antennae can engage no less than 12 targets normally and 6 in case of command and control "decapitation"...... and this ship has one surveillance and nine fire control sets.  The vertical missile launchers can carry anti-ship or land attack cruise missiles, or even more Sea Phoenix missiles if necessary.

The rest of this ship's arsenal includes four 20mm close-in defense cannons and four twin 127mm/54 guns.

This ship is a rarity because it's a one-off construction built on the incomplete hull of a cancelled battleship order.  No other battleship in allied arsenal is so extensively armed with anti-aircraft missiles (the norm being fair shares of guns and missiles on each ship).

(Helicopter modifications are inspired by those seen in Metal Gear Solid 4......)

=============================================================

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on April 06, 2013, 12:01:21 PM
A heel ship.

(http://i.imgur.com/cSb8fGz.png)

Not all of the League of Kings' patron forces were green or brown water navies to begin with - the core navies of the United New Order Nations are of the true blue water kind, but they are definitely not the first to have aligned themselves with the band of warlords.

This particular class of cruisers are sighted fairly soon after the Armies of Frontier Nations began conducting security operations against the League of Kings and their patron forces, well before the Frontier Navy's run-in with the UNON, serving as an anti-aircraft warfare escort for high-value targets or large raiding fleets.  Although they still tend to be outmatched by Frontier Navy and allied-universe vessels serving comparable roles on a one-on-one basis, they have been mass-produced on a larger scale.

This class is a "double-ender" (anti-aircraft missile launchers on both ends of the ship) based on a gun cruiser design; initially with Sea Slug missiles as the primary weapon, the League of Kings eventually came up with a version of the more-capable Taer 2 missile using wrap-around booster motors similar to the old Sea Slug (to facilitate storage and handling within the existing Sea Slug facilities and to increase range).  Later elements for further upgrade are provided, including Noor anti-ship missiles (four quad launchers) and copies of AK-630M1-2 Roy CIWS (two mounts).

Comments and suggestions welcomed.

(EDIT: Maybe I can put two Noor launchers per space originally occupied by a twin 3" AA.....)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: jorel62 on April 06, 2013, 08:21:43 PM
Very nice....
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: arc3371 on April 07, 2013, 06:41:26 AM
Good looking ships
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on April 21, 2013, 02:36:33 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/StDWcaA.png)

Partial backstory here (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=2902.msg44450#msg44450).

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: jorel62 on April 21, 2013, 07:13:35 PM
Very nice......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on April 24, 2013, 11:56:26 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/PU-BB61-_BBHG2-1-AU.png~original)

Another guided missile battleship and a less-extensive rebuild compared to the ship that it supplements (http://i.imgur.com/DNGC87B.png), with most of its missile armaments concentrated in the aft section and a smaller number of fire control radars.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: jorel62 on April 24, 2013, 11:49:40 PM
Nice.........
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Few Quick Stuff
Post by: dy031101 on April 29, 2013, 12:02:04 PM
Replaced On Display (http://i.imgur.com/mDkTRt2.png)

This one...... I've been doing since Acree posted his inspirational Vought Spearfish AEW (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=1494.msg32070#msg32070)......

The idea is that the AEW seaplane would be launched via old-style catapults installed onboard aircraft carriers and hybrid warships while STOVL jet fighters would use skijumps (once again to the port side and blocked by the aircraft servicing crane and smokestacks).

Again intended as part of my parallel-universe fleets although an alt.-Earth navy that hired the British minds behind the G3 battlecruiser project and bought Italian as well as French weapons might make for an interesting story, too......

Despite my being unable to think of a better basis, I have never been really happy with the way the rest of the aviation facility in this graph-bash turns out...... would someone provide some suggestion?

=============================================================

Unless I can come up with or be inspired into a better implementation of the above-mentioned idea, the next mental note post will be GB-related.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: dy031101 on August 27, 2013, 11:28:29 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/mAfxCzv.png)

A light aviation cruiser based on the hull of the Kouroush class ("Cyrus the Great"; known as the Kidd class in USN service) destroyers was ordered by the last Shah of Iran as Ardashir (named after founder of the Sasanian Empire, the last Iranian empire before the rise of Islam) but, unlike the Kouroush class destroyers, was already handed over (minus two planned but delayed and then never-delivered Phalanx Block 0 guns) by the time of Iranian Revolution along with its small airwing of Sea Harriers.  The ship was re-named Zafar ("Victory") afterward.

It became the centre of American's attention during Operation Praying Mantis; its presence prompted the Americans to devote extra forces in anticipation of an attack on Bandar Abbas.  This important Iranian naval base was pre-emptively attacked after Iran sent out Boghammar speedboats to attack foreign shipping in the Persian Gulf.  Despite the best efforts of its crew, Zafar was hit by two AGM-123 before it could get underway, let alone launching its Sea Harriers- the ammunition magazine for its 5" gun was detonated, doing tremendous damage to the bow of the ship and, with the ensuing fire, burning out the 5" gun turret.  Contrary to the estimation of the US military, however, the ship was ultimately saved although it would sit out on the remainder of the Iraq-Iran War.  Its Sea Harriers were reassigned to land bases near the frontline, where they would redeem themselves by facing the Iraqi Air Force with success.

After the war, the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) has slowly but steadfastly moved to bring Zafar back into service, seeing it as a major bastion of IRIN's prestige both in general and in their rivalry against the Revolutionary Guard.  The fruit of this exercise eventually sees the ship receiving a new replacement bow that is redesigned to accommodate a reverse-engineered 114mm dual purpose gun used by Alvand class frigates in place of the original 5" gun; a fire-control suite also derived from the set on Alvand class; a six-round Shahab Thaqeb missile launcher (which requires manual-reloading after use) replacing the old and non-operational Sea Sparrow launcher; and Noor missiles in place of the original Harpoon missiles.  The Sea Harriers, also kept operational after considerable local efforts, would return to Zafar as well with the ability to fire the R-27T infrared-guided missiles from their outermost pylons.

An active-electronically scanned array radar is said to be under development to finally replace the troublesome (for the Iranians) SPS-48A.

=================================================================================

My old PC showed one sign of aging too many, so I got a new one.  Was going to resume work on the assault carrier but took a detour thanks to a post made by GTX (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=3431.msg51556#msg51556).  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 27, 2013, 02:48:13 PM
Nice work...glad I distracted you.  I wonder how hard it would be to model this in plastic?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: Volkodav on August 27, 2013, 08:39:28 PM
These were offered to Australia as a Melbourne replacement.......got a couple of (4) Hobby Boss 1/1200 Spruances and Ticonderogas.....I am part way through turning one into a modernday APD but what to do with the others.....?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: Empty Handed on August 28, 2013, 06:44:36 PM
Some interesting concepts in here!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: dy031101 on August 29, 2013, 01:32:54 PM
I modded this trio before but never got around posting them.

(http://i.imgur.com/k8UttlL.png)

Jiangwei I with LY-60 missiles.  Since LY-60 is better than the HQ-61 missile the original ships are stuck with......

(http://i.imgur.com/emexs5a.png)

Kara class cruiser with S-300 missiles.  Inspired by Russian Kara class cruiser Azov, which actually served as trial ship for the S-300 in real life, but as I have no detailed picture or drawing for the real-life Azov, I used imaginations to fill some blanks.

(http://i.imgur.com/o98azhw.png)

Originally meant as an idea of an "exportable" Kresta being upgraded.  Again, the Volna launchers here have received the same kind of improvement found on post-2000 Pechora upgrades, but I don't have any reference that allows me to try illustrating the fire control upgrade......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: taiidantomcat on September 10, 2013, 10:47:33 PM
Love the Green  :-*
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: ChernayaAkula on September 11, 2013, 02:01:46 AM
Seeing that Kara, I wonder... have you tried something like the "Alexander Nevski" from "X-Men: First Class"?

(http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m309/ChernayaAkula/WhIf/x-men_first_class_soviet-cruiser.png)

This pic is from the trailer. The film has another shot of (roughly) amidships aft, but no complete shot showing the ship in its entirety (I think). Always wanted to get a couple more screengrabs from the DVD, but now that they could come in handy, the DVD is at my sister's place. (http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m309/ChernayaAkula/Emoticons/doh.gif)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: dy031101 on September 16, 2013, 08:39:16 AM
Love the Green  :-*

I am more used to red, too, but then I was just modding them......  ;D

Seeing that Kara, I wonder... have you tried something like the "Alexander Nevski" from "X-Men: First Class"?

Judging from its radar arrangement...... might it actually be an enlarged Kresta?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Couldn't Help But To Take A Detour AGAIN
Post by: dy031101 on October 07, 2013, 10:02:20 AM
Old Version (http://i.imgur.com/Ct9uQB5.jpg)

A trial inspired by upgraded KV-4 in World of Tanks......

Hum...... what do you think?  Does it look okay, or does it look...... underpowered (as in it looks like it could use a bigger engine compartment or an otherwise longer chassis)?

I am looking for a template for lowering the profile of that big-shotgun turret as well.

Comment and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 07, 2013, 10:38:16 AM
 ??? :-\ :o
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: raafif on October 07, 2013, 12:26:09 PM
main turret looks to big for the chassis .... extend chassis by one roadwheel (so bigger engine).  I'd replace the sub-turret with a lower-profile cast one to match the overall styling.

Also, just to be trendy, make the hull more saucer-shaped .... ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Couldn't Help But To Take A Detour AGAIN
Post by: dy031101 on October 08, 2013, 11:54:24 AM
Old Version Mk.II (http://i.imgur.com/Ufi13Co.jpg)

One change at a time......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Couldn't Help But To Take A Detour AGAIN
Post by: dy031101 on October 11, 2013, 08:26:39 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/SM05HIL.jpg)

One of the heavy tank types operated by indigenous forces that the Armies of Frontier Nations found themselves fighting alongside as they hunt for the fugitive League of Kings and their patron forces on land.  It's large and less efficient than the main battle tanks of Frontier Nations forces such as Challenger 2E, but still poses a dangerous threat to almost any tank fielded on the battlefield by patrons of the warlord alliance, thanks to its high-velocity 120mm main cannon developed from an anti-aircraft gun and a 7.92mm machinegun that is co-axial with the main gun.  Also notable is a (rather cramped) two-man sub turret on the rear of the main turret and armed with a 45mm gun and another co-axial 7.92mm machinegun.  The sub turret in fact functions as a sensor and weapon station to the tank commander, who aims and fires the 45mm gun, and his/her assistant, who loads the 45mm gun (often with canister rounds for anti-personnel purposes).  The rest of the crew consists of a driver, a main gun gunner, and two main gun loaders.

(An up-armoured version incoming.)

Comments and suggestion welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: finsrin on October 11, 2013, 09:56:47 AM
Do like that as a "BIG" tank same as I like "BIG" bombers.  Is a fine concept and profile drawing  :)
Specially when big to extent that they would only be built in styrene, not in steel.  Hopefully you done planted a styrene build seed with someone here at BTS.
Thoughts:
> Start with 1/35 tank hull to build 1/48 big tank.
> Start with 1/48 tank hull to build 1/72 big tank.
Be best to size hatches and external stuff like lights, shovels, etc in target scale.

> Start with 1/32 - 1/35 tank hull to build 1/72 mega tank.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 12, 2013, 02:50:38 AM
It reminds me of some of the nuclear powered tank proposals:

(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/R32_zps4b6dba5a.jpg)
(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/TV-8small_zps4c1af9b6.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Couldn't Help But To Take A Detour AGAIN
Post by: dy031101 on October 13, 2013, 11:48:38 AM
And speaking of sizes...... really?  I did not expect that my BTMP-72 (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/BTMP-72.jpg) would look this small even when compared to the Challenger 2:

(http://i.imgur.com/4stwZrE.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 13, 2013, 12:28:33 PM
Russian/Soviet tanks are small...and there are reasons why. ;)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: elmayerle on October 14, 2013, 10:47:06 AM
It reminds me of some of the nuclear powered tank proposals:

([url]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/R32_zps4b6dba5a.jpg[/url])
([url]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/TV-8small_zps4c1af9b6.jpg[/url])

Pikers compared the the Sheva and Tiger III nuclear-powered "tanks" (as much as anything) from John Ringo's Posell-verse novels.  Between Bun-Bun, and sibs, and the German ones from Watch on Rhine you have some interesting vehicles.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Couldn't Help But To Take A Detour AGAIN
Post by: dy031101 on October 24, 2013, 02:30:37 AM
Messed around a little more:

(http://i.imgur.com/FN3uAWB.jpg)

Another allied heavy tank.  This vehicle is notable in that it has a separate fighting compartment for a 152mm demolition gun (in an armoured ball-type gun mount offset to the right hand side) in the forward hull while its trainable turret is armed with a 105mm anti-tank gun and two co-axial 7.92mm machineguns.  The idea is for the tank to lay down barrages with its demolition gun as it advances and then uses its turreted gun against any enemy tank attempting to oppose it.  In reality, commanders of this tank found themselves having to concentrate on either commanding the turret crew (who they are located with) or commanding the demolition gun crew (via intercom; the driver sits next to them to the left hand side as well), not both at the same time.  Most were fortunately able to figure this out before the League of Kings invaded their world.

When the real shooting began the tank is able to perform reasonably well against League of Kings patron forces' main tank, copy of Type 69 with a 100mm rifled gun and its flame tank derivative that has a co-axial flame thrower instead of the usual machinegun, although the Type 69 copy's rarely-fitted reactive armours can reduce the effectiveness of the heavy tank's 105mm AP shot.  Type 69's lighter weight and better overall mobility, however, allow the militants to carry out ambush and flanking maneuvers that can catch many a indigenous forces tank commander off guard.  The T-72, on the other hand, is a much bigger threat that the heavy tank can cope with only after introduction of improved armour-piercing shells and reactive armours of its own.

(http://i.imgur.com/WFBbslU.jpg)

The tank's production was initially slowed by those of its various components.  Such production delays were eventually either worked out altogether or relieved with substitutes- in case of the 152mm demolition gun, which is itself an excellent weapon for its purpose but never reached the desired scale of mass production, several factories co-producing this tank modified the design to accept instead a 160mm breech-loading mortar so as to enlist the production capacities of arsenals that can only make smooth-bore artillery pieces (i.e. mortars).  The mortar does not have a dedicated High-Explosive Squash Head ammunition that the 152mm gun has, but its standard issue high-explosive rounds are nonetheless effective against fortifications.

========================================================

I am still running out of ideas for camo...... but now at least the forward gun should be safer when the tank goes on ramming low walls......

Size comparison updated. (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg55176#msg55176)

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 24, 2013, 02:47:01 AM
Mmmmm......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Couldn't Help But To Take A Detour AGAIN
Post by: dy031101 on October 26, 2013, 02:50:13 AM
Any parallel with the ARL 44 is entirely intentional.

(http://i.imgur.com/Yr8jttl.jpg)

Developed in a nation that was recently liberated from a future patron of the League of Kings, this tank was originally designed simply to get local weapon engineers that were condemned to hard labour by the foreign occupiers before the liberation reacquainted with development of tanks and keep those who weren't in employment, but large-scale appearance of modern tanks (clones of Type 69 and T-72) supplied by the League of Kings forced its mass production, as every nation capable of producing armoured vehicles is expected to do so in order to contribute to the collective war efforts against patrons of the warlord alliance.

The tank utilizes technologies that are mostly of earlier generations even compared to their contemporaries, resulting in a mediocre tank that is obsolete even as it enters service except for one thing- the team of engineers who designed this tank, being reasonably awared of this, decided that of all the aspects this tank is going to be inferior in, firepower isn't going to be one of them.  It became the first tank in its universe of origin to be armed with a 120mm gun that saw combat against patron forces of the League of Kings, a fact that kept it somewhat useful until sufficient number of truly-modern tanks are available to start replacing it.  Production tanks tend to be employed as tank destroyers, relying on the superior range of their guns, allied armoured support, and often well-camouflaged ambush maneuvers to avoid getting caught in situations where enemy tanks can return fire.

The tank is initially also armed with two 7.92mm co-axial machineguns- like every other tank so armed, one of those machineguns is removed later in its career.

========================================================

Size comparison updated. (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg55176#msg55176)

Comments and suggestions welcomed.

(Time to do that uparmoured multi-turreted tank......)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Couldn't Help But To Take A Detour AGAIN
Post by: raafif on October 26, 2013, 03:50:19 AM

The tank utilizes technologies that are mostly of earlier generations even compared to their contemporaries

Really need to make the turret a rivetted type rather than jointed .... needs more rivets on the hull too  >:D ...... Name ?? "Queen Victoria"
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Couldn't Help But To Take A Detour AGAIN
Post by: dy031101 on October 28, 2013, 10:59:41 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/GbS2my0.jpg)

This tank, deployed from one of the parallel universes where M48 and M60 (known to the Armies of Frontier Nations as "Patton") main battle tanks exist, is basically a hybrid between a M48/M48A1/M48A2 hull and a M60A3 turret.  Other things of note include a 120mm gun and (not really visible) a steam engine that was used because suitable diesel and gas turbine engines are urgently required by productions/modernisations of other tank types in that universe.  Original petrol engine exhaust was eliminated and replaced by one that's offset to the right hand side due to configuration of the steam engine.  The engine offers only marginal performance improvement that is largely negated by the heavier armour protection in the tank's operational fit, but it is considered much more reliable than the petrol engine it replaced.

The above illustration depicts prototype/"peacetime" configuration.  Those encountered on the battlefield and fighting alongside the Armies of Frontier Nations forces are of "combat" configration and equipped with applique turret armour package and further protected by reactive armours on both hull (http://www.ipms.dk/Kvart1-2011/A04%20a.JPG) and up-armoured turret (http://www.military-today.com/tanks/m60_phoenix_l2.jpg).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: dy031101 on January 06, 2014, 01:44:30 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/cS00wOx.png)

To naval strategists of the United New Order Nations, the existence of the CSG-1 class "Strike Cruisers" (not to be confused with a series of aircraft-carrying large cruisers operated by the Armies of the Frontier Nations, also in action against the UNON forces) is yet another slap to their faces- these large missile cruisers, along with the supercarriers they are often seen protecting, proves that the UNON's repeated "Burn to Ashes" campaigns in occupied overseas territories failed to achieve much in stripping the Resistance forces off the resources and popular supports needed- and used to, amongst other things, build capital ships right under their noses- for the eventual open uprising.  The majority of UNON navies stationed beyond home waters of UNON core members are geared toward supporting ground troops in "pacifying" foreign populations, and when the open uprising did come to pass, they found themselves facing easily-mass-producible fleet missile boats and escort ships, which they expected...... backed by modernised and new-build destroyers and cruisers, which they did not.

The most prominent features of the CSG-1 cruisers are the superstructure-mounted phased-array radar units, an automatic 8-inch gun, as well as two Mk. 4 Mod. 3 GMLS capable of firing Standard-Phoenix ER anti-aircraft missiles, rocket-delivered torpedoes, and anti-ship missiles; in anti-aircraft operations the radar and missile launcher systems work in conjunction with four SWG-9 Mod. 4 (Mod. 2 with optimised shipboard computers) search/fire control radar sets.  The rest of the weapon suite includes two triple box launchers for land attack cruise missiles, two Sea Dragon close-in weapon systems, and various small arms.  Two Dauphin helicopters, adapted for shipborne anti-submarine and anti-ship warfares, are embarked on each ship.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: dy031101 on January 09, 2014, 01:22:22 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/EWHbHcl.png)

This class of helicopter destroyer hosts an airwing of two SH-47 helicopters.

"Australian-themed" version, so to speak.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 11, 2014, 03:39:42 AM
Ooooo…I like! :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Got a New PC, Back In Action?
Post by: dy031101 on January 13, 2014, 06:32:04 AM
Wasn't really happy with one of the ships (NOT the Australian-theme one, since it's still there in the above post  ;))...... so it's replaced.  Probably the last detour before clearing my Photoshop workbench......


(http://i.imgur.com/s4nKXh6.png)
This class of helicopter destroyer escorts is designed with a single SH-47 as its primary weapon in its intended role of anti-submarine warfare but really a jack of all trades warship due to its surface to air missile launcher, anti-ship missiles, and bombardment gun.   Originally otherwise equipped with a rather basic suite of air search and fire control radars, encounters and subsequent cooperation with the Armies of Frontier Nations eventually opened the door for importing some very potent upgrades, including a phased array search and tracking radar as well as RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile.

(http://i.imgur.com/vAFAxml.png)
This class of helicopter destroyers is notable in that it was designed and built with the assistance of industrial interests involved in arming and equipping the Armies of Frontier Nations.  One result of such assistance is that it contains several systems that are licenced by defense contractors from the military organization's homeworld, the most notable ones being the APAR and SMART-L radars as well as 21-round launchers for RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile.  The ship itself is optimised for anti-aircraft warfare, relying primarily on its airwing of two SH-47 helicopters against under-water threats (although again it does have its own two dual-tube 324mm torpedo launchers as a backup).  It is also designed to serve as a command ship for destroyer and frigate squadrons, prioritizing targets for the entire squadron and directing their firepowers against these target in manners deemed appropriate.

Ships of both classes have routinely collabourated with Frontier Navy ships in action against League of Kings raiders and are occasionally integrated into Frontier Navy carrier/strike-cruiser strike groups.  Their first true test against a technologically-formidable foe would be the Frontier Navy's war to exterminate League of Kings advisors of the United New Order Nations, however, as the warlord alliance brings both their UNON patrons and elements of their own elites to bear.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Intellectual Exercise Assistance Request
Post by: dy031101 on January 14, 2014, 02:18:40 AM
Because I am not all that knowledgeable in terms of ship designs......

If I want to take, say, a Kirov class large missile cruiser and enlarge its hull to twice the original size, would someone offer help by venturing an guestimation on how it would be translated into the growth of length and draft?

(I know there will be growth on beam as well, but then I suppose it's hard to show it in shipbucket style......)

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Intellectual Exercise Assistance Request
Post by: dy031101 on January 18, 2014, 12:54:08 AM
Okay...... I kinda lied and took another detour.  I'll admit that there may or may not be another one before the completion of my GB entry......

And yes, I WILL finish that entry (I know I've said a few times already  ;D)!

Replaced on display (http://i.imgur.com/zvTtvKb.png)

The primary fighter onboard this carrier is a variant of aircraft known to the Armies of Frontier Nations as the Cutlass that is powered by three J46 afterburning turbojets (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg39604#msg39604).

These tri-motor Cutlasses, whose collective potential is being milked for all its worth with the addition of Sparrow III missile capability amongst other things, are mainly meant for the carrier's self-protection during its main role of convoy escort.  When supporting fleet operations, however, and during coorperation with Frontier Nations forces and allied universes they have access to significantly more-capable aerial tanker support than the ship's own contingent of Turbo-Trackers/Traders, thus allowing them to undertake combat operations further out from their mothership .

The carrier is also armed with a close-in weapon system suite that includes four twin 3"/L50 RF guns firing proximity-fused high-explosive ammunitions and three point defense missile launchers.

=================================================

And assistance to the request in the previous post will still be greatly appreciated.  :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Intellectual Exercise Assistance Request
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 18, 2014, 03:57:06 AM
If I want to take, say, a Kirov class large missile cruiser and enlarge its hull to twice the original size, would someone offer help by venturing an guestimation on how it would be translated into the growth of length and draft?


So, would you envisage the central location remaining the same and perhaps, the hull being extended fore and aft - perhaps more missiles up front and increased landing deck to the rear?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Intellectual Exercise Assistance Request
Post by: dy031101 on January 18, 2014, 04:13:30 AM
If I want to take, say, a Kirov class large missile cruiser and enlarge its hull to twice the original size, would someone offer help by venturing an guestimation on how it would be translated into the growth of length and draft?


So, would you envisage the central location remaining the same and perhaps, the hull being extended fore and aft - perhaps more missiles up front and increased landing deck to the rear?

I'm planning to do a couple of mental notes based on fiction ideas from an online acquaintence of mine.  What he did tell me about it is that it's indeed based on the Kirov class missile cruiser except that it has around twice the size, three 128-cell VLS, two twin 130mm gun, and hangar space for six Ka-28.  I would assume its other characteristics would remain unchanged from that of the Kirov class.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Last Detour Before Clearing Workbench GB
Post by: dy031101 on January 19, 2014, 12:34:30 PM
Guess I'll take that detour after all......

(http://i.imgur.com/VQ9yWLL.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Almost There......
Post by: dy031101 on January 21, 2014, 01:45:33 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/xUigJQV.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/03IrDGt.png)

Recently two new warships have been sighted operating as part of the enigmatic Lost Fleet strike forces in action against the League of Kings and their newly-acquired patron, a fascist-totalitarian intergovernmental organization known as the United New Order Nations.  Beyond strengthened aviation facilities to operate anti-submarine Rotodyne IIs and the use of readily-available types of weapons (55mm/L77 rapid-firing autocannon and 100mm automatic artillery, for example), they appear to be based on the Horizon class and Type 45 class destroyers, the latter case becoming something of a cruiser-class vessel with increased missile armaments and requisite enlarged hull.

Both System Corps and Intelligence Corps of the Armies of Frontier Nations believe these warships to be prototypes still undergoing combat trials at this point but already found the ability of the Lost Fleet to match the full sensor and electronic warfare specifications of the Type 45 destroyer design intriguing- because neither the Horizon nor the Type 45 is known to have been developed in any parallel universe other than the FN forces' own homeworld, yet technologies apparently derived from the Horizon class frigate are already in widespread use by most if not all new constructions of that mysterious fleet even prior to this newest finding.  In fact, several FN Intelligence officials who participated in the investigation on the disappearance of FN forces' own 11th Exploration, which had both a Horizon class and a Type 45 class vessels on strength when the entire flotilla was presumed destroyed after reportedly encountering and being overwhelmed by hostile indigenous forces 10 years ago, are known to be attempting to determine if there is a connection to be made between the ill-fated flotilla and the Lost Fleet......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Almost There......
Post by: dy031101 on January 22, 2014, 02:12:40 PM
Old Version (http://i.imgur.com/Q3Maa5I.png)

After governments on the homeworld of the Armies of Frontier Nations agreed to allow export of weapons to militaries deemed as friendly by the FN forces, associated industrial interests quickly set out to work.  This "destroyer leader" is designed by the very defense contractor that created the Type 45 destroyer, intended for potential customers from allied universes, a few of which identified desires for a seaplane-carrying destroyer or frigate squadron command ship.  As systems compatible with the SM-2 missiles appear more marketable to these parallel universes, the SAMPSON radar was replaced with the APAR.  Rather than helicopter facilities, this design has a rotating catapult rail, a seaplane handling crane, and a hangar fitted amidships.  The customer-supplied single seaplane (shown here a Seastar flying boat) accommodated in the hangar is really intended for liason or utility roles although often capable of conducting vectored (by helicopters and/or ships from the rest of the squadron) attacks against enemy submarines.

The ship's own built-in armaments include a 114mm automatic gun, three Phalanx Block 1B close-in weapon systems, 80 Mk 41 VLS cells (48 forward and 32 aft), one six-round Sadral missile launcher, eight anti-ship missiles, and 533mm torpedo launchers.


=================================================================

I want to do a Shipbucket-style Dornier Seastar but couldn't make it look good, so finally I had to throw in the towel on that one......  Can't let it get in the way of my GB project......

=================================================================

Comments and suggestions welcomed.

Now I'm out of detour ideas, so...... next, heel ship(s) incoming!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Heel-Face-Heel
Post by: dy031101 on February 03, 2014, 02:51:42 PM
I was going to only do heel ships this time...... then it dawned on me that Volkhov-M is kinda cute, too (as is the idea of having four of them)......

I realized that I am once again compelled to do a face ship, so that's how it went.

More heel ships(s) incoming...... no solid timetable, I know I have disproportionately more face ships, I can't guarantee I won't convert more, but the bad guys will get more ships to show for as well.

==================================================

(http://i.imgur.com/diKTGiN.png)
One of the first capital ships mass-produced for the League of Kings' raiding fleets and indeed their first warship capable of area air defense, the warlord alliance acquired the design of this class of missile cruisers from an early patron as a reward for lending their subversive capabilities to off-world insurgencies.  Its S-75M-2 anti-aircraft missile system (known to the League's founding warlords as "Volkhov-M"), two of which would arm each ship of the class, provided a missing piece for the League of Kings' puzzle of fleet operation capabilities although they had to apply technology stolen from the KS-1 missile programme on their homeworld (who regards them as terrorists and all, with only fringe countries willing to do business with them) to put together something truly useful.  This includes an all-solid-state SJ-212 fire control radar and various improvements to the missile itself.

Naturally, other components that can be replaced with those readily-available the warlord alliance are indeed replaced on the mass-produced ships, such as a new sensors suite, 100mm automatic main guns, radar-guided 37mm autocannons with PL-8H launch rails, 533mm torpedo tubes, and a heavy anti-ship missile system indigenously-developed by arms-dealing elements within the warlord alliance.  A "Command" variant also exists, with differences being 130mm main guns and a correspondingly more-crowded accommodation.

This design as modified does also share a common weakness of League of Kings warships- it avoids problems with overcrowding and severely straining the warlord alliance's pool of available manpower (which does not have the size or the quality to match those of their enemies to begin with, a situation not helped by the fact that much of their arsenal is still manpower-intensive) by devoting its crew complement to manning weapons and command-and-control facilities.  Despite efforts of automation in other aspect of shipboard operations, ships of this class suffer from weak damage control capabilities for their size, leading to a reputation of being able to dish out damage but not able to take it.

==================================================

(http://i.imgur.com/4C3Mvfl.png)
A prototype fleet air defense and command ship, this missile cruiser is in fact an indirect predecessor of sorts to the above mentioned cruiser.  To reflect her emphasis on anti-aircraft warfare, as built she was armed with four S-75M-2 missile launchers (known to the Armies of Frontier Nations as "Volkhov-M"), two experimental launchers for V-600 missiles (known to FN forces as "4K90" or "Volna") with horizontally-loading magazines, four twin 100mm/L70 guns, and two depth charge racks.  The downfall of the government that funded her creation prevented the existence of any sister ship to come to pass, but rather than joining the insurgency responsible for the downfall, she fought until the insurgency's League of Kings benefactors attracted the wrath of the Armies of Frontier Nations, who helped evicting both the insurgents and the warlord alliance from her homeworld.

She remained hard-worked in various policing operations around her homeland during the subsequent years until efforts to contact the industry interests of FN forces' homeworld eventually paid off just in time for her to get a much-needed refit, and the enlisted defense contractors are more than happy to supply the SJ-231 phased-array fire control radars and to re-manufacture the V-753 missiles used by the ship to a more consistent and potent standard.  In addition, her sensors and fire controls are improved upon, the V-600 missile launchers proved somewhat clumsy for the intended use and were replaced by two Type 730 gatling guns and six Sylver A-35 vertical launchers loaded with quad-packed Crotale VT-1 missiles, depth charge racks would give way to two twelve-tube anti-submarine rocket mortars, and anti-surface capabilities are enhanced with the installation of two quad C-602 missile launchers aft.

==================================================

This is my (much-belated) Clear Your Workbench GB entry...... please proceed to here (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=3844.msg64442#msg64442) for the full story.

(http://i.imgur.com/EQysZJS.jpg)

==================================================

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Heel-Face-Heel
Post by: dy031101 on February 08, 2014, 11:28:03 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/gt517uz.png)
An updated version of the Flight Deck Sprunance posted a while ago.

Rather than the place holder SPY-1F, this one now has APAR and SMART-L.

======================================================================

(http://i.imgur.com/iBACHPG.png)

Designed to act as a multi-role support ship at the time of her construction, this ship is currently the flagship of the Frontier Navy Foreign Auxiliary, refugee naval forces found by Armies of Frontier Nations exploration fleets on worlds devastated by either the Sages or the League of Kings beyond point of recovery and then willingly integrated under the overall command of the Frontier Navy in exchange for a safer place they and their fellow civilian survivors can call "home"- this particular ship is co-incidentally the first such refugee warship to be found.  In addition to the frigate-like firepower as well as command and control facility that benefit her role as a command ship, she has accommodations for troops or cargo that can be deployed via LCVPs or helicopters.  Much like the rest of the Foreign Auxiliary, she is active in support of regular Frontier Navy forces' logistics component by providing escort for supply ships and/or sharing the transport duties as well, but on two occasions so far she also participated in interdiction against League of Kings raiding fleets by being a base of operations for nighttime search-and-destroy helicopter flights.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another "Good Guy" Ship
Post by: dy031101 on February 10, 2014, 01:39:12 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/pBlxxfa.png)

Inspired by the Japanese Hyuga class DDH, this Sea Control Ship derivative features a somewhat strengthened built-in armaments suite.  Unlike the Japanese DDH, though, this one has heat-resistant flight deck strong enough to handle a Yak-41/43......

Equipped with a SPY-1F set, a tactical-length 16-cell Mk.41 VLS, sonar, and torpedo tubes, it in reality relies on STOVL fighters and helicopters as its primary anti-aircraft and anti-submarine weapons, respectively.  Nonetheless, two STIR illuminators are installed for CEC, and there's always the quad-pack ESSM......

(This ship is meant to go with the Skyhook ships that I posted before.  I've decided to standardize on the Yak-41 and -43 for all of my Skyhook ships- because 1. the folding wings might hopefully help facilitating storage, and 2. I want to keep the Type 583V with the "Lost Fleet" group- although I have not re-uploaded the pictures to reflect that fact.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- An Aircraft For A Change
Post by: dy031101 on February 13, 2014, 02:32:38 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/bjymC2o.png)

While regular Frontier Navy strike cruiser air wings are equipped with Harrier FA.9A (basically a Harrier GR.9A equipped with Blue Vixen radar; soon to be replaced by F-35B), Foreign Auxiliary fighter detachments currently operate Freestyle F.2 from their Skyhook warships and light aircraft carriers, where their folding wings and hinged nose radomes are greatly appreciated as the afore-mentioned features facilitate storage within the smaller ships' hangars.

The previous F.1 designation is applied to the configuration as the Frontier Navy explorations found it on its world of origin and, upon the establishment of the Foreign Auxiliary sub-branch, decided to incorporate it as the fighter aircraft of this naval service wing.  F.2 is the result of an update, with the difference from the F.1 model including the compatibility with Frontier Navy's current stock of AIM-132 ASRAAM dogfight missile and AIM-120 AMRAAM medium range air-to-air missile, the same helmet-mounted display used by Harrier FA.9A to cue those missiles, and integration into the datalink network used by the Armies of Frontier Nations.

Freestyle is primarily intended for fleet air defense as well as reconnaissance and is therefore optimised for air-to-air combat; any air-to-surface guided weapon, with the exception of anti-ship missiles, must be employed through third-party target designations.  The subsonic Harrier FA.9A, having been integrated with a wide variety of surface attack ordnances and sensor pods, is generally seen as being more versatile and capable of carrying more weapons in comparison.  Some believe this development to be deliberate, allegedly one of the measures intended to limit the Foreign Auxiliary's status to being a defensive support wing of the Frontier Navy.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Back To 3DS Max For Fun: Project Overlord Begins!
Post by: dy031101 on March 18, 2014, 12:49:13 PM
It's been years since I was last using 3D Studio Max for fun...... now I'm at it again!

As the name implies, the central inspiration of this project is the Overlord tank from Command & Conquer: Generals (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=82.msg65939#msg65939).  It will, however, have a single main gun rather than two, maybe fed by a carousel autoloader.

(http://i.imgur.com/bv9dWwt.jpg)

Since the Overlord tank is a four-track design, I'm gonna use the Associated Engineers Phase I tank as a starting point although there are to be two traction motors rather than four.  Either the hull length will end up being reduced and roadwheel shock absorbers rearranged à la Phase II or I might find some use for the left over room in the hull......

One thing I want to do is to "translate" the ingame bunker upgrade into something applicable in real-life.  I suppose I can try having an infantry bay either in a turret bustle; infantry access might be difficult and/or too vulnerable though.  Option B would be à la Merkava- and maybe some turret-mounted weapon station that shares missiles with man-portable launchers of embarked infantry.

Stay tuned.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Di
Post by: dy031101 on May 25, 2014, 01:40:07 AM
Project Overlord is going slowly...... it took me quite a while to get to decide to go for a Merkava-like layout.

(http://i.imgur.com/AOQmIwS.jpg)

==============================================

Now as a result of my mind going wild after finding and posting that Ho-Ri Type 2 drawing and Yugoslav T-55/Hellcat hybrid in the tank destroyers thread, here is a Chi-Ri with a T-54/55 (actually a Ramses II due to a lack of compatible-format parts) turret:

Re-made HERE (http://HERE)!

Maybe I messed up the scale again (Chi-Ri is said to have a 2000mm turret ring, necessitated by the belt-fed and then clip-fed autoloaders for its 75mm gun, but the Ramses II turret base as I scaled it ended up being bigger than that of the Chi-Ri).

This mod is unjustifiable in real-life in any way- only one Chi-Ri prototype was built to begin with; even if enough of them were built and surviving the war to be further used, the turret from M36 TD would have been the more-likely candidate...... but the lower, enclosed T-54/55 turret pleases me more......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on May 25, 2014, 04:12:24 AM
That looks good.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on May 25, 2014, 11:06:33 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/Q0Nh8bJ.jpg)

Chi-Ri Model 2, development of Chi-Ri with shortened chassis and an uprated version of Chi-To's engine.  The main gun is changed to 88mm/L45 in a bid to cope with the new wave of Allied tanks and tank destroyers armed with 84mm and 90mm guns, but the Model 1's turret was considered too large and unwieldy with a manually-loaded gun installed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on May 26, 2014, 08:59:41 AM
Another two quick-and-dirties: Chi-Ri TD with M26/46 and M47 turrets, respectively.

(http://i.imgur.com/UAEDBgj.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/kkS1kr7.jpg)
Well, with Pershing turret I'm invariably gonna arrive at the 105mm/L44 conclusion; M47 turret can just take the MBT-grade F1 gun from the AMX-30 or the Royal Ordnance L7......

(http://i.imgur.com/qRfsnxo.jpg)

Reminds me a long time ago a heel tank intellectual exercise involving a Chi-Ri with Type 61 turret......

The original attempt was of "ancient history" quality, so I did a quick-and-dirty remake on that one as well:

(http://i.imgur.com/HdjbYrS.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: arc3371 on May 26, 2014, 08:16:08 PM
Interesting concepts
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on May 27, 2014, 09:22:01 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/jiSPtxV.jpg)

Remake of the first Chi-Ri TD idea that came into my mind, this time with machineguns.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on May 29, 2014, 11:28:05 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/Ntphi1R.jpg)

Basically this (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg31661#msg31661) without any side skirt...... and I really want to make it where the Chi-Ri TD got its "new" turret from, when the turret's original user gets upgraded with components from the AMX-30.

I once thought about replacing the cupolas with more basic ones as per modifications done to the line drawing but ultimately figured that I might as well make the backstory be the incentive for purchasing some AMX-30s altogether.

(I know the picture is small, but the parts source for this quick-and-dirty isn't that good......)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 01, 2014, 10:24:21 AM
...... and I really want to make it where the Chi-Ri TD got its "new" turret from, when the turret's original user gets upgraded with components from the AMX-30.


I might change my mind.

(http://i.imgur.com/jTCO7A9.jpg)

Sure, M41's 76mm gun is barely adequate against the likes of stock T-54/55, but Chi-Ri is at a comparable weight class with that light tank, and upgunning packages for the turret do exist.

It would be nice if the turret can accommodate, say, the same gun as the AMX-13/105 or even SK-105......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 03, 2014, 11:57:02 AM
105mm gun...... like this:

(http://i.imgur.com/s6GcpDU.jpg)

... gun taken from AMX-13/105.

I think I can call this configuration THE result of this intellectual exercise......

Opposing this tank is another Heel Chi-Ri with turret adopted from T-44-100:

(http://i.imgur.com/mGu4g72.jpg)

...... or Chi-Ri Model 2 with a Schmaltürm-inspired turret and long-barreled 88mm gun.

(http://i.imgur.com/H0Toblt.jpg)

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on June 08, 2014, 06:29:47 AM
Liking that last one.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 10, 2014, 05:21:48 AM
Liking that last one.

If late-WWII Japanese tanks actually do have ammo stowage in turret, then I might have to find a new turret or just take the Type 61 turret route......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 10, 2014, 10:31:00 AM
After deciding that the loss of ammo stowage in the Schmaltürm-style turret is unacceptable and that the increased-velocity development of the Type 99 88mm cannon holds enough promise (making the proposal of reverse-engineering captured T-44-100 turret pointless), the high-velocity 88mm gun is placed into a third, most-conventional turret and became the setup ultimately chosen for both upgraded Chi-Ri Model 1 and newly-built Chi-Ri Model 2.

(http://i.imgur.com/iwJpwBt.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/yG1irMr.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 11, 2014, 10:35:25 AM
World of Tanks gave us M2 Medium with turret from M8 HMC...... why not going one step further with turret and 75mm tank gun from M8A1?

(http://i.imgur.com/uS7cqmw.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 14, 2014, 11:20:28 AM
Chi-Ri Model 1 Kai, a "Gun Tank" (direct-fire self-propelled artillery) based on the longer Model 1 chassis rather than the mass-production-oriented Model 2, intended to combat fortifications but equally-effective against tanks without depending on HEAT ammunitions thanks to a turret and gun combination patterned after the IS-2 heavy tank.

(http://i.imgur.com/bvwqIWo.jpg)

Loosely based on a suggestion by Logan Hartke...... even though that suggestion wasn't even meant for me.  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on June 15, 2014, 03:07:36 AM
That looks right!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 17, 2014, 09:49:37 AM
I probably should have taken a nap this afternoon......

(http://i.imgur.com/Qe1a7ng.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 19, 2014, 02:53:13 PM
Another old idea of mine (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=1305.msg19977#msg19977):

(http://i.imgur.com/tL7uMT0.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: lauhof52 on June 19, 2014, 07:51:12 PM
Beautiful!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on June 20, 2014, 02:30:25 AM
Beautiful!

Agreed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 20, 2014, 11:13:59 AM
Some might wonder why I didn't use a turret from the Centurion tank...... well, because it would be just too predictable  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Logan Hartke on June 20, 2014, 11:41:09 AM
I agree with the others. As someone who likes the M47 turret quite a lot, I think the combination looks great! Scarcity of the 77mm ammunition was a problem later in the Comet's career and the M47 turret would've been an increase in firepower. The turret ring sizes should have been pretty compatible, too. I don't see a reason why this wouldn't work. I can see a vehicle like this in Jordanian service, for instance.

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 21, 2014, 09:51:16 AM
The turret ring sizes should have been pretty compatible, too. 


It's too bad that the Avenger became ready only when the production of the Comet was underway- its turret is open-topped but can be provided with an armoured cover, it's got commonality with the Cromwell while seemingly a better-thought-out vehicle than the Challenger cruiser tank, and unlike the smaller Comet it has a full-spec. 17-pounder gun.

===============================================================================

I tried giving it a sloped glacis:

(http://i.imgur.com/FidMJf0.jpg)

Definitive, fully-equipped, and ready to go!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: ysi_maniac on June 21, 2014, 11:39:31 AM
I probably should have taken a nap this afternoon......

([url]http://i.imgur.com/Qe1a7ng.jpg[/url])


Where does the hull come from?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 21, 2014, 11:46:23 AM
Where does the hull come from?


Japanese Type 5 Medium Tank Chi-Ri, with a 2000mm turret ring thanks to the initial plan calling for a belt-fed autoloading 75mm gun.

Drawing found on this site (http://moderndrawings.jexiste.be/WW2Drawings/Files/Site.htm).

105mm gun is probably too big without the removal of the hull-mounted 37mm shotgun in favour of more room for main gun ammunitions......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 22, 2014, 12:16:14 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/Jf9NbFd.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 23, 2014, 06:44:44 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/blackPrince.png~original)

Inspired by Claymore's obviously-excellent Big Mac tank (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=2276.msg38603#msg38603), this Churchill/Black-Prince development is similar but now packs a 105mm L/52 gun.

(Yes, I did tell Claymore that I'll be stealing that idea of his somewhere down the road...... the good attempt will come in due course once I figure out the finer points of the Overlord tank......)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: ChernayaAkula on June 23, 2014, 09:08:59 AM
^ Damn, that looks cool!  8)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Buzzbomb on June 23, 2014, 10:44:45 AM
there is something about the Black King ( ;D) that does look good.

Now what about the Black Prince with a Centurion type turret ?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 23, 2014, 11:58:31 PM
Now what about the Black Prince with a Centurion type turret ?


Please refer to this post (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=1936.msg27480#msg27480) for a quick-and-dirty demonstration (I don't find the current quick-and-dirty parts source to be enough of an improvement for a re-make).

I once went for a development with a 120mm gun in an enlarged Vickers MBT turret:
(http://i.imgur.com/4HFvg0l.jpg)

Yeah...... I do want the Black Prince evolution to have a gun more useful in infantry support than the 90mm gun of the afore-illustrated cruiser tank (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg73449#msg73449) and medium tank (the AMX-30 turret is for its mid-life upgrade) (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg71995#msg71995) but still an adequate response against opponents with 88mm L/71 or Soviet-type 100mm......

But the Tiger-II/E-75 turret does look awesome......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 09, 2014, 01:24:21 PM
nVidia and Microsoft...... thank you for trying to fix what isn't broken  >:D......

(The Windows 8.1 on my laptop overwrote my manual setting for multi-display support, which has worked perfectly for about a year, and now just flat out refuses to detect my external monitor...... one more thing to attend to these days.)

Anyway, I am still infatuated with multi-turreted tanks, so why fight it?

(http://i.imgur.com/eZylBrH.jpg)

Main turret is a Schmaltürm development with 88mm L/71 gun and a co-axial machinegun; sub-turrets are patterned after the Panzer I Ausf F turret and has a machinegun each.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 21, 2014, 01:47:59 PM
I'm close to restoring my PC's functionality...... I almost wanted to say "screw you, nVidia!"

In the meantime, however, since I never lost the use of Photoshop......

(http://i.imgur.com/92HbT3s.jpg)

Based on a design given by the US during the height of Sino-Soviet Split, this vessel was regarded as such a revolutionary achievement that even its name is a departure from the usual convention exercised by the People's Liberation Army Navy.  Meant to conduct surprise attacks using vertically-launched aircraft (primarily modified J-6s with folding wings and bombs; after completing the mission the aircraft are to ditch near the submarine so that their pilots can be retrieved) against geographically-known ground targets, PLA propaganda machine played up the idea that this ship will spearhead the drive to finish the civil war once and for all.  The chance to attempt this for real never materialized (plus great hindrances such as labour-intensive launch preparation, short operational range of the modified aircraft, the PLA's inability to coordinate the submarine-launched aircraft in the intended offensive scenarioes, and the prospect of having to rescue pilots as the returning aircraft attract enemy retaliations were revealed during various attempts to develop tactics with the submarine and never really solved), but the ship itself, being an aircraft carrier nonetheless, remains a ship of prestiege within the fleet and is subjected to constant upgrade as new technologies became available and viable, including anti-ship missiles that can be launched out of its torpedo tubes and improved torpedoes.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on July 22, 2014, 02:17:48 AM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 29, 2014, 12:30:48 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/got25v9.jpg)

(My attempt on the topic "How to make a Type 21 frigate bada*s again"......)

==================================================================

(http://i.imgur.com/MCVtDFN.jpg)

Patrons of the League of Kings organization, supplied with technology of their benefactor, are in many cases engaging in commerce wars on their homeworlds.  On high seas they use submarines and bomber aircraft to attack any convoy not flying their banners whenever they feel they can get away with it.  When indigenous militaries began to deploy STOVL fighters on escort carriers and properly-equipped container ships to intercept hostile bombers and maritime reconnaissance aircraft, League of Kings patrons resort to arming bombers with anti-ship missiles and launching "disposable" jet fighters off ship-based rocket catapults (fighter catapult ships and catapult-armed merchantmen being much quicker to put into service than the through-deck aircraft-carrying cruisers built and sold by their benefactors, whereas disposable fighters can be drawn from the existing, plentiful stock of MiG-21s and created by removing their landing gears in favour of catapult attachment point) to cover those bombers.

These led to a desire to increase sensor range of these civilian and military convoys and by extension to improve the response time of their STOVL fighters, whether against anti-ship missiles or against MiG-21s looking to pounce on convoy defenders preoccupied with the first wave of assailants.  Other than the usual airborne early warning aircraft and helicopters, the idea of using radar-equipped blimps to support the afore-mentioned, spreaded-thin regular military assets soon received attention.  Initially, the idea was tried by embarking mobile mooring platforms onto selected surface combatants in place of shipborne helicopters......

(Running in parallel is the topic of "How to make a militarized Hamilton class cutter bada*s"......)

==================================================================

Comments and Suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on July 30, 2014, 02:58:30 AM
I like the blimp idea - would be worth trying in 3D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 03, 2014, 01:55:41 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/ISvIMlo.jpg)

Upgraded Tiger I tanks, both Porsche and Henschel varieties, with Schmaltürm originally refined for E-50 and 88mm L/71 gun.

EDIT: I screwed up the scaling (and may still do).  The quick-and-dirty parts source claims that Henschel has a longer hull, but Achtung Panzer says that the Porsche is longer.  Both are said to use the same prototype turret, however, and I therefore scaled Henschel Tiger according to that.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 05, 2014, 11:28:17 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/WlEoFlH.jpg)

The Armies of Frontier Nations knows of one recorded encounter with this tank type...... and it was when the organization's Homeworld was invaded by the mysterious, theocratic entity known as the Sages more than 20 years ago (before and leading to the formation of the organization).  During the one and only land battle of the invasion (all other battles during the invasion were naval and air battles, centred around the amphibious expeditionary fleet of the Sages), this main battle tank of the Sages became known for its uniquely strong and rounded armours and twin-barreled energy cannon, the latter of which is powerful enough to destroy a M1A1HC MBT with a couple of well-placed blasts.  The gunner's sight is directly mounted above the energy cannon barrels, and an independent commander's trainable sight is mounted on the rear centreline of the turret.  This commander's sight is part of a remote weapon station armed with a 8.25mm general purpose machine gun.

There is also a twin-barreled 19mm machine gun mounted co-axially with the main gun.  This machine gun, firing cartridges that are essentially self-contained self-propelled rockets, is noted for being hard-hitting but with erratic accuracy during prolonged fire over long distances.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 06, 2014, 12:18:05 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/Rbb7oi9.jpg)

New version of the multi-turreted tank, with leaf spring suspension à la Panzer IV, a modified T-44-100 main gun turret, and the 100mm main gun.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 06, 2014, 02:58:18 PM
Looks good.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 08, 2014, 12:58:13 PM
Looks good.


I just realized that I based the tank on a 65-ton design...... (I should have known- VK6501)

Not good for the "WW2-Heavy is the new Medium" theme...... let's try again:

This one has a modified Pershing turret and a 90mm L/73 gun. (http://i.imgur.com/MiTarDY.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 10, 2014, 11:47:15 AM
As a result of me still not being entirely happy with it led to these:

(http://i.imgur.com/uVFHaC5.jpg)

This evolution of 25TP tank featured an improved leaf spring suspension, better-armoured secondary turrets inspired by that of the Panzer I Ausf. F with one 7.92mm machinegun each, a rearranged turret interior, an up-to-date radio set, and a new gun adapted from Bofors 75mm AA artillery.

(http://i.imgur.com/sWrpSh6.jpg)

Later a re-engineered version of KwK 42 was installed and the radio set relocated.

===============================================================

Some attempted size comparison here (the two pics are not on the same scale)?

1. VK 6501 derivative v.s. Porsche Tiger:
(http://i.imgur.com/ZDdmFQH.jpg)

2. 25TP derivative v.s. other mediums:
(http://i.imgur.com/TQraVQu.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: lauhof52 on August 10, 2014, 04:16:10 PM
Very nice work!!! :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 11, 2014, 11:16:15 AM
I am happy with how 25TP evolution turned out but for some reason couldn't completely turn my back on that VK6501...... first I reverted back to the old suspension scheme (though lengthened, again to accommodate the subturret that now has sloped armour) and put a westernised T-55 turret on it; think of the pintle-mounted machineguns as Ckm wz.32 or something like that.  The second attempt has an oscillating turret from an AMX-50/100.

(http://i.imgur.com/9oYuFoJ.jpg)

No. 1 is at least not taller than the Porsche Tiger...... though gun depression is likely very bad.

No. 2 seems like the opposite.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 22, 2014, 01:34:53 PM
More or less a replacement for the Ning-Hai class Class cruiser mental note on the first page (the description on the first page is slightly altered in keeping with the "PRC in Manchuria" theme):

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/RoC-CGH-YiXian-1-AU.png~original)

ROCS Yi-Xiān is an aircraft-carrying cruiser, first of its kind in the Republic of China Navy, and the second aircraft-carrying ship after the Mt. Shei AOEH with its experimental STOVL support facilities.  Only one was built, being supplemented by the larger Ning-Hai class cruiser, but along with Mt. Shei, it operates frequently in South China Sea against the encroaching Filipino and Vietnamese.

It follows the layout defined by the Soviet Kiev class aviation cruiser and the abortive US Strike Cruiser Mk.II- armaments forward, superstructures offset to the starboard side and a flightdeck aft and offset to the port side- although its outside appearance does nothing to hide the heavy influence placed upon it by ROCN's existing fleet of multi-role export variant of Spruance class destroyers.  The armament comprised a single 120mm TAK-120 turret, one 44-round Mk 26 Mod.4 launcher for RIM-66 Standard MR SAM and ASROC anti-submarine rockets, two quadruple Hsiung Feng II missile launchers, and two Phalanx Mk 15.  The air group comprised six FV-8C (American version of Sea Harrier based on AV-8C airframe and initially equipped with a version of AN/APQ-159) and nine Seahawks helicopters.  Three hangars in the superstructure could house six of the Seahawks, the rest of the air group being carried in an aft below decks hangar.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: elmayerle on August 23, 2014, 12:06:07 PM
  The air group comprised six FV-8C (American version of Sea Harrier based on AV-8C airframe and initially equipped with a version of AN/APQ-159)...
I suspect they later were upgraded with either the AN/APG-67 or AN/APG-69 for increased capability (the former if the ROC also bought the F-20).  Of course, FIAR and Elbit also make suitable replacements (I don't remember, at the moment, what the Indian Navy used in their upgrade).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 23, 2014, 10:22:42 PM
  The air group comprised six FV-8C (American version of Sea Harrier based on AV-8C airframe and initially equipped with a version of AN/APQ-159)...
I suspect they later were upgraded with either the AN/APG-67 or AN/APG-69 for increased capability (the former if the ROC also bought the F-20).  Of course, FIAR and Elbit also make suitable replacements (I don't remember, at the moment, what the Indian Navy used in their upgrade).

BVR capability would have been more urgent than in real-life; in "PRC in Manchuria" timeline because of direct threat posed by Soviet bombers whereas in other timelines...... at least one of them featured earlier success of the H-6D bomber via AGM-84A given by Jimmy Carter's administration  ;D and the ROC milking the ensuing scandal for all its worth......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: elmayerle on August 24, 2014, 12:22:48 AM
That makes sense.  If the ROC also bought F-20s, the AN/APG-67 would be the obvious choice for the FV-8C upgrade; if they didn't, it'd be more of a toss-up as to who made the better business case and deal.  Another thought for the upgrade would be some of the mods the USMC incorporated in the AV-8A to AV-8C rebuild in real-life, the LIDS and gunpod strakes and, if the FV-8C doesn't have the RHAWS of the Sea Harrier, the RHAWS fitted to the real-life AV-8C.

I've thought it would be interesting to do a SHAR FRS.1A mid-life update with an improved radar fitting the existing contours and the LIDS et al. from the AV-8C (I'm thinking the straked gunpods) at a minimum, perhaps for use by a RNVR FAA squadron or two.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 24, 2014, 04:22:43 AM
That makes sense.  If the ROC also bought F-20s, the AN/APG-67 would be the obvious choice for the FV-8C upgrade; if they didn't, it'd be more of a toss-up as to who made the better business case and deal.  Another thought for the upgrade would be some of the mods the USMC incorporated in the AV-8A to AV-8C rebuild in real-life, the LIDS and gunpod strakes and, if the FV-8C doesn't have the RHAWS of the Sea Harrier, the RHAWS fitted to the real-life AV-8C.

I am thinking of having the ROCN FV-8C following the pattern of real-life ROCAF F-5E/F.  Aerodynamic refinements and RHAWS would have been gradually retrofitted, followed finally by radar replacement in early 2000s (and, unlike the case real-life ROCAF F-5E/F, there would have been real incentives for the ROCN to get the most out of their FV-8Cs since ROCN would have had no other fighter at their disposal).

The fact of APG-67 being used by the F-20 might make it look good enough in the eyes of the ROC military whether they would have ended up acquiring the F-20 or not.  Even the GD-53 radar is built on the APG-67.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 25, 2014, 11:00:35 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/ROC-AOEH-MtShei.png~original)

Meant as an early experiment on operations of aircraft carriers, the ship's design was altered so that the rear superstructure was offset to the starboard side, and an angled flight deck was sponsoned to the port side.  In addition, the ship serves as a test ship for command and control systems (which indeed started in a rudimentary configuration) that would eventually be used for indigenous warships, a high-speed diesel engine (which allows for a maximum speed of 26 knots but is deemed impractical on the smaller major surface combatants), and a helicopter-mounted airborne early warning radar inspired by an ex-ARVN ELINT UH-1H that force landed on a ROCN LST during the Vietnam War.  When Philippine started stationing F-8P jet fighters on Thitu Island, a small airgroup of five FV-8Cs are embarked operationally to provide air defense for South China Sea naval patrols.  The ship itself as built was armed with a Sea Chaparral missile launcher, two Phalanx cannons, and various small arms.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: elmayerle on August 26, 2014, 09:54:58 AM
That makes sense.  If the ROC also bought F-20s, the AN/APG-67 would be the obvious choice for the FV-8C upgrade; if they didn't, it'd be more of a toss-up as to who made the better business case and deal.  Another thought for the upgrade would be some of the mods the USMC incorporated in the AV-8A to AV-8C rebuild in real-life, the LIDS and gunpod strakes and, if the FV-8C doesn't have the RHAWS of the Sea Harrier, the RHAWS fitted to the real-life AV-8C.

I am thinking of having the ROCN FV-8C following the pattern of real-life ROCAF F-5E/F.  Aerodynamic refinements and RHAWS would have been gradually retrofitted, followed finally by radar replacement in early 2000s (and, unlike the case real-life ROCAF F-5E/F, there would have been real incentives for the ROCN to get the most out of their FV-8Cs since ROCN would have had no other fighter at their disposal).

The fact of APG-67 being used by the F-20 might make it look good enough in the eyes of the ROC military whether they would have ended up acquiring the F-20 or not.  Even the GD-53 radar is built on the APG-67.
Hmm, assuming the first-generation update for the USMC becomes the AV-8D in this universe, I could see the ROCN buying the better ones as they are replaced by AV-8Bs and going with the radar nose for the "Maritime Harrier" that was trialed on a DB Harrier by HSA as a FV-8D to supplement their FV-8Cs.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 26, 2014, 01:00:11 PM
Hmm, assuming the first-generation update for the USMC becomes the AV-8D in this universe, I could see the ROCN buying the better ones as they are replaced by AV-8Bs and going with the radar nose for the "Maritime Harrier" that was trialed on a DB Harrier by HSA as a FV-8D to supplement their FV-8Cs.

First-generation update?  What's the improvement on this AV-8D from real-life AV-8C?

So basically this "Maritime Harrier" nose allows for "aftermarket" conversion of surface strike Harriers to fighter Harriers?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: elmayerle on August 27, 2014, 01:45:26 AM
Hmm, assuming the first-generation update for the USMC becomes the AV-8D in this universe, I could see the ROCN buying the better ones as they are replaced by AV-8Bs and going with the radar nose for the "Maritime Harrier" that was trialed on a DB Harrier by HSA as a FV-8D to supplement their FV-8Cs.

First-generation update?  What's the improvement on this AV-8D from real-life AV-8C?

So basically this "Maritime Harrier" nose allows for "aftermarket" conversion of surface strike Harriers to fighter Harriers?
Well, I was figuring the real-life AV-8C to be the AV-8D in this timeline, though I could see the addition of a nose like that of the Harrier GR.3 but containing the same ARBS fitted to the A-4M and early AV-8B.  The "Maritime Harrier" proposal was a "minimum change" to add a radar to the existing Harrier GR.3 airframe; with adequate support it morphed into the Sea Harrier FRS.1 and only the DB Harrier with the areodynamic shape of the radar nose flew in that configuration.  In this timeline, I could see that being taken up as a conversion kit (CILOP) for producing additional raddar-equipped Harriers at an inexpensive (comparatively) price.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: elmayerle on August 27, 2014, 01:48:15 AM
Question, would the FV-8Cs, as originally purchased, have the RHAWS of the Sea Harrier FRS.1 and the Harrier GR.3 or the plain vertical tail of the Harrier GR.1/AV-8A/AV-8C?  I wondered as the RHAWS fit of the AV-8C is distinctly different from that fitted to RAF and FAA Harriers and Sea Harriers.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 27, 2014, 05:31:57 AM
Question, would the FV-8Cs, as originally purchased, have the RHAWS of the Sea Harrier FRS.1 and the Harrier GR.3 or the plain vertical tail of the Harrier GR.1/AV-8A/AV-8C?  I wondered as the RHAWS fit of the AV-8C is distinctly different from that fitted to RAF and FAA Harriers and Sea Harriers.

A bit more likely if ROC had majority control of Mainland China (in which case the ROCN would have just bought the Sea Harrier and called it as such rather than paying for an American version because ROC could have used the market and future fate of Hong Kong- even if only how British control were to end- to bargain with the British).  Otherwise it'd have been based on American Harriers (hence the designation FV-8).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: elmayerle on August 27, 2014, 09:32:48 AM
So, if the ROCN didn't have "bargaining chips", they'd end up with the Sea Harrier front end on an AV-8A?  That could look interesting, especially picking up the changes made to the real-life AV-8C and would make for a different look to the basic Sea Harrier airframe (I'm thinking you could swap a vertical tail between a Sea Harrier FRS.1 and an AV-8A to do the basic FV-8C and then do that again and do the aerodynamic and system upgrades for a FV-8C+ (possibly also with a cockpit with screens instead of gages, much like the final F-20 cockpit (first couple F-20s had basically a F-5E cockpit, display-wise.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 29, 2014, 02:30:24 AM
I'm thinking you could swap a vertical tail between a Sea Harrier FRS.1 and an AV-8A to do the basic FV-8C and then do that again and do the aerodynamic and system upgrades for a FV-8C+, possibly also with a cockpit with screens instead of gages, much like the final F-20 cockpit (first couple F-20s had basically a F-5E cockpit, display-wise).


Glass cockpit would have come with radar replacement for the FV-8C+ a.k.a. Harrier 2001 programme  ;)

==================================================================================

(http://i.imgur.com/KXNSo7P.png)

The Vanguard Cruiser can very much be considered a forerunner of the Strike Cruisers that have become the backbone of Frontier Navy's aircraft carrier fleet.  This warship class was meant for naval actions specifically against the League of Kings and their patron navies (at a time when the warlord alliance's high seas warfare capability was deemed to be limited to commerce raiding) so as to free the valuable and more expensive supercarriers for pursuing the Sages, a mysterious and presumably still-hostile entity that the Armies of Frontier Nations was founded to combat.  As such, it's designed to be cheaper and to possess a degree of commonality with warships already in Frontier Navy service- as it turns out, AEGIS combat system ships.

Frontier Navy did not like its small airwing capacity (six Harrier FA.9As and six Merlin helicopters being specified as the typical composition in the design) to begin with, and two out of the six originally ordered ended up being cancelled when the Strike Cruiser programme was initiated, but the four that do serve would provide experience that benefited the Strike Cruiser programme tremendously.  Nowadays they still find much employment as helicopter carriers supporting mine countermeasure and amphibious warfares.

Its armament initially consisted of a 5 inch gun, a 32-cell Mk.41 VLS, two quad AGM-84 Harpoon missile launchers, and three Phalanx CIWSs.  A mid-life update saw provision for Naval Strike Missiles and replacement of Phalanx guns with 35mm Millennium cannons.  The mast was replaced with an enclosed type for the existing SPS-40 air search and the newly-installed SEAPAR CIWS fire control radars.  Cooperative Engagement Capability receiver-transmitter hardwares and Seamaster 100 surface search radar were also installed onto the enclosed mast.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 29, 2014, 01:15:38 PM
After the successful implementation on the Vanguard Cruiser mid-life update programme, the enclosed mast concept was incorporated into the new Strike Cruiser Mk.IV design shortly before it was finalized.:

(http://i.imgur.com/Wt2TYCr.png)

The SEAPAR was then made capable of controlling the Bofors 57mm Mk.3 CIWS cannons, allowing the previous Mk.III's four separate gun fire control radars to be dispensed with on the Mk.IV; the Mk.III's navigational radars are retained on the Mk.IV, however, so the Seamaster radar used by the Vanguard Cruiser MLU is absent, and transmitter/receiver for the Cooperative Engagement Capability system is mounted higher on the mast.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 29, 2014, 09:40:12 PM
That's a big ship!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on August 30, 2014, 02:39:48 AM
That's a big ship!

Because six supercarriers aren't enough for a military force with a mandate taking them across universes  ;D

(At least that's how the storyline goes...... if I can ever get around fleshing it out)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on September 07, 2014, 09:25:46 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/EDKwSEs.png)

I modified the Kirov-based Skyhook cruiser to reach commonality with the other Skyhook cruiser in "my" fleet.

Dang...... I would have liked an AEW helicopter that has commonality with the Wildcat......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on September 07, 2014, 12:34:10 PM
Wow!  I like.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on September 08, 2014, 09:03:59 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/es35Icr.png)

Arleigh Burke class AEGIS destroyers sold to the Frontier Navy Foreign Auxiliary have expanded command facilities but allegedly had Tomahawk capabilities deleted from their fire control system even though there are ships under their jurisdiction that do possess other heavy anti-ship missiles (as in heavier than Harpoon) for dealing with armoured raiding cruisers operated by some League of Kings members and other hostile navies, and Tomahawk Anti-Ship Missiles are still in active service with regular Frontier Navy units.

The CIWS consists of standard-issue RAM launcher and upgraded Phalanx Block 1B, the latter drawn from surplus Frontier Navy stock (in storage after Frontier Navy replaced them with Millennium cannon on all ships that cannot carry the Bofors 57mm) and then re-armed with the more-powerful Oerlikon KBD Gatling gun.

(http://i.imgur.com/RHBqEEh.png)

"International Frigate" with AEGIS system.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on September 10, 2014, 09:53:03 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/qsxyMyz.png)

Yet another attempt at "could have been" if military cheapskate spirit, "Taiwan-first" policy, and civilian political vindictiveness didn't ruin everything.

Late in Taiwan's 1990s Advanced Combat System a.k.a. "Mini-AEGIS" project, it was already realized that the O.H. Perry class hull might be a bit too small for what the ROCN was ultimately looking for.  If the project wasn't cancelled, the ship itself might have grown in size- many believe that a displacement comparable to the Spanish F-100 class would be the bare minimum needed in the long run, which became the basis for this attempt of mine.

Granted, bare minimum was not taking into account that the ship is supposed to accompany other ships that may or may not be able to contribute to overall fleet defense in a saturation attack...... the Perry-based Cheng Kungs would have no problem; Chi-Yangs can have 10 Standard missiles each; Kang Dings...... not so sure.  They have space for Sylver A-43 VLS, so Aster 15 would definitely have been on the card, but would the ROCN have thought it worthwhile, or would they rather have put something else in that VLS?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on September 12, 2014, 10:40:44 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/TMW1Mp6.png)

Strike Cruiser Mk.III built on the experience of the Mk.II (later renamed Vanguard Cruiser) but enlarged to carry more guided-missile weapons and a 30-plane airwing to better make up for Frontier Navy's shortfall of conventional aircraft carrier acquisitions.

Originally equipped with a lattice type mast, the ships of the class also received an enclosed mast based on that used by the Mk.II during refits, replacing the old mast and navigational radars.  Weapon stations with Bushmaster cannon were replaced with MLG-27 gun mounts for those slated to be the first to operationally embark the new F-35B fighters (Frontier Navy chose to fund the BK-27 cannon gun pod rather than the GAU-25 that is deemed standard for Homeworld F-35 operators).  RGM-109B/D/E is considered as the primary offensive weapon of the Mk.III (and the later Mk.IV) although the onboard strike fighter airwings would see extensive uses in both fleet and power projection operations.

(http://i.imgur.com/M6tbFIE.png)

A handful of Mk.IIIs rendered surplus by the advent of catapult-equipped Mk.IV were transferred to the Foreign Auxiliary Command- they are the centrepiece of the Foreign Auxiliary's naval aviation on the high seas, providing maintenance and repair for aircraft attached to Foreign Auxiliary's Skyhook "fighter taxies" and be the command hub of multiple escort groups operating in their regions of responsibility.  The Oto-Breda 127mm Compact gun is replaced with the 120mm gun that has equipped many of the warships under the jurisdiction of the Foreign Auxiliary Command.  Typical airwing consists of Freestyle F.2 (again, the standard fighter of the Foreign Auxiliary), NH-90, and Merlin HEW.

Due to their secondary mission of protecting their bases and settlements from ballistic missile attacks, SM-3 ABM are normally carried in addition to these Strike Cruisers' usual complements of Standard MR/ER, ESSM, and VL ASROC rocket-delivered torpedoes.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on September 18, 2014, 11:55:21 AM
This one replaces my previous butchering of a le Clem drawing......

Replaced on display (http://i.imgur.com/abs6fry.png)

This vessel is configured similar to many aviation cruisers of its kind, with its forward weapons and two flight deck elevators emplaced along the hull centreline, its angled flight deck with two catapults offset to the port side, and its superstructures offset to the starboard side.

The airwing complement includes a variant of aircraft known to the Armies of Frontier Nations as the Cutlass that is powered by three J46 afterburning turbojets (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg39604#msg39604), radar-equipped version of Skyhawk attack aircraft, Sea King ASW helicopters, and Gannet AEW planes; the ship's own Terrier missiles eventually gave way to Standard 1ER and a dedicated anti-ship version of the new missile in order to contribute firepower more easily during fleet battles.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: finsrin on September 18, 2014, 03:31:06 PM
Checked dimensions: two F404 otta fit in a Cutlass.  Include AN/APG-66 radar.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on September 29, 2014, 12:41:08 AM
Checked dimensions: two F404 otta fit in a Cutlass.  Include AN/APG-66 radar.


Good for MNNA countries.  But I'm somewhat inclined toward an European-sourced upgrade.

And after seeing an illustration of Mirage V with MICA-IR missiles, I couldn't get it off my mind......

==================================================================

I'm once again replacing an idea......

(http://i.imgur.com/X8YQ2DE.png)

Back to the size of a Kiev class cruiser.  Gone are the Skyhawks and Terrier launcher.  The Sea Slug launcher is improved with a new missile that allows for a compact stowage (a new seeker and solid-state electronics while retaining the reverse-engineered booster of Sea Slug Mk.2- no more assembly and checkout area), whereas existing stock of Sea Slug missiles were remanufactured into SSM to supplement Rb 08 missiles in times of need.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on October 10, 2014, 12:45:14 PM
Another idea replacement:

(http://i.imgur.com/MkvZkgE.png)

Built on a heavily-damaged battlecruiser, this vessel now has an expanded aviation facility that includes a flight deck with a skijump that is angled to port and a deck lift.  It now hosts a small airwing of Mirage IIIVs, whose current iteration has gained a pair of canards, a modern fire control radar, active radar-guided air-to-air missiles, and an inflight refueling probe (from properly-configured flying boats and allied tanker aircraft), but arguably the most-important if externally-invisible improvement comes from replacement of its original eight liftjets with four more-powerful and reliable ones.  Due to the lack of a suitable airborne early warning aircraft, the venerable Spearfish floatplanes soldier on.  The floatplanes would be launched via a catapult on the amidship main gun turret and recovered after landing on water alongside the ship using a seaplane handling crane on the ship's starboard side.

The ship's nine 381mm L/50 main gun armaments (in three three-gun turrets) remain unchanged although the amidship gun turret is further restricted by the flight deck and hangar superstructure and now useful only for firing broadside.  The loss of aft twin 100mm L/45 gun turrets as a result of the reconstruction (or the battle damage that led to the reconstruction in the first place) is partially compensated with four twin-gun open-back mounts, and four twin 37mm L/70 autocannons and two quad launchers for Sea Wolf missiles serve as the ship's close-in defense.  All of the afore-mentioned armaments are afforded radar-guided fire controls (although the 37mm autocannons and Sea Wolf missile launchers have to share the three directors installed on the merged smokestack).

====================================================================

Thanks again, Acree, for coming up with the Spearfish AEW idea.  Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 11, 2014, 02:41:45 AM
Oooooo….I love the idea of carrier (even partial carrier) based Mirage IIIVs. :-*  Great idea! :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on October 11, 2014, 04:48:04 AM
Oooooo….I love the idea of carrier (even partial carrier) based Mirage IIIVs. :-*

"Careful, boys!  I heard those scums just got a batch of MICA missiles from Earth, and FN's naval blockade isn't far behind them!  Green Lightning Squadron, engage!"

-- intercepted radio transmission of an unidentified F-15 pilot, 601st Independent Squadron "Green Lightning", League of Kings "Kurogawa Army" sub-faction, shot down during Operation: Fence Wrecker by AEGIS Cruiser FNS Tonbogiri after all three of his wingmen and eight allied F-7MGs were wiped out by enemy fighters
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on October 19, 2014, 12:14:44 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/LOKKrKf.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 20, 2014, 01:51:30 AM
Interesting.  I assume she has gone all over to VLS for the missiles and has had an update.  You might wish to also remove the AN/SPG-55B directors.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on October 20, 2014, 03:17:43 AM
Interesting.  I assume she has gone all over to VLS for the missiles and has had an update.  You might wish to also remove the AN/SPG-55B directors.

They are already gone; in their places are SPG-62 directors for Standard missile guidance (which the SPY-1, IIRC, can't do).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 20, 2014, 03:21:46 AM
Doh!  My mistake.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Volkodav on October 29, 2014, 07:31:21 PM
Very interesting, I know there was an AEGIS conversion planned for Long Beach in the early 80s that never happened.  It actually got me thinking that had for instance the USN built a class of improved Long Beaches through the 60s they could have receive a much more comprehensive NTU / AEGIS upgrade in the late 80s, early 90s.  Imagine a Arleigh Burke forward super structure block grafted onto the Long Beach hull, Mk 41 VLS replacing the Mk10 magazine in B position and the Mk12 magazine and a pair of Mk66 5" twins replacing the Mk10 in A position.  A hanger in place of the Mk12 launcher and a heli pad aft.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on November 06, 2014, 01:42:45 PM
It actually got me thinking that had for instance the USN built a class of improved Long Beaches through the 60s they could have receive a much more comprehensive NTU / AEGIS upgrade in the late 80s, early 90s.  Imagine a Arleigh Burke forward super structure block grafted onto the Long Beach hull, Mk 41 VLS replacing the Mk10 magazine in B position and the Mk12 magazine and a pair of Mk66 5" twins replacing the Mk10 in A position.  A hanger in place of the Mk12 launcher and a heli pad aft.


Not an AEGIS mod., but how's this (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1154170&page=76) that I found?

===================================================================================

HQ-2 on a ship- I originally wanted to do a "bad guy's ship", even trying to take inspiration from the final boss of Battlefield 4's campaign.  I ended up being unable to bring myself to make it "bad".

(http://i.imgur.com/MMLzfnW.png)

Classified as a destroyer and designed for air defense as well as flotilla command duties (the name of the shipbuilding program that led to it can roughly be translated into "Command Destroyer Experimental"), this Allied warship manages to dwarf every Frontier Navy surface combatant it fights alongside short of a battlecruiser due to the need to accommodate four of the massive Volkhov-M surface-to-air missile launchers and their magazines and is in fact a replacement to an older missile cruiser also so-armed.  Crew requirement was considerably reduced, however, compared to its predecessor thanks to a fairly-high degree of automation in almost all combat-related systems as a result of technology transfer agreement with industrial interest supporting the Armies of Frontier Nations.  Also due to the technology transfer, its armaments are either licence-produced or locally-improved to require as little manpower to operate as reasonably possible, including a PJ33A 100mm automatic gun turret, improved missiles for the four Volkhov-M launchers (with planar slotted-array seeker, solid-fuel booster, and navalized SJ-231 engagement radars; 10 missiles per launcher), two octuple FM-90 short-range air defense missile launchers (each launcher has an autoloader with 16 reload rounds and is assigned two engagement radars in hope of gaining defensive capability against multiple simultaneous attackers), four quadruple C-805 cruise missile launchers, two pairs of radar-guided 30mm gatling guns, two triple 324mm torpedo launchers, and four anti-submarine rocket mortars.  The vessel is equipped for service as a flagship, and a helicopter pad with below-deck hangar (a necessary feature to prevent landed helicopters from obstructing the firing arcs of aft Volkhov-M launchers) is provided at the stern.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on November 08, 2014, 01:05:55 AM
Putting bigger gun on a T-28 again.  I blame War Thunder this time even though the game doesn't even allow gun swaps...... but I do love my T-28 and Panzer IV Ausf C.

(http://i.imgur.com/kmk0zMy.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on November 08, 2014, 02:18:42 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/mdryCLV.png)

Panzer IV hull with NM116 turret.

I really would have preferred a turret from M41 light tank, but the turret ring size of M41 is 200mm larger than that of Panzer IV, IIRC.....
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 17, 2015, 01:39:06 PM
Porsche VK 4502(P) variants modified to become an analog of sorts to E-50 and E-75...... the one with frontally-mounted turret gets a Schmalturm and reduced frontal armour, while the rear-mounted turret variant gets a 10.5cm L/68 main gun.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/PorscheTanks.png~original)

(Not all that confident about the turret ring of the rear-mounted turret variant.  Comments and suggestions will be appreciated.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 18, 2015, 02:36:48 AM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 18, 2015, 08:15:31 AM
T-35 is a step beyond my kind of crazy, but...... ah what the hell.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/T-35.png~original)

85mm gun for the main turret (which is a minor modification of the one on T-28) and flame-throwers on secondary turrets.

Sure, by the time KT-28 becomes totally inadequate, 85mm gun has actually more of a business on a medium tank than on a heavy as well, and T-28 did test a bigger gun in the form of 95mm F-39, but what pictures available on the internet are insufficient for me to make a half-accurate portrayal of it......

And I do want to find a gun (rather than a flame thrower) to replace the secondary turret's original 45mm...... no luck so far.  Maybe give the 45mm canister shots then......

Comments and suggestions will be appreciated.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 19, 2015, 07:03:38 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/T-35_upgrade.png~original)

T-35...... upgraded with a foreign-supplied 17-pounder!

You're seeing 45mm shotguns here because I couldn't find a suitable replacement.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 19, 2015, 12:59:59 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/PzNbFz-VI_upgraded.png~original)

Pz.NbFz VI with a high-velocity 75mm gun.  It does seem to have big enough of a turret......

We might as well attempt a size comparison chart:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/TanksSize.png~original)

I need ideas about upgunning the Großtraktor (http://www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/1-Vehicles/Axis/1-Germany/03-sPanzers/Grosstraktor/Grosstraktor3.htm)...... its turret seems rather small despite seemingly being designed to take a 75mm L/24 right from the start like Panzer IV......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 20, 2015, 12:33:02 PM
After blowing up a Char 2C in Battle Line: Steel Warfare playtest, I realized that I HAVE to make up for what I did- so upgunning to 17-pounder needs to happen once again:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Char2C_upGrade.png~original)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: finsrin on January 20, 2015, 12:52:04 PM
Super profiles.
Inspires me to build 1/35 Char 2C into 1/72 monster.  A type of landcruiser.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: lauhof52 on January 20, 2015, 04:53:05 PM
splendid work!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 21, 2015, 02:32:19 AM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 22, 2015, 12:53:19 AM
Does anyone know of any equivalent to the QF 17 pounder and KwK 42 that's manufactured shortly-before or during WWII by, say, Bofors?

I chose the 17 pounder and KwK 42 for the recent mental notes because I reckoned that they are the closest thing to proper heavy tank firepower of WWII-era that those Inter-war heavies can take.  Good luck getting either of those when the war was still raging unless your country was either a British Commonwealth member or a neighbouring ally to Germany.

(There's the 95mm gun F-39 from the USSR?  1. USSR would likely be too busy equipping themselves to bother mass-producing stuff that wasn't intended for their own army or selling the stuff they did mass-produce during WWII, and 2. I'm still kinda contemplating on thinking of those T-35s as being acquired via capture à la Finland to begin with......)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 23, 2015, 01:40:19 PM
Hum...... guess I really must think of a scheme to get the 17-pounder somehow.

The closest made-in-neutral-nation counterpart I can think of is the Bofors 75mm AA gun- the Japanese made a tank gun out of it, but it wasn't quite as good (as the 17-pounder).

===================================================================

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/cometUpgrade.png~original)

Comet cruiser tank upgraded with AMX-13 turret, 90mm gun.

AMX-13 turret isn't exactly medium tank furnishment, but it's probably less troublesome mechanical-wise (too bad the oscillating turret used on American T69 seems to be troublesome- its magazine is in the hull and can therefore be reloaded from inside of the tank).

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: ChernayaAkula on January 23, 2015, 06:31:55 PM
Niiiiiice!  :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Volkodav on January 23, 2015, 08:38:46 PM
Yes nice!

From memory there was a a version of the osculating turret without a bustle / autoloader that actually looked more normal.

The 17pdr was a purpose designed AT gun while the US 76 and 90mm guns, as well as the German 88mm and British 3" (I believe only used on an interim Churchill casemate type TD) were all AA guns adapted to the AT / tank gun role.  Probably too big / heavy but the RN had a 4" (102mm) DP gun that may have made for a very interesting heavy tank gun.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Logan Hartke on January 23, 2015, 10:58:14 PM
Yeah, that is a snazzy looking combo. Good job.

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 23, 2015, 11:51:21 PM
Thanks folks.

From memory there was a a version of the osculating turret without a bustle / autoloader that actually looked more normal.

American oscillating turrets have their magazines in the hull and therefore can be reloaded under armour.  They seem to have reliability problems, however, and NBC protection can only be provided via individual gas masks connected to an air filtration system.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Volkodav on January 24, 2015, 12:16:21 AM
Doh! Now I remember, the version used on the EBR armoured car didn't have an auto loader, also there were larger versions designed for the AMX50 and a version for Austria packing a 105mm.  A slightly larger version, permitting a loader to be added to the crew, would have been ideal to upgrade the Comet with a ful bore 17pdr then a 20pdr and finally an L7 105mm.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 24, 2015, 04:09:26 AM
A slightly larger version, permitting a loader to be added to the crew, would have been ideal to upgrade the Comet with a ful bore 17pdr then a 20pdr and finally an L7 105mm.


Or fully-militarize COMRES-75 (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=1305.msg83692#msg83692) and skip the 17-pounder  ;)

Though one thing about relocating magazine to the hull and adding a loader is the question as to how big the turret ring will get.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 24, 2015, 04:33:41 AM
What about something with a couple (or more) Recoilless rifles onboard - kind of like a heavier British equivalent to the M50 Ontos or Type 60?  Maybe give it a set of 120mm L6 WOMBAT recoilless riffles?

This could be an alternate to the FV4401 Contentious (see below) under Project Prodigal.

(http://preservedtanks.com/Handler.ashx?UniqueID=2010&Size=P)(http://samwise.smugmug.com/Military/Tankfest-Bovington-Museum/i-bbXVjk9/0/L/IMG_1386-L.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 25, 2015, 02:38:03 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/T100plusSMK.png~original)

I guess this is bound to happen...... T-100 and SMK with 17-pounder.

Frankly...... I think a tank howitzer would look better on them (maybe even the other 17-pounder and KwK 42 gun tank mental notes), but BT-42 has shown us just how hard it can be to come up with a HEAT shell that would work well against sloped armours during World War II......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on January 31, 2015, 02:19:44 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/vk6502h.png~original)

Development of VK6501(H) with suspension design of '3601(H) and then mid-life upgraded with E-50's 88mm L/71 Schmalturm.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/TanksSize_1.png~original)

Size comparison attempt for "newer" tanks...... is Henschel Tiger I really that compact?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on February 01, 2015, 12:34:44 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/enemyHeavy.png~original)

Messing with the fictional Pz. IX again, only this time it's scaled down to go with the main gun being downgraded to a 88mm.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: arc3371 on February 01, 2015, 02:03:20 PM
Love your tank stuff, the last one looks like the "Duck of Doom"!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on February 02, 2015, 04:52:49 AM
Just an idea......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/PeoplesAttacker.png~original)

I believe I thought of it before, too, and this one is only slightly less rough than my last try......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on February 03, 2015, 02:19:55 AM
Different...
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Beefier Airabonita With A Radial
Post by: ysi_maniac on February 03, 2015, 11:11:45 AM
([url]http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/XFL-1_r2800_colour1.jpg[/url])

So...... what if Bell designed the P-39/XFL-1 around a radial instead of a liquid-cooled engine?

Yeah, I suppose it's only a matter of time before I think about putting colours into it.  What do you think for this first try?


Love your Bell proposal  :) :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on February 03, 2015, 12:21:19 PM
Thanks, folks.

Love your tank stuff, the last one looks like the "Duck of Doom"!


(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/enemyHeavy10cm.png~original)

Variant of it upgunned with 105mm L/68 cannon.  Looks clumsy for everything that doesn't require it to kill tanks in the open over extreme range......

============================================================================

I think I'm "psychologically ready" to look to Allied-sourced tanks for my next butchering victims......  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: arc3371 on February 07, 2015, 01:53:49 AM
Looks well sloped so it should be bouncy, now send it to WG and say you fond a new tank! ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on February 07, 2015, 01:58:27 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/blackPrince_1.png~original)

No attempt at historical plausibility of this one will be made.  ;D

The use of side hatches is mandatory when turret extra armours are fitted.

Size graphs have been updated. (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg84271#msg84271)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Volkodav on February 07, 2015, 07:07:22 PM
that actually looks believable side on but I imagine front on would look a bit odd.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: ChernayaAkula on February 07, 2015, 11:22:41 PM
Looks really cool!  :)

that actually looks believable side on but I imagine front on would look a bit odd.

Might look better if they swapped the two-part upper glacis plate (think Tiger) for a single piece upper glacis plate (think Panther).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on February 08, 2015, 03:47:26 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/charioteerII.png~original)

Charioteer 2 tank destroyer.

Unlike the Comet upgrade that received strengthened turret armours to emphasize its role as a tank, the Charioteer 2 gets rails for four SS.11 Harpon missiles instead to augment the Ordnance QF 90mm a.k.a. 90mm F3.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: finsrin on February 08, 2015, 03:54:38 PM
Charioteer 2 tank destroyer.

Unlike the Comet upgrade that received strengthened turret armours to emphasize its role as a tank, the Charioteer 2 gets rails for four SS.11 Harpon missiles instead.

Right on :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: JP Vieira on February 08, 2015, 05:12:43 PM
Like them all, specialy the charioteer 2
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on February 09, 2015, 02:12:09 AM
I like! :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: arc3371 on February 09, 2015, 03:08:42 AM
Me too!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on February 09, 2015, 09:53:34 AM
After discovering that there is actually an illustration section of the Tank Encyclopedia website...... aside from the Charioteer 2 getting a bit of a face lift, I'm probably gonna have a field day with this......

Something I came up with while taking a shot at Logan Hartke's Geratria Army thread a long time ago......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Leopard-1_Moderna.png~original)

Leopard 1 with T-72 turret and Slovakia-developed Moderna 1 package (visible feature include ERA and two Oerlikon KAA cannons).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Frank3k on February 09, 2015, 10:47:43 AM
([url]http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/charioteerII.png~original[/url])

Charioteer 2 tank destroyer.

Unlike the Comet upgrade that received strengthened turret armours to emphasize its role as a tank, the Charioteer 2 gets rails for four SS.11 Harpon missiles instead to augment the Ordnance QF 90mm a.k.a. 90mm F3.


This drawing gave me an idea - I just checked and the FL-11 turret from the Hobby Boss 1/35 EBR-11 would fir on an old Tamiya M41...
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on February 10, 2015, 02:48:57 AM
Leopard 1 with T-72 turret and Slovakia-developed Moderna 1 package (visible feature include ERA and two Oerlikon KAA cannons).


I always loved the look of the Moderna M1 upgrade - wish someone would do a conversion kit:

(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/T-72M1Moderna.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on February 11, 2015, 01:34:29 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/enemySuperHeavy.png~original)

This heavy tank is armed with two turrets.  The primary turret, meant for fighting everything the tank is facing head-on, is equipped with an adopted 105mm field gun, a co-axial 7.7mm machinegun, and a cupola-mounted 7.7mm machinegun for the tank commander.  The secondary turret behind the tank's engine is meant to fend off anti-tank infantry at close-in range with a low-velocity 57mm gun and its high-explosive shells.  Not visible from the side is another, bow-mounted 7.7mm machinegun that is controlled by the tank's radio operator in the hull.

The example in this illustration has camouflage netting on its main gun barrel and mantlet.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on February 13, 2015, 12:46:30 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/centurion_upgunned.png~original)

This Centurion tank received a combination of upgrades- powerpack of Sho't, turret of Olifant, and a RUAG 120mm gun.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Old Wombat on February 13, 2015, 01:24:34 PM
Cool! 8)

How to take your 1940's tank well into the 21st Century. :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on February 14, 2015, 03:09:00 AM
Interesting
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on March 02, 2015, 12:39:25 PM
"Old idea update"

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/ROC-CGH-NingHai-1-1-AU.png~original)

Based on decades of (initially clandestine) research and trials on auxiliary ship that incorprated experimental aviation facility, Ning-Hai class cruisers are built as escort flotilla leaders, providing command and control capabilities and extending the fleet air defense umbrella via FV-8B Harrier (equipped with APQ-159, predecessor to the American and European Harrier II Plus programme) embarked onboard.  The armament comprised a Mk.38 twin 5-inch guns, two Mk.13 launchers for RIM-66E Standard SM-1MR SAM, two quadruple Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missile launchers, a Mk.112 anti-submarine rocket launcher with 15 extra rounds stored in a reload house behind the 5-inch gun (reloading is manually-done, however, being modeled after the emplacement used on the old Gearing class FRAM destroyers), and two Phalanx Block 1 CIWS.  The air group comprised six FV-8Bs, five S-70C(M) anti-submarine helicopters, and four locally-developed AEW version of UH-1H Huey, inspired by an ex-ARVN ELINT UH-1H that force landed on a ROCN LST sent to evacuate Chinese nationals during the closing days of the Vietnam War.  The helicopters are housed in the three hangars in the superstructure, the Harriers being carried in an aft below decks hangar.  Radar fit included SPS-49 long-range 2D, DA-08 medium-range 3D, two navigation/surface-search sets, and four STIR 2.4 illuminators (using the same UD-417 antenna as the American STIR, the same configuration as adopted from Cheng Kung class guided missile frigates).  Despite being fitted for towed-array sonar, American refusal to provide one meant that only hull-mounted sonar is incorporated.  A H-930 MCS combat data system is installed.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/ROC-CGH-NingHai-2-1-AU.png~original)

In early 2000s the Ning Hai class received "Wu Chin V" ("Lethality Improvement"; "IV" is skipped over because, you know, Four is Death in Chinese cultures) Program both to improve self-defense capabilities and to better inter-operate with the Chi Teh class (ex-USN Kidd class) guided missile destroyers.  Both Mk.13 launchers are modified to fire SM-2MR missiles; Phalanx cannons are upgraded to Block 1B standard; the Mk.38 twin 5-inch gun is passed to coastal artillery units, the more modern Mk.45 being mounted in its place; HF-2 launchers are replaced with a new type of launchers that can take both containers for HF-2 and containers for the new HF-3 supersonic anti-ship missiles (a normal loadout includes two containers of each type per launcher); two HF-2E cruise missile launchers, each with a magazine for an extra missile, are installed on each side of the ASROC launcher; two twin launchers for quad-packed navalized TC-2 point air defense missiles (for a total of 16 missiles) are added; and DA-08 radar is replaced with a derivative of CS/MPQ-90 that is also capable of providing fire control for the TC-2 missiles (and installed in a manner that is influenced by the Australian CEAFAR).  ATAS (V)2 active towed array sonar, the same one as used by the Kang Ding class frigate, is installed as well.

The surplus SM-1MR missiles are reportedly being rebuilt into surface-to-surface missiles, but the status of that program and whether it's intended against ships or ground targets are currently unknown.

The UH-1H AEW is replaced with an AEW derivative of the S-70C(M)-2 with an improved radar and tailwheel of MH-60S, and the FV-8B Harrier is upgraded with a version of GD-53 radar that is BVR-capable via TC-2 air-to-air missiles.  Sometimes the recently-acquired S-70C(M)-2U, analogous to the MH-60S, would be outfitted for aerial mine-countermeasure duties and embarked in place of the usual complement of anti-submarine helicopters.

There are signs as of late suggesting that ROCN has been getting the cruisers ready for the bigger F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.  So far ROCN has refused to comment about these outside observations and speculations.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on March 18, 2015, 12:19:53 PM
Another entry to the Floaty GB.

(http://i.imgur.com/6K4hBmZ.png)

Designed at the behest of Frontier Navy Foreign Auxiliary in order to make wider use of the many patrol boats integrated into their jurisdiction (making them useful for long-range patrol works, for example), this vessel serves as both a tender and a fire support ship for those boats.  The aft half of the ship is allocated to an open-top well deck that allows up to four small corvettes and patrol craft to be docked whereas air defense missiles and a rapid-fire artillery turret are mounted forward.  Two hangars, each capable of servicing a light helicopter (Lynx/Wildcat, for example), and a flight deck are provided amidship.

A Cassidian TRS-4D Active electronically scanned array radar serves as the main sensor of the ship; while the ship is equipped with hull-mounted sonar, it's primarily intended for detection of mines and hostile demolition divers, not for combatting submarines.

In order to provide fire support to the "daughter" boats against hostile aircraft and surface targets armed with heavy artillery, this ship possesses a 100mm auto-loading gun, 48-cell Mk.41 Tactical Length VL missile launcher, two quad Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, two Marlin weapon stations with a 25mm KBB cannon each, three 25mm KBD gatling guns (installed in upgraded Phalanx Block 1B CIWS), and two 12.7mm machineguns.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on March 22, 2015, 12:34:55 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/FN_ForeignAuxilliary-DDH-DD963-_SkyHook-1-AU.png~original)

After Frontier Navy decided to adopt a trainable, more-powerful version of Australian-designed CEAMOUNT active electronically-scanned array illuminator as a replacement to the old SPG-62 currently fitted on existing warships, AAW ships in Foreign Auxiliary would receive their illuminators during their next refit or repair.  While the majority of their ships lack the missile capacity of those serving frontline fleets (32 to 48 vertical launch cells v.s. 96 cells on Arleigh Burke class DDG, basic AAW warship of frontline Strikegroups), through previously-received Cooperative Engagement Capability upgrade they can, when operating as command ships to a squadron of missile ships that have less-capable sensors, provide their own sensor data to those older ships.  Gunfire control radar is replaced with Ceros 200 from Sweden.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Logan Hartke on March 22, 2015, 01:04:15 PM
Jeez. That's one ship that lives up to its multirole claims.

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on March 23, 2015, 11:53:40 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/FN-CG-Ticonderoga-2-AU.png~original)

Following successful tests of the SEAPAR gun and ESSM fire control radar carried out on an AEGIS cruiser (done experimentally by installing a standalone unit in place of the ship's original AN/SPQ-9 gunfire control radar), Frontier Navy decided to devise a more-optimised installation.  The US provided data on an enclosed mast tested onboard USS Arthur Radford, and that data is subsequently further developed to accommodate the SEAPAR and SPS-49.  The space left behind by the removal of SPQ-9 and relocation of SEAPAR is used to accommodate an infra-red search and tracking sensor.  SPG-62 missile guidance illuminators are replaced with a trainable, more-powerful version of CEAMOUNT active electronically scanned array illuminator, each capable of simultaneous control of multiple SM-2MR and -2ER missiles even when they are all in terminal flight at targets, further improving the upgraded cruisers' ability to deal with saturation attacks.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on March 29, 2015, 06:56:05 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/FN_ForeignAuxilliary-FFG-7-2a-AU.png~original)

A number of FFG-7 class frigates built during the Sages' invasion of Frontier Navy's homeworld more than 20 years ago were fitted with SQQ-23 hull-mounted sonar as production of SQS-56 could not satisfy the wartime emergency shipbuilding programme.

Some of these frigates in turn were equipped with two eight-cell vertical launch systems specifically designed to fire only RUM-139 VL-ASROC in the space otherwise occupied by the starboard side helicopter hangar, consequently reducing each of these frigates' helicopter complement to just one.  Regardless the variants, all FFG-7 class frigates had their Mk.13 launchers modified to fire SM-2MR missiles as global stockpile of SM-1MR missiles was exhausted during the war.  After the end of the war and subsequent formation of Armies of Frontier Nations, all surviving FFG-7 class frigates, minus war-loss replacements allocated to various world governments, were passed on to that global military initiative.

An upgrade, similar to the Australian FFG Upgrade Project, is being instituted and proceeding unabated even as they are all but transferred to Foreign Auxiliary units and no longer part of frontline Carrier/Strike-Cruiser/Battlecruiser Strike Groups or Surface Action Groups.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on April 01, 2015, 08:56:44 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/FN-LPD-JunoBeach-class-1-AU.png~original)

The Juno Beach class amphibious transport dock is built with the goal of supporting a possible amphibious operation in the event where the Sages' homeworld is found and diplomacy fails.  To this end, it is amongst the largest ships in Frontier Navy service, outfitted to the highest quality of life standards the Frontier Navy can furnish for the embarked landing forces troops, and is equipped with firepower the equivalent of a frigate in the form of 64-cell Strike Length Mk.41 VLS, two Millennium CIWS, six MLG-27 autocannons, and four 12.7mm heavy machineguns, allowing the ship to both defend itself and to suppress standoff threats for Frontier Army troops ashore.

Of course, the on-going status of search for the Sages and the subversive activities of League of Kings that eventually evolved into open insurgencies meant that these ships were used as much for internal security operations against the warlord alliance as they are in preparation for the eventual showdown against the mysterious entity that invaded their homeworld more than 20 years ago.

Shown here is an example of embarked helicopters from a Frontier Army "Foreign Regiment", basically Frontier Army's counterpart to Frontier Navy's Foreign Auxiliary and primarily employed as regional garrisons in and around Foreign Auxiliary bases, consisting of CH-53E and AH-56D, the latter (which their original operators brought with them upon integration into Armies of Frontier Nations forces organization) having been upgraded with nightfighting optics, Hellfire missile capability, and Longbow radar.

=================================================

(As compensation for losing its Longbow AH-56, this (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg40973#msg40973) gets AH-63 instead.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: ChernayaAkula on April 02, 2015, 12:47:54 AM
Naval Cheyenne!  8) Brilliant!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on April 04, 2015, 03:11:35 PM
Naval Cheyenne!


Actually...... no more navalized than the Westland Apache  ;)

===============================================================

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/FN-LHD-Overlord-1-AU.png~original)

The Overlord class Landing Helicopter Dock is meant to support the Juno Beach class vessels by providing more-comprehensive support facilities to Frontier Army or Frontier Fleet Marine Corps helicopters embarked onboard as well as sharing the task of transporting troops and vehicles.

The diverse nature of the Armies of Frontier Nations is well-illustrated by the different combinations of helicopters and ground vehicles that each Overlord class LHD can potentially find itself hosting, depending on the missions.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on April 12, 2015, 12:00:42 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/LoK-SSN-I590Ho-1-AU.png~original)

The League of Kings and their clients are well-awared of the fact that if their raiding fleets are to stand a chance against the Frontier Navy and co-belligerent forces of off-world civilizations, they need a comparable variety of aerial supporting assets.  Aerial tankers allow their carrier aircraft to stay in the air longer (important, as most of their carriers are afforded with none more inspiring than navalized MiG-21), and electronic intelligence and warfare aircraft are valuable both in guiding raider squadrons into ambush positions and in warning them of or even thwarting enemy search-and-destroy efforts.  While the warlord alliance do possess land-based support platforms, the immense distances often involved in order to provide coverage to their raiding fleets have limited such platforms' responsiveness and flexibility.

Since traditional carrier-based support aircraft are beyond what the majority of their carriers, equipped with skijumps, are capable of launching, and they initially lacked a matured development for a helicopter-based solution, several League of Kings' original founding warbands combined efforts to modify an amphibious aircraft design into several variants, one equipped with a so-called "Balance Beam" active electronically-scanned array radar for airborne early warning role, one serving as an aerial tanker, and one fitted to carry out airborne jamming.

Next challenge comes in the form of ships capable of supporting them.  Unlike Frontier Navy's co-belligerent off-world partners, a few of whom do operate seaplanes as well and proceed to build heavily-armed seaplane carriers and incorporate such ships into naval action groups, the League of Kings prefer the more-concealable auxiliary cruisers and submarines operating outside of already-deployed raider squadrons to support the seaplanes.  The latter option comes in the form of I-590 Type Ho nuclear-powered submarine.

Each I-590 Type Ho is capable of refueling up to three flying boats simultaneously and can carry small spare parts as well as even replacement aircrew; alternatively it can carry up to eight 40-foot ISO containers.  Armaments include six bow-mounted 533mm torpedo tubes with either 12 torpedoes or 24 mines; while the warlord alliance reportedly developed a submarine-launched version of Noor anti-ship missile that can be fired from 533mm torpedo tubes, such missiles are known to have never been issued to these submarines, ostensibly to discourage overzealous behaviours amongst their captains.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on April 24, 2015, 12:10:17 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/BGF3COz.png)

One of Frontier Navy's co-belligerent "partners" developed a maritime patrol and airborne early warning seaplane based on a prototype that featured a retractable pontoon hull float in order to mitigate problems with excessive aerodynamic drag imposed by fixed floats or conventional flying boat hulls.

Design evolution includes contra-rotating propellers, turbo-compound engines, improved visibility for observer and navigator, and twin tailfins for airborne early warning derivatives.  A bomb bay is fitted inside the hull float for bombs, torpedoes, or a fuel tank.

(I fully intend to get it put on a ship as soon as possible.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on April 25, 2015, 02:57:10 AM
Based upon the the Blackburn B20 no doubt:

(http://vizirepules.hu/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/b20nagy.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: apophenia on May 03, 2015, 05:50:49 AM
Amazing how much the twin tails change the look, though ... not to mention a whopping great AEW antenna  ;)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, former GB entry
Post by: dy031101 on June 21, 2015, 01:17:03 PM
One of my "Extend Service Life" GB entries that did not make the deadline:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/CB-4 ErsatzYorck.png~original)

After SMS Yorck, a battlecruiser that entered service with Hochseeflotte only to be met by the inconvenient timing of armistice, was allocated to the US as reparation at the end of World War I, her new owner couldn't seem to figure out what to do with her.  Nothing came of any plan for her, including reducing her to a target ship, until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.  In an effort to put as many warships into service as possible, the US Navy decided to modernize what was now the USS Yorck.  Her superstructure was rebuilt; 15cm secondary guns were replaced with surplus 5-inch L/51 guns; 8.8cm AA guns were originally planned to be replaced by 5-inch L/25 AA guns but ultimately replaced with 5-inch L/38 dual purpose guns (pedestal mounts with shields) after a series of twists of events; and search radars, new fire control equipments, two stern-mounted seaplane catapults and a crane, and 20mm Oerlikon & 40mm Bofors autocannons were added.

Since the reconstruction didn't do much about her armour protections, the USS Yorck was designated as a "large cruiser" (CB-4) and operated alongside the fully-indigenous Alaska class cruisers in anti-aircraft escort, shore bombardment, and anti-shipping raider roles.  The US Navy attempted to avoid deploying her against German forces; unfortunately, events would not agree- when German light battleship Brunhilde sortied into the Pacific, Yorck was one of the first USN ships to engage and would keep crossing paths with the elusive German battleship at various points during the remainder of the war.

(Now I can go to bed......)

(And yes, Brunhilde is in the work- consider her as a lighter-weight offshoot of the Bismarck class- albeit now stalled due to some technical difficulties.  I might bring it up and ask for help later.)

Comments and suggestions are welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on June 30, 2015, 12:48:49 PM
Still on what-if verse Earth:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/bd_battlecruiser_1.png~original)

This battlecruiser was originally built in Britain prior to World War I for a neutral country to a design for which Vittorio Cuniberti from Italy acted as a consultant.  As built the ship had a superstructure typical of warships in early 1900s (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/bd_battlecruiser_0.png~original) and was armed with 12 12" L/45 guns (four twins and four singles) and 18 3" QF guns (six of them eventually replaced with a high-angle version; the rest are in casemates).  During mid- to late-1930s she underwent a reconstruction; a German firm was hired to create plan for the work and ended up re-designing the superstructure into one that looks a lot like that of Admiral Hipper class cruiser being built for Kriegsmarine.  A catapult paired with a French-made Gourdou-Leseurre GL-813HY scout floatplane replaced the aft mast.  High-angle 3" guns were replaced with twin SK C/32 8.8cm guns; four of the casemate 3" guns were removed and the rest were replaced with 10.5cm L/45 guns.  Light anti-aircraft armaments included four twin 37mm L/83 semi-automatic (one on top of each main gun turret) and four 2cm C/30 autocannons; these would be augmented further during World War II.

(I want to do a theme of "British-built ship re-styled by the Germans" and this is the result.  Comments and suggestions are welcomed.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 01, 2015, 12:45:16 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/bd_battlecruiser_2.png~original)

In 1943, she received Swedish-made radars, installed on top of forward and aft main gun directors; as a first step to incrementally improve on her anti-aircraft firepower, the semi-automatic 37mm guns and the troublesome Rheinmetall C/30 20mm autocannons were replaced with Bofors 40mm L\60 and Oerlikon 20mm cannons; disputes with Japan led to the political benefit of being able to replace the elderly GL-813HY with floatplane version of the FM-2 Wildcat a.k.a. Wildcatfish.

(I chose Wildcatfish even though single-seat scouts seem very much a late-war concept because I can't think of any non-Axis scout floatplane with folding wings...... if you can think of any, such knowledge would be greatly appreciated.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Logan Hartke on July 01, 2015, 01:27:14 PM
Did I miss where you told us what this ship was? Is this a hypothetical Dutch ship?

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 01, 2015, 01:40:17 PM
Did I miss where you told us what this ship was? Is this a hypothetical Dutch ship?

Not really, just a ship for a fictional country.  And I haven't figured out what that fictional country would be like, either, since I did this one purely out of a desire to see German-style superstructure on a non-German hull.  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Logan Hartke on July 01, 2015, 02:01:55 PM
(I chose Wildcatfish even though single-seat scouts seem very much a late-war concept because I can't think of any non-Axis scout floatplane with folding wings...... if you can think of any, such knowledge would be greatly appreciated.)

I think the Supermarine Walrus, Sea Otter, and Seagull all had folding wings. Also, I believe the Curtiss SOC Seagull, Curtiss SO3C Seamew, and Vought XSO2U all had folding wings, as well.

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Volkodav on July 01, 2015, 07:02:48 PM
(I chose Wildcatfish even though single-seat scouts seem very much a late-war concept because I can't think of any non-Axis scout floatplane with folding wings...... if you can think of any, such knowledge would be greatly appreciated.)

I think the Supermarine Walrus, Sea Otter, and Seagull all had folding wings. Also, I believe the Curtiss SOC Seagull, Curtiss SO3C Seamew, and Vought XSO2U all had folding wings, as well.

Cheers,

All the Supermarines definitely did.

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 02, 2015, 04:40:00 AM
(I chose Wildcatfish even though single-seat scouts seem very much a late-war concept because I can't think of any non-Axis scout floatplane with folding wings...... if you can think of any, such knowledge would be greatly appreciated.)


I think the Supermarine Walrus, Sea Otter, and Seagull all had folding wings. Also, I believe the Curtiss SOC Seagull, Curtiss SO3C Seamew, and Vought XSO2U all had folding wings, as well.


All the Supermarines definitely did.


(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/bd_battlecruiser_2_2.png~original)

Walrus it would be then (I see the only reason for the British to give any scout plane to anyone other than fellow Commonwealth members and the Russians being the influx of US-made scouts and partial replacement by radars though).  The Bofors 40mm guns are now in twins while we are at it.   ;)

Not sure if four rangefinders would be enough for the Bofors, but I don't know where to put more......

Admittedly I'm not even sure if I'm using the right fire control equipment......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: Volkodav on July 02, 2015, 10:30:17 AM
What would be very nice as well as whiffy would be a Fulmar or Firefly float plane  ;)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 03, 2015, 01:13:19 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/RoonAdvanced-wip.png~original)

An attempt to "update" a World War I armoured cruiser for service during World War II.  It's a Roon class cruiser made in Germany, but suppose it was sold off before the end of World War I to another country that ended up not getting along with the Axis powers, hence the non-German aircraft.  I'm just getting started (at least I hope so)- fire control equipment would be next for me to mess around with......

Though I'd like to ask for suggestions on two things.  I've replaced the cruiser's main guns with 10.5cm AA guns, but does anyone know of any good dual-purpose destroyer guns in the '30s?  I first attempted to use the 5"/38, but the gun crew platform won't fit into those positions.  5"/25 seems compact enough, and it was said that it was considered for arming destroyers before 5"/38 came along.  I do remember seeing a proposal drawing of turning destroyer escorts into bombardment ships via re-arming with 5"/25......

And second, does anyone know of a non-Axis floatplane that is equipped with radar and folding wing?  I know that Swordfish has both a floatplane version and a radar-equipped version, but it would seem to me that the floats would have interfered with radar operation.  And I reckon the floatplane used can't be too much bigger than Friedrichshafen FF.49 that the German designers originally had in mind......

Thanks in advance.  Other comments and suggestions are also welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on July 12, 2015, 05:13:32 AM

And second, does anyone know of a non-Axis floatplane that is equipped with radar and folding wing?


What about the Latécoère 298.  Not sure if it was ever fitted with radar in the real world, but it could possibly have if some had continued to operate during the war...

(http://www.deabajo.com/modelar/images/Latecoere298.1.48/Latecoere298.1.48.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: elmayerle on July 12, 2015, 09:49:23 AM

And second, does anyone know of a non-Axis floatplane that is equipped with radar and folding wing?


What about the Latécoère 298.  Not sure if it was ever fitted with radar in the real world, but it could possibly have if some had continued to operate during the war...

([url]http://www.deabajo.com/modelar/images/Latecoere298.1.48/Latecoere298.1.48.jpg[/url])

Go with a wing-leading-edge pod like the nightfighter F5F and F4U variants, but use one on each wing and possibly one under the rear fuselage to obtain adequate coverage.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 12, 2015, 02:46:28 PM

And second, does anyone know of a non-Axis floatplane that is equipped with radar and folding wing?
What about the Latécoère 298.  Not sure if it was ever fitted with radar in the real world, but it could possibly have if some had continued to operate during the war...
Go with a wing-leading-edge pod like the nightfighter F5F and F4U variants, but use one on each wing and possibly one under the rear fuselage to obtain adequate coverage.

How would Yagi antenna (as used on Japanese floatplanes) compare to podded setup in terms of weight v.s. performance?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: GTX_Admin on July 13, 2015, 02:42:04 AM
Possibly more draggy but it depends upon how many antenna.  It also might depend upon the nature of your radar (i.e. its background) and the look you are trying for.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 16, 2015, 07:22:58 AM
Possibly more draggy but it depends upon how many antenna.  It also might depend upon the nature of your radar (i.e. its background) and the look you are trying for.

I was thinking of licence production of the aircraft so that possibly it could continue to be built after the fall of France.  As for where the radar should come from...... I don't know if Sweden managed to come up with an airborne radar during WWII.

US-made radars would be a desirable alternative, I suppose.  If weight is not a problem, then elmayerle's idea seems good since Latécoère 298 IIRC doesn't have underwing hardpoints for a removable pod......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 20, 2015, 02:20:33 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/RoonAdvanced-wip_3.png~original)

Current modification made with having received radars during World War 2 and 5" guns in mind......

I don't think I'm terribly happy with the current spotting top though......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: finsrin on July 20, 2015, 04:06:16 PM
I like this one.  Really has character :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Project Overlord Going Slowly, Something Quick-&-Dirty
Post by: dy031101 on July 21, 2015, 02:49:25 PM
Replaced the spotting top:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/RoonAdvanced_1.png~original)

This German-made seaplane cruiser received a refit in 1936, which saw the rebuilding of bridge superstructure and installation of Italian-made fire control equipment for her main guns.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/RoonAdvanced_2a.png~original)

In World War 2, her operator joined the Allies.  Assigned to support convoy escorts in the Indian Ocean, the seaplane cruiser received another refit in the US.  The spotting top was re-equipped with radars, and the main guns are replaced with the new, radar-directed 5"/38 dual-purpose guns (original 150mm guns are for use against surface targets only).  88mm AA guns were replaced with Bofors 40mm autocannons.  Some 20mm Oerlikon cannons were added as well.

Vought Kingfishers were temporarily embarked until radar-equipped variant of licence-produced Latécoère 298 became available for anti-submarine patrols.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Feeling Nostalgic
Post by: dy031101 on August 08, 2015, 10:02:36 AM
CiTrus90 got me feeling...... nostalgic, so to speak.  His stuff reminds of a time when I had all the time in the world to use 3D Studio Max for fun.

So here I am, re-posting two of my best fantasy-gone-wilds at that time:

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/RamjetTyphoon_0.jpg~original)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/RamjetTyphoon_2.jpg~original)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/RamjetTyphoon_1.jpg~original)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/RamjetTyphoon_3.jpg~original)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/RamjetTyphoon_4.jpg~original)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/RamjetTyphoon_5.jpg~original)

Typhoon-Griffon, featuring a dual turbofan-ramjet powerplant comprising a M53 turbofan and a advanced development of Stato-Réacteur ramjet.

(Nowadays I realized that I should have made the transition between forward and rear fuselage smooth.  Back then I didn't know better  :icon_crap:)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/coal-poweredEagle_0.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/coal-poweredEagle_1.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/coal-poweredEagle_2.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/coal-poweredEagle_3.jpg)

Cold War development of Lippisch P.13 with collabouration from the American McDonnell Douglas company.  It is designed to use coal (or paraffin-coated lignite dust) as a fuel, and a centrally-mounted hexagonal shaped combustion chamber and a disc-shaped rotating fuel table constructed from ceramic materials are mounted in the wing's interior, being refuellable from a receptacle that would be covered by the dorsal airbrake during normal flight.  The armaments are pretty much standard Luftwaffe varieties although the IRIS-T missiles were issued to the conventionally-fuelled Typhoons first, meaning that Lippisch P.115s often fly with AIM-9JULI/L as their standard short-range AAMs.  The rest of the arsenal includes AIM-120B AMRAAM and a 20mm Vulcan cannon, housed in a missionized pod under the fuselage centreline.  The pod is a much improved SUU-23/A, being provided with a much more rigid mounting and as a result much better accuracy.  Taurus KEPD 350 was integrated as soon as it became available.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Feeling Nostalgic
Post by: CiTrus90 on August 08, 2015, 07:00:29 PM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Feeling Nostalgic
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 09, 2015, 03:34:20 AM
 :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Feeling Nostalgic
Post by: dy031101 on September 05, 2015, 11:41:53 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/UN-FS-Sword_class-1-AU.png~original)

Chevalier is another UN-mandate military organization like the Armies of Frontier Nations.  But whereas the Armies of Frontier Nations is- at least initially- concerned with expeditionary operations against the Sages, a mysterious entity that invaded more than 20 years ago, Chevalier is ostensibly focused on internal and peripheral security of the Homeworld although security operations beyond the boundary of the Homeworld has since been delegated to the FN forces due to Chevalier's relative lack of allocated resources in the past.  With recent commissioning of permanent direct-action formations (Chevalier previously did and still largely do rely on troops provided by UN member nations on a need-to basis), they've begun to seek involvements in off-world security operations against the League of Kings terrorist group under the official purpose of freeing up Frontier Navy units for their originally-mandated missions.  The relationship between Chevalier and the FN forces seems rocky to say the least, with Chevalier seemingly believing that the FN forces are getting too soft in furthering the Homeworld's interests and the FN forces suspecting Chevalier of unscrupulous political motives behind their off-world activities......

The Sword class frigate, officially listed as the Arondight class to avoid confusion with Frontier Navy's Sword a.k.a. Excalibur class guided missile cruiser, is a modified version of the Independence class Littoral Combat Ship intended to supplement their planned fleet of Zumwalt class destroyers, with additions including two 16-cell tactical-length Mk.41 vertical-launch systems, two low-observable quad launchers for RGM-84 anti-ship missiles, an expanded combat data system supporting two SPG-62 fire control radars and a Japanese-made OPS-50 C-band surveillance radar suite, and a 21-round RAM launcher replacing the original 11-round SEARAM (the built-in search and fire control radars of the SEARAM launcher deemed unnecessary due to the air search capability offered by the OPS-50 radar).

The lead ship, the UNS Arondight, is equipped with a French-made 100mm L/55 Compact automatic gun, granting her a shore bombardment capability compared to her first-batch sister ships.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Something Quick While Busy With Life
Post by: dy031101 on September 25, 2015, 10:22:24 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/ChengduF7A2000.jpg~original)

Despite my hating baseline (neither tailless nor solid-nosed) MiG-21/J-7 family with a passion, a short-lived rumour of Albania possibly returning their F-7As to service with Israeli assistance nonetheless fascinated me a decade ago (maybe) because of the idea that some of the oldest MiG-21 variants around getting modern upgrades; it likely wouldn't have had new missiles, but still......

Though if PLA had to come up with a strengthened version to carry PL-8 a.k.a. Python III missiles, the F-7A would probably have needed similar modifications to carry Derby missiles......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Tank Tracks Question
Post by: dy031101 on October 06, 2015, 10:42:43 PM
Because I just can't figure out how to re-interpret the "infantry bunker" Overlord tank in a believable way (let the infantry men ride in the tank and shoot out of it; while I might explain riflemen squad away with them sharing control of a remote weapon station with the tank commander, option for ATGM/SAM fireteam takes more creativity than I currently can muster), I proceed to take a break from the brainstorm and work on something else.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample.jpg~original)

High-velocity 90mm in the turret, 105mm smoothbore medium-velocity gun in forward hull.  If I can think of an alternative gun that's punchy against armours but poor on HE (the tank is to be Warhammer-40K-inspired), it'll go onto the turret instead.

Anyhow, I decide to post a picture of its rough form because doing so makes it easier for me to explain what I'm trying to do.  The model has a hull length of 967.268cm and a width of 135in or 342.9cm whereas each of its tracks is about 57.896cm wide, bringing the total width to 375.5cm.

I am not familiar with optimal length to track width ratio- should I make the tracks even wider?

Thanks in advance.

And any comment and suggestion at this stage would be welcomed, too.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Tank Tracks Question
Post by: dy031101 on October 11, 2015, 01:57:40 PM
Taking it slow here.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1.jpg~original)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Tank Tracks Question
Post by: dy031101 on October 14, 2015, 09:01:27 PM
Adopted a scaled down version of Jagdpanther's gun mount.  I'm thinking of StuH 42's layout for the hull gun's working space when reworking the hull.  To my surprise, it allows for a wide pair of tracks.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1_2.jpg)

Comments and suggestions are welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- A Tank Tracks Question
Post by: The Big Gimper on October 15, 2015, 01:03:45 AM
I like this. No sneaking up from behind while you are blasting away to the front.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: dy031101 on October 16, 2015, 01:22:49 AM
I like this. No sneaking up from behind while you are blasting away to the front.

Actually I intend the hull gun to be a good HE launcher akin to 10H64 (yes, it was developed as an anti-tank gun using HEAT projectiles, but unguided HEAT warheads are not as reliable against modern armours as kinetic penetrators, and its HE projectiles, likely based on mortar bombs, should be more useful nowadays if it not only was developed and but also survived the war) while the turreted gun is to be a high-velocity specialist-anti-tank gun, preferably with poor HE capacity  (which is kind of a reverse to the Leman Russ tank that I took as an inspiration- that one has an all-purpose turreted gun and a specialist anti-armour hull gun).

Currently I'm thinking along the line of a 90mm gun accepting necked-down 105mm cases.  And since I'm taking inspiration from Warhammer 40K, from what I have read on the (early edition) rule book, I'm doing something of an equivalent to the Stygies VIII pattern Vanquisher Cannon whereas the Executioner Plasma Cannon might be useable for an upgraded variant of this tank I'm doing......

Railguns sound cool, but I don't know enough to determine what HE capacity a 90mm railgun projectile is equivalent to......

Comments and suggests are welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: dy031101 on October 21, 2015, 01:47:20 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1a.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1b.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1c.jpg)

Did a little intellectual exercise on how the turret is gonna roughly look like.  First and third are barebone; second is with applique armours.

Comments and suggestions are wecomed as usual.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: dy031101 on November 16, 2015, 01:21:44 PM
Going for a shorter hull-mounted gun- this time inspired by the gun-launcher of the Sheridan light tank

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1e.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1f.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: dy031101 on November 18, 2015, 01:44:35 PM
Someone elsewhere suggested that I use Brummbär-style ball mount for the hull-mounted gun.  So I ultimately gave it a try......

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1g.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1h.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- In The Meantime......
Post by: dy031101 on November 25, 2015, 01:18:27 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/PT-76-105.jpg~original)

Several arms dealers operating off Armies of Frontier Nations' homeworld acquired surplus weapons, rehabilitated them, and sold them off to off-world civilizations.  The increasing sophistication of the League of Kings warlord alliance and encounters with splinter Sage forces, however, meant that rehabilitation of those weapons often end up involving upgrades in order to keep pace.

Shown above is a PT-76 re-equipped with a turret originally designed for the SK-105 light tank.  Its 105mm G1 gun is fed by an autoloader and capable of firing both HEAT and APFSDS ammunitions (albeit, in the case of the latter, at a somewhat lower velocity than the L7 and CV-HP rifled guns used by Frontier Army's light tanks and assault guns).  The turret actually turned out to be a popular export, being also retrofitted onto other, more-primitive tanks indigenously-produced by those off-world civilizations as well.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: Logan Hartke on November 25, 2015, 01:54:08 PM
You know, I've always liked both component vehicles, but that combination isn't one that I'd ever considered before. Unfortunately, I do suspect that it would no longer be amphibious at that point due to the additional weight.

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: dy031101 on November 26, 2015, 01:41:34 AM
Unfortunately, I do suspect that it would no longer be amphibious at that point due to the additional weight.

Does SK-105 turret have more armours than AMX-13/105?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: Frank3k on November 26, 2015, 02:29:40 AM
I really like that PT-76. The SK-105 may work on a BMD-3 or BMP-3.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: Logan Hartke on November 26, 2015, 02:39:06 AM
Does SK-105 turret have more armours than AMX-13/105?

Don't think so, but that's a lot more weight than the original PT-76 turret. The autoloading mechanism alone adds a lot of weight. Again, it doesn't make it any less practical or cool, I just wouldn't expect to see these rolling off an LST ramp into the surf.

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- In The Meantime......
Post by: dy031101 on November 26, 2015, 09:35:54 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/mediumTankA-105.jpg~original)

Illustrated is another example of what exported SK-105 turrets are being used for; this time on a medium tank hull built by an off-world civilization.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: dy031101 on November 27, 2015, 01:05:38 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/imperialMedium105.jpg~original)

Another emergency tank destroyer built from an obsolete medium tank hull.  The original vehicle was a multi-turret design with a limited-traverse hull-mounted 85mm howitzer and machinegun forward of the main turret and a machinegun-armed subturret behind the main turret.

The modification saw the removal of the main turret, the hull-mounted howitzer, and the machinegun subturret, although an armoured cover was provided in place of the subturret as a counterweight to prevent the SK-105 turret from making the vehicle nose-heavy.  Needless to say, the removal of the hull-mounted howitzer and the subturret (as well as their gunners) created space for more ammunition to feed the main gun.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: Volkodav on November 27, 2015, 02:06:47 PM
How about FL type turrets on patrol boats and riverine craft?  Especially the missile armed variants.

Also why not a twin 30-35 or 40mm arrangement instead off a single 75,90, or 105mm?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: dy031101 on November 27, 2015, 02:38:24 PM
How about FL type turrets on patrol boats and riverine craft?  Especially the missile armed variants.

Also why not a twin 30-35 or 40mm arrangement instead off a single 75,90, or 105mm?

That'd be like the turret used by BMPT-72 Terminator.

I'm doing tank destroyers here, and therefore I need something that can pierce a Type-69/Wz-121 tank's armour  ;D
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- In The Meantime......
Post by: dy031101 on November 28, 2015, 01:32:51 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/cometRR105.jpg~original)

In units that are hastily-raised or engaging in particularly-desperate fighting, re-activated reserve vehicles with their main guns rendered unserviceable by age or other reasons are known to be returned to service by simply mounting the heaviest infantry anti-tank weapons those units have access to, such as large-calibre recoilless rifles, shaped-charge projectors, or anti-tank missile launcher tubes.

Illustrated above involves replacing the turret with a simple shielded mounting for a 106mm recoilless rifle.

Comment and suggestions are welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: Logan Hartke on November 28, 2015, 09:51:11 PM
Not far off from what the Irish experimented with.

(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b242/terryburke/FsmQuiz.jpg)

Cheers,

Logan
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: GTX_Admin on November 29, 2015, 07:27:20 AM
Interesting
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- In The Meantime......
Post by: dy031101 on November 30, 2015, 01:31:30 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/AT_Halftrack105.jpg~original)

A halftrack testbed fitted with the 2-man autoloader turret.  This setup is a demonstrator and not mass-produced although a halftrack mobile gun system based on a truck chassis is.

Note the Malyutka launcher rails flanking the turret bustle.  Beyond their originally-intended anti-vehicle use, they see much employment as a mean of delivering thermobaric warheads as well.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/pzIV105.jpg~original)

In this example, the base vehicle (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/offWorldPz4.jpg~original)'s similarity to a certain tank that became famous in the ancient history of the Armies of Frontier Nations' homeworld (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_IV) is not lost on too many people.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: dy031101 on January 24, 2016, 12:33:07 PM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Parallel%20World%20and%20What-if/KV-5HeavyTD.jpg~original)

Inspired by the story of a captured T-35 being used as a command tank of an Elefant tank destroyer unit.

Now I need an excuse as to how a 120mm rifled gun (as used on Conqueror heavy tank and/or Conway tank destroyer) would find its way onto a KV-5......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Another Question
Post by: finsrin on January 24, 2016, 12:52:01 PM
Has its own style and character. :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on March 31, 2016, 10:27:00 AM
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1n.jpg)
(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab22/dy031101/Sample1o.jpg)

Spent all this time re-thinking the turret configuration of this tank (this project was undertaken in a rush for the sake of the Clear Your Bench GB...... as I've come to realize, rushing is a bad idea.  I still fully-intent on finishing it, however, just gonna use my head a bit more)...... since the height of the hull is taller, the profile of turret itself was kept low via a carousel autoloader and oscillating turret roof over the main gun.  The tank now has a crew of five (commander, turret gunner, hull gun-launcher gunner, hull gun-launcher loader, and driver; the old configuration has a turret loader, who is meant to retrieve ammunitions for the turret main gun completely from the bustle magazine, as well).

Now put a machinegun at commander's cupola and I think I'll be good to go for colouring......

My amateur opinion, of course- comments and suggests are welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on June 05, 2016, 08:36:22 AM
I am undertaking anti-burnout procedures.  You know what I mean  :-X

(http://i.imgur.com/EByWk7l.png)
During the Sage invasion of Earth 20 years ago, Vittorio Veneto ended up with her superstructure all but demolished when the pan-European naval battle group she was a part of was overwhelmed by a large swarm of suicide drones.  Barely surviving the ensuing retreat, she was then rebuilt with an AEGIS combat system into a command ship for fleet air defense operations, allowing effective coordination of firepower deployed from less-sophisticated wartime-expedient guided missile frigates that such a command ship would spend the rest of the war leading.

Soon after the war, she, along with many other refurbished surplus warships from the national militaries across the Homeworld, were transferred to the then-nascent Taskforce Frontier Nations, becoming part of the Frontier Navy's first-generation capital ships lineup.  As sufficient number of new-construction AEGIS warships begin filling the ranks within the Frontier Navy, those first-generation warships still in service and not yet transferred to Foreign Auxiliary are concentrated within the 7th Fleet.  Although no longer quite the go-to ship to lead expeditionary strike groups nowadays, she is active in testing and developing new technologies and new techniques, including the New Threat Upgrade Mk.II programme that involves full-spec. Cooperative Engagement Capability and CEAMOUNT active electronically-scanned array illuminator.

(http://i.imgur.com/m2L5DSo.png)
As part of global emergency naval construction programme during the Sage invasion of Earth 20 years ago, two more Luigi Durand De La Penne class destroyers were ordered.  Both were transferred to the Frontier Navy after the war and ended up, in addition to the New Threat Upgrade Mk.II trial, involved in the evaluation of Sampson radar.

(http://i.imgur.com/mUcxWHt.png)
Spruance class destroyers that survived the Sage invasion were transferred to the Frontier Navy upon the latter's establishment.  They received a limited upgrade during the war to allow for the use of SM-2MR missiles, and during Frontier Navy service certain aging electronics were replaced with more-available items from Europe.

(http://i.imgur.com/jvWIiBm.png)
Built and acquired in a similar manner as the Luigi Durand De La Penne class destroyers; different from the first batch in the use of European- and American-made sensors and weapons adopted out of concerns over production constraints but ending up offering some degree of maintenance commonality with other Frontier Navy warships when they were declared surplus and transferred.

(http://i.imgur.com/0mxhaNE.png)
The design of the Maestrale class frigate was altered to provide a general-purpose wartime expedient, not much unlike the Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate, to equip the global naval efforts against the Sages in the war 20 years ago.  Many surviving examples ended up in the Frontier Navy's inventory.

Comments and suggestions are welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on July 25, 2016, 11:55:15 AM
Work on "Leman Russ" MBT is expected to resume next week.

In the meantime......

(http://i.imgur.com/ihXE09V.png)

Another allied "hybrid" cruiser-carrier upgraded along with the airwing she carries under the watchful eyes of the Armies of Frontier Nations by the defense industry of the latter's homeworld.  The ship's outdated subsonic anti-aircraft missiles are replaced with Barak 1 missile system utilizing a trainable box launcher (https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1983/1983%20-%200237.html), new command and control system was installed to facilitate interoperability with other allied forces, and her VAK-191 interceptors are upgraded with a new radar and the capability to launch MICA missiles, improving these interceptors' ability against their primary targets- lone or small formations of bombers carrying anti-ship missiles- and giving them a fighting chance against the best fighters fielded by hostile forces, should they encounter enemy fighters in the sky.

==============================================

(http://i.imgur.com/Q7Mzq8r.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/U6mvjEM.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/LAhgWrL.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/fL64ZMV.png)

Allied forces engaged in fighting against the most technologically-advanced client of the League of Kings warlord alliance (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg37522#msg37522) developed the so-called Standard-Phoenix missile family (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg41403#msg41403) to better deal with aerial saturation attacks.  Individually they are not as powerful as the AEGIS warships of the Frontier Navy or the newest anti-aircraft cruisers of the said League of Kings client army, but they manage to out-perform most non-AEGIS allied and hostile surface combatants.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: Volkodav on July 25, 2016, 01:28:11 PM
Nice!

Is that Sadral fitted to the CFA DDGs?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on July 25, 2016, 11:27:58 PM
Is that Sadral fitted to the CFA DDGs?

Yes since there is no RAM in the universe those ships come from.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on August 01, 2016, 08:30:44 AM
An idea in light of this (http://tankarchives.blogspot.ca/2013/04/bovington-t-34-and-kv-1-impressions.html).

(http://i.imgur.com/4vEF4Hi.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: taiidantomcat on August 01, 2016, 12:06:12 PM
Nice look
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on August 10, 2016, 12:44:41 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/qN5rRzF.jpg)

The story so far: I want to put a heavy-bolter-inspired weapon on a remote weapon station...... and I've always had an awful sense of scale......

Inspirational reference:

(http://i.imgur.com/ZKifAza.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/vQiCMG5.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/F98CyjG.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/hf4t3mW.jpg)

Comments and suggestions will be welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on August 17, 2016, 11:59:03 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/3vsZ8dG.png)

Lorraine 40t upgraded with T-72 turret.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on August 22, 2016, 02:47:33 AM
...... and I've always had an awful sense of scale......


(http://i.imgur.com/TNdMKfF.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/sqOI91O.jpg)

It looks like my awful sense of scale is gonna be the least of my problems here  ;D

Agreed?

Comments and suggestions welcomed.

Next post on this matter will come when I either reach a major milestone or hit a major blocker and need some advise (like what I thought this one to potentially be  :-X)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: Old Wombat on August 22, 2016, 10:50:56 AM
Cool! Breach-loading mortar for indirect fire! Neat! :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on August 22, 2016, 11:10:10 AM
Cool! Breach-loading mortar for indirect fire! Neat! :)


The weapon on top of that commander's RWS is a 25mm rocket-propelled projectile repeater with a massive muzzlebrake (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Heavy_bolter)......

Unless you are talking about the hull-mounted gun, which is a 152mm gun-launcher (HE/HESH/ATGM).

But now that you've come up with the idea......

Which one do you think would be more useful in the commander's sub-turret if I turn this tank (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg54927;topicseen#msg54927) into 3D?  A 60mm mortar or a 45~47mm gun?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on September 04, 2016, 11:55:46 AM
(http://i.imgur.com/B0uGYa9.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/oElng8F.jpg)

While it looks like I've been distracted, this is actually me "jotting down" notes of inspiration for my next project.....  The sub-turret is just a place holder, of course, merely to demonstrate that it's to be mostly cylindrical and armed with a 60mm gun-mortar and a 12.7mm MG.  I'll figure out how to do a high-angle mount for that gun-mortar somehow......

Now I can return to the regularly-scheduled work......

Nonetheless, I have a few questions- does anyone know how much bigger or smaller a 60mm Brandt gun-mortar (as used by the AML-60) is compared to the Russian 45mm tank gun?  I couldn't find the silhouette graph for that weapon.

Should I expect a longer or shorter recoil distance for the mortar (compared to the Russian 45mm gun)?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on September 12, 2016, 09:35:24 AM
As I continue to slowly juggle through details, it dawned on me that I hadn't paid much attention to crew access......

(http://i.imgur.com/ObtMy7D.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/nWDAP1p.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/T5dlSCG.jpg)

Do you see sufficient aid for crewmen to climb up from the side to access the hull top hatches?  What more would you recommend me to do?

Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: Old Wombat on September 12, 2016, 11:53:39 AM
A little guy like him would need more hand & foot holds of some sort, at least 1 more set of each.

I might make it but I'm 190cm tall.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on September 13, 2016, 12:00:50 PM
A little guy like him would need more hand & foot holds of some sort, at least 1 more set of each.


(http://i.imgur.com/U1NWeE9.jpg)

Does this improve the situation any?

Also, how much would the hull armour be compromised as a result of drilling holes to mount the screws?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: Old Wombat on September 13, 2016, 03:58:59 PM
Does this improve the situation any?

Yes, lots! :)

Also, how much would the hull armour be compromised as a result of drilling holes to mount the screws?

Not really. Look how many bits are bolted onto modern armoured vehicles without significant compromise. ;)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: Volkodav on September 13, 2016, 05:24:57 PM
Does this improve the situation any?

Yes, lots! :)

Also, how much would the hull armour be compromised as a result of drilling holes to mount the screws?

Not really. Look how many bits are bolted onto modern armoured vehicles without significant compromise. ;)

I recall something several years back about perforated armour being as effective as solid panels but much lighter.  Testing apparently demonstrated that if a weapon is capable of defeating the perforated armour it would also be capable of defeating a solid plate of equivalent thickness.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on October 11, 2016, 02:14:39 AM
taiidantomcat's several interesting digital kitbashes made me want to get in on the act for a bit.  And since real-life is finally cutting me some break again......

Continuing a previous idea of repurposing the VK4502(P) into a "medium" tank, this one is very-slightly lengthened and widened to accommodate a copy of the Pz68/88 turret:

(http://i.imgur.com/JkTLu6s.png)

I am still aware where my priority lies, however  :-X

Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on October 12, 2016, 12:07:07 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/MtRAWS7.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: taiidantomcat on October 16, 2016, 04:02:47 AM
These are so cool!! You should start a thread at the GB, the more the merrier  :)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: dy031101 on October 16, 2016, 07:43:50 AM
These are so cool!! You should start a thread at the GB, the more the merrier  :)

I do have a planned road to redemption in the aftermath of last year's "Clear The Bench GB"......  :-X

And for the lightweight VK 4502(P), I have to figure out how to Germanize the T-55 turret first......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Rushing Is A Bad Idea
Post by: apophenia on October 18, 2016, 07:31:33 AM
And for the lightweight VK 4502(P), I have to figure out how to Germanize the T-55 turret first......

Is this for an extended WW2 timeframe? If so, eliminating the bore evacuator, adding a big muzzle brake, and swapping in a Panther-style vehicle commander's hatch would probably do the trick.

If this is a Bundeswehr vehicle, I'd look to the HS 30 mit 90mm Bord K and scale up  ;)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Stop Giving Me Ideas LOL
Post by: dy031101 on December 29, 2016, 02:46:18 PM
(That said, the entire concept of Russ is obviously by a person who understands nothing of tank warfare - in most Russ variants your most potent anti-tank weapons aka lascannon and multi-melta are illogically not placed in the turret which would have room for one, but in the hull or in the sponsons, Vanquisher and Annihilator being rare exceptions.)


Okay so I got distracted once again and mocked up the idea of a modified "standard" variant with an anti-tank pulse-laser cannon (a.k.a. lascannon of WH40K) being co-axial with the "Battle Cannon" as inspired by Kelmola's comment.

(http://i.imgur.com/0juWwrc.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/HzRxy5k.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/aqLTR4f.jpg)

Looks like I absolutely will have to redesign the hull weapon position for optimum use of the "Heavy Bolter"......

That's okay.  I've intended the gun-launcher mount to be specifically earmarked for the "small-bore Vanquisher" & "Annihilator" variants and not interchangeable with the heavy-bolter/lascannon mount to begin with (note the lack of the hull-mounted gunsight on the tank itself).

Comments and suggestions welcomed.

Now I'll get back to finishing the "Vanquisher"- I promise.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Wrapping Up On The Vanquishers For The Moment
Post by: dy031101 on January 08, 2017, 01:42:31 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/ugQrGfm.jpg)

Amidst the Armies of Frontier Nations' campaign to seek out the seat of power of the Sages, an entity that invaded FN forces' homeworld more than 20 years ago, upgraded versions of the tank originally known as the "Leman Russ" (reporting name given by the FN forces' Intelligence Corps, after a functionally-similar fictional tank in the tabletop game "Warhammer 40000" on the FN forces' homeworld) are encountered during a series of skirmishes against the Sage forces' 77th Legion, a penal legion guarding an "Armoury World".

During the brief ground war phase of that invasion more than 20 years ago, the "Leman Russ" main battle tanks provided the land warfare component of the invasion force with the backbone of armoured support, exploiting any breakthrough created by the tougher and harder-hitting Macharius heavy tanks.  Following the defeat of the invasion (mostly attributed to naval victories won by the United Nations forces, essentially the hastily-mobilized predecessor of the Armies of Frontier Nations) and the subsequent disappearance of the supreme leaders of the Sage forces known as the Sage Council, this tank has not been sighted or fought on a widespread basis.

The 77th Legion is a rarity amongst penal legions of the Sage forces in several ways.  For starters, the fact that it is allowed to possess armoured vehicles beyond the scope of improvised armours already alone sets itself apart from its normal, light-infantry-centric peers, but it is also better-equipped than most others down to personnel level and is a proper mechanized formation.  Second, it seems to be staffed exclusively with female troopers and officers (males far outnumber females outside of the 77th Legion, in cases of both disgraced regular military personnel and liberal intellectuals/advocates convicted of "thought crimes").  And, finally, while most if not all other Sage military garrisons and splinter factions encountered after the invasion seem to prefer more-powerful yet cumbersome tanks like the Malcador heavy tank, variants of the "Leman Russ" are the mainstay tanks of the 77th Legion.

The 77th Legion in fact makes extensive use of specialist tank hunter variants believed to have been created to address the marginal effectiveness of the basic "Leman Russ" against heavy armours.  High-end variants are all codenamed by the FN Intelligence as the "Leman Russ Vanquisher" and commonly known to FN troops in the field simply as the "Vanquisher".  This is due to all "Vanquisher" variants having a longer-barrel main gun than the standard "Leman Russ" version's 122mm general-purpose tank gun, giving these tanks a noticeably-superior lethality against hostile armours.

(http://i.imgur.com/aikmYUY.jpg)

The "Leman Russ Vanquisher" variant used by the 77th Legion has a new turret and a slightly modified hull.  Compared to the turret used in the original baseline model, the new design has a lower profile, achieves a maximum gun depression of -9 degrees by having the turret forward centreline roof over the main gun breech oscillating with the main gun and the co-axial 13.2mm machinegun, and has no turret basket.  The turret crew, the commander and the turret gunner, are provided with bucket-seats and foot stirrups.  Both seats and the swing-arm ammunition transfer units serving the turret main gun from directly behind the gun's recoil path are fastened to the turret's interior walls.

The main gun is a new design that fires a 90mm projectile out of a necked-down propellant case through a L/58 barrel, has no barrel rifling, and is loaded via an autoloader consisting of the afore-mentioned ammo transfer unit and a magazine in the turret bustle.  Evaluation of salvaged guns revealed superior recoil-dampening mechanism as well as a "hotter" propellant charge compared to all other turret ballistic guns in use by other "Leman Russ" variants, resulting in an anti-armour performance at least comparable to the long-barrel 122mm gun used by other "Vanquisher" models despite the use of a smaller cartridge (its propellant case approximates the dimensions of one used by Frontier Army's 105mm L7 fire support gun), but barrel movement that slightly but surely affects its accuracy with each shot fired has been observed on all captured specimen.  Also, only armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot and canister rounds are provided for the turret gun.  The 44 one-piece combustible-case ammunitions for the 90mm gun are wholly-contained within a chain-drive magazine in the turret bustle, as opposed to the arrangement in the baseline model, where cased propellant charges and explosive projectiles are stored under the main fighting compartment floor.  The main gun magazine has overhead blowout panels to ensure the safety of the rest of the vehicle in the event of an ammo detonation via battle damage or otherwise.

Despite a shorter barrel length than that of the 122mm L/46 gun carried by the Sage forces' other "Leman Russ Vanquisher" variants, the System Corps of the Armies of Frontier Nations has rated them as comparable in anti-tank role to both it and the NATO-standard 120mm smoothbore L/55 tank gun used to equip part of the FN forces' fleet of MBTs, as well as being easily more-capable of defeating armours than the old but more mass-producible 122mm L/40 cannon used by the standard "Leman Russ" model.

(http://i.imgur.com/MNahJkZ.jpg)

A 152mm infantry gun replaces the hull-mounted heavy machinegun and appears to have become the primary high-explosive launcher for this specific "Vanquisher" variant.  In addition to a variety of anti-personnel, high explosive, and demolition ammunitions, an imaging-infrared-guided "Hunter-Killer" missile is also known to be available for use with the 152mm gun and proves marginally effective against Frontier Army's lineup of main battle tanks such as Challenger 2 and T-90KM out to about eight kilometres.  Ammunitions for the 152mm gun are stowed under the gun mount and in the forward-right sponson, the latter being the same location in baseline model where hull-mounted machinegun ammos or laser cannon batteries would be stored, each protected in its individual container against cook-off in the event of armour penetration.  As the 152mm gun remains manually-loaded, the tank's forward hull compartment layout is re-arranged to additionally accommodate a loader for the gun (therefore maintaining crew size at five despite the elimination of the turret loader position); this gun crew is also directed by the tank commander, with the gunner positioned directly behind the driver and a fold-down seat available aft of the gun-launcher breech to the loader when the weapon is not in operation.

The turret gunner is provided with a thermal and laser targeter sight, which can be shared by the tank commander to augment the latter's observation devices.  The commander has under her control a remote weapon station equipped with daytime camera, thermal imager, and a 13.2mm machinegun, whereas her rotating cupola has an integrated 8x periscope and four auxiliary vision blocks for battlefield observation in the event of the RWS being disabled.  The RWS is independent from the tank's primary fire control system, and the commander must relay any battlefield observation made through it to each crew member via intercom.

The hull gunner has her own day/night gunsight as well, but, being located right behind the driver's hatch, this sight can be interferred with when the driver operates buttoned-down.

(http://i.imgur.com/HFL7J2E.jpg)

=======================================================

(http://i.imgur.com/YLtd9RL.jpg)

At least one specimen of the 77th Penal Legion's "Leman Russ Vanquisher" tank is known to have been further modified with preparations for mounting applique armours, what appears to be a muzzle-reference device for the turret main gun- most likely as a mean to aid the tank's fire control system by factoring-in the gun barrel movements and thus to alleviate any of their consequent impact on accuracy- and a new commander's remote weapon station equipped with a 25.34mm rocket-propelled projectile heavy machinegun as well as all-weather auspexes sensors.  This new RWS is integrated into the tank's fire control system, allowing the tank commander to designate targets for the turret and hull gunners from her console instead of having to verbally transmit targeting data.

(http://i.imgur.com/HMdlwKp.jpg)

Now on to the Anglicized KV-5......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Wrapping Up On The Vanquishers For The Moment
Post by: dy031101 on March 17, 2017, 02:54:40 PM
Slight modification and complete backstory replacement of an old post (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=116.msg63560#msg63560):

(https://www.dropbox.com/s/nhn6wvva1xz8yyy/FN_ForeignAuxilliary-DLG-Type45-FloatPlane-1-AU.png?raw=1)

This ship, built on a hull supplied by one of the refugee communities (which previously used it in an incomplete and barely sea-worthy form as an evacuation ship) that contribute resources to Foreign Auxiliary units of the Frontier Navy, is notable as the only Frontier Navy ship to possess a seaplane catapult.  The completion proposal borrows very heavily from the Type 45 destroyer in service with Frontier Navy's homeworld after the contractor found the hull to lend itself well for the job, but SMART-L and APAR are used in order to take advantage of the fact that the majority of the Frontier Navy has standardized on the Evolved Sea Sparrow and Standard surface-to-air missiles as well as the RUM-139 anti-submarine rocket.

The seaplane is unarmed and appears primarily intended for liaison duties; another airframe is equipped with an ELINT kit and based at the ship's home port, to be embarked on the ship in place of the liaison plane when needed.  It is launched via a hydraulic catapult and recovered via a crane.

The armaments include a 120mm single-purpose gun that is in moderately widespread use within Foreign Auxillary units, a total of 96 Mk.41 vertical launch cells (48 Tactical-length and 16 Strike-length forward, 32 Tactical-length aft), two quadruple launchers for the RGM-84 Harpoon missile, three Phalanx Block 1B systems re-armed with the 25mm KBD gatling gun, and two 533mm anti-submarine torpedo tubes.

The Strike-length VL cells are used to carry and launch SM-2ER, primarily via Cooperative Engagement Capability with allied warships as the maximum range of the SM-2ER is longer than the maximum distance over which the APAR can currently illuminate, and SM-6 ERAM, with clearance for the use of SM-3 ABM being planned pending further development of SMART-L and APAR systems.  Like other ships of the Foreign Auxillary units that are equipped with Strike-length Mk.41 launchers, this vessel has never sailed with any Tomahawk cruise missile onboard, whether land attack or anti-ship variants, and likely never will.

===========================================================================

Based on the "Type 43 successor DDG" idea by RP1 except for changes described in the backstory.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes- Finally Something To Add After A Rather Long While
Post by: dy031101 on August 22, 2017, 12:06:30 PM
And screw you, Photobucket!

=========================================================================

(http://i.imgur.com/YlC6goC.png)

A guided missile frigate equipped with an imported set of APAR multi-function radar and SMART-L volume search radar.

Outside of anti-aircraft warfare and command & control equipments, much of the ship's gears are either made locally or cannibalized from decommissioned older vessels.  The seemingly-innovative trimaran design was actually meant to cater to a stubbornly-insisted-upon requirement for a hangar that houses and supports a Mi-14 anti-submarine helicopter (as it would have taken at least a battlecruiser-class hull to accommodate such a hangar into a mono-hull), its main gun is a twin 57mm gun salvaged from a scrapped corvette but reconditioned and slaved to a new fire control radar, and its propulsion scheme is powered by steam turbines because that's all the builder has access to domestically for powering a fleet warship.

=========================================================================

Comments and suggestions are welcomed.

I am actually not very sure about the underwater portions of outrigger hulls....... some enlightenment would be great as well......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on September 23, 2017, 01:18:50 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/rsB7sgO.png)

The Independent Worlds Coalition Forces, often colloquially known as the "Allies" or "Coalition", are a military alliance formed across parallel universes visited by the Armies of Frontier Nations during its still-ongoing mission to find the seat of power of the Sages, with the long-term goal of defending against the possibility of the Sages resuming their inter-dimensional crusade although the organization is currently fighting the more-immediate threat of the League of Kings warlords.  The Armies of Frontier Nations, while not a member, is for all intents and purposes allied with the IWCF and have frequently fought alongside them.  Officially, however, the FN has only classified the IWCF as "co-belligerent".  Many suspect that this is meant to avoid fueling the paranoia of the FN forces' parent organization known as the United Nations, who after more than 20 years of peace since the defeat of a Sage Crusade is now looking elsewhere for potential threats......

=========================================================================

The Project 109 class corvettes, belonging to one of the minor navies within the IWCF, are their country of origin's first attempt to incorporate helicopters into naval operations.  Due to the only helicopter available being the Mi-4PL, the hangar is sized accordngly and becomes too large for a corvette-class monohull to accommodate.  A trimaran design is therefore tried.

The corvette class vessels are envisaged as an "ocean-capable patrol ship" and are armed with a 85mm gun forward- in either an earlier, tank-like turret or a newer semi-shielded mount with better gun elevation arc, since bigger weapons are not yet being ready for mass-production and are limited to those salvaged from decommissioned warships- two twin 25mm autocannons, two twin 14.5mm machineguns, two 533mm anti-submarine torpedo tubes, and four quad 250mm anti-submarine rocket launchers although an anti-ship missile suite- a turbojet-powered development of a Termit-style missile for a range performance competitive in modern naval wafare- and a number of radar-guided/directed 37mm anti-aircraft guns and missile launchers give the ships a measure of usefulness on the high seas.

The Mi-4PL uses radar and sonobuoys to locate hostile submarines (in case of radar, at periscope depth) and depth charges to attack them although in practice it is more frequently used to radio positions of long-distance hostile surface ships, allowing the corvettes to exploit the maximum range of their anti-ship missiles.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: arc3371 on September 24, 2017, 10:09:24 AM
Some interesting stuff Dy
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: john_matthews129 on October 03, 2017, 07:34:29 AM
Are you going to be modeling the ships, too?  I thought that was some first-rate 3D modeling on the tank.   :smiley:
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on October 10, 2017, 11:18:42 AM
Some interesting stuff Dy

Now that the Mi-4 gets filed into the "cute" category...... I'm running out of evil helicopters.  ;D

Are you going to be modeling the ships, too?  I thought that was some first-rate 3D modeling on the tank.   :smiley:

Which reminds me to finish the rest of the tank's variants......  :-X  So many holes I've dug for myself- gotta start filling 'em some time......

Unfortunately, the level of details ship models would require is currently outside of what I can efficiently accomplish during free time.  :-X
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on November 17, 2017, 05:52:13 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/Qzn83Ug.png)

This minor IWCF member navy warship started out as a 70-and-some years old design and went through two major reconstructions- the first one granted a variable-depth sonar, some ahead-throwing anti-submarine mortars and torpedoes, and a submarine-killer drone helicopter facility at the cost of her anti-ship torpedoes and most of her guns whereas the second one rehabilitated her engines and gave her a modern combat data system, an automatic naval gun more suitable against smaller surface combatants and aircraft, anti-ship missiles, and improved accommodations for her complement.

The drone helicopter was quickly phased out due to a lack of spares and succeeded by an Ultra-Light tip-jet rotor helicopter, which has remained in service to this day due to a politically-motivated difficulty in procuring a more-modern replacement.  Like the drone it replaced, the Ultra-Light can carry a single torpedo.

So far the latest upgrade came soon after the operator country of this ship joined the Coalition forces in the form of a Strales 76mm gun acquired from the Armies of Frontier Nations' homeworld in an effort to improve defenses against high-speed, high-mobility aerial threats.

===========================================================================================

(This ship is essentially a Taiwanese-style reconstruction done to a FRAM II Fletcher class destroyer.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on November 28, 2017, 06:26:14 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/91Z2w7U.png)

This class of helicopter cruisers, operated by the mysterious military force currently suspected by some within the FN Intelligence Corps to be the outgrowth of the lost remnants of the ill-fated Frontier Navy 11th Fleet, are often seen leading surface actions groups comprised of ASW ships in their war against the League of Kings.  Their anti-aircraft warfare suite, outside of having more vertical launch modules (for a total of 80 cells), is broadly identical to the Sea Viper missile system with the SAMPSON and S1850M radar combination used by the Type 45 destroyers on the Frontier Navy's homeworld.  This outfit lends itself well to the common situation of these surface action groups- that most of their constituent ships do not have sufficient air defense capability to survive anything more than occasional aerial harassments and therefore require protections offered by dedicated fleet defense assets.

Other onboard armaments include two quad MM40 anti-ship missile launchers, one twin 128mm L/61 guns, eight twin 55mm L/77 automatic guns, and four 25mm chain guns.  These cruisers are known to have operated up to nine Panther helicopters each although they clearly have ample rooms to embark larger helicopters instead.  Between missions the helicopters are sheltered and serviced in a below-deck hangar.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on January 01, 2018, 01:56:01 PM
Happy New Year, everyone.

Something quick and dirty this time, because I came across (http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Rebuild_of_Evangelion#Bofors_40mm) this picture (http://www.imfdb.org/images/5/5d/ROE_3.33_002.jpg) & I could not make sense out of those BBs getting reverted to their WWII configuration, and because I want to see SeaRAMs on an Iowa:

(https://i.imgur.com/ctEb0a7.png)

According to what I heard about some 1990s plan to equip Iowa class BBs with Mk.41 launchers, the aft Tomahawk ABL positions apparently have enough room for two 32-cell Mk.41 launchers.  Also, the 5-inch gun turrets are refitted with 5"/54 Mark 16 guns.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: Volkodav on January 01, 2018, 10:09:10 PM
You could probably replace some or all of the original 20 5" twins with 16 VLS cells each.  Maybe the middle three on each beam with the furthest fore and aft being replaced with Mk-45 5" or even Mk-75 3" giving the ship 96 strategic length Mk-41 VLS and four modern medium calibre guns with space and weight to spare for CS upgrades.  Mk-48 VLS could be fitted in various locations, maybe even Danish Flex modules could be used with a number of the old 40mm tubs being converted into FLEX slots.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on January 02, 2018, 02:44:43 AM
You could probably replace some or all of the original 20 5" twins with 16 VLS cells each.

I do not realize that the twin 5-inch turrets occupy that much space......

Maybe the middle three on each beam with the furthest fore and aft being replaced with Mk-45 5" or even Mk-75 3"......

I was originally gonna let the whole thing go and settle on merely thinking "that's ain't what a reactivated Iowa is gonna look like"...... but I really wanted to see SeaRAMs on an Iowa  ;D

It is said that the Mk.16 is essentially a longer version of the Mk.12, so I refitted the 5-inch gun turrets under the assumption that the refit would be relatively straightforward and quick, which would be conducive to the scenario conveyed by the anime picture that I linked to- wartime activation rather than merely force level maintenance (although, if they are still available, scrounging the remaining ammo stockpile for the 5"/38 remains conceptually the simplest)- but then I went for the VLS installation......

I'm not an expert, so I don't know if the twin 5-inch turrets can be outright replaced with the Mk.45 mounts as well within the time it would take to modify the aft superstructure to accommodate the Mk.41 modules.

(https://i.imgur.com/FTsjA4W.png)

Also, my current choice of fire control systems do not support Sea Sparrow missiles although conceivably I can replace two of the SPG-60 with Mk.92 "eggs".
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: Volkodav on January 02, 2018, 10:33:49 AM
Tartar and its Mk11 and 13 GMLS was designed to slot into the space occupied by a 5" twin, where you can fit a Mk-13 you can easily fit two 8cell Mk-41s.

The later Mk-26 is an even simpler swap with the 24 round version having the same volume as a 29/32 cell Mk-41 and the 44 round the same as the 61/64cell.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on September 29, 2019, 08:20:20 AM
I attempted to make a Shipbucket graph for the Shin Meiwa SS-X a.k.a. Shin Meiwa LA (Light Amphibian), a "40-passenger light amphibian for inter-island feeder service".

Aerial tanker and AEW variants are created for my fantasy world use  ;D

Now I seriously need a bigger boat (seaplane carrier) to launch them.

(https://i.imgur.com/M5RgGlv.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on February 09, 2020, 06:03:10 AM
I used what little free time I have to revisit my fascination with the underdogs of the F-16 family again......

(https://i.imgur.com/bjd0sqp.png)

The People's Liberation Army Air Force's acquisition of the Panavia Tornado ADV long-range interceptors led the air force of the Taiwan-based Republic of China to conclude that their already-aging fleet of the F-104G Starfighters and F-5E/F Tiger IIs are no longer sufficient in the event of a resumption of cross-strait conflict- while not exceptional dogfighters, the Tornados provided the PLAAF with the means to escort their bombers on flanking runs against targets in Taiwan while pre-emptively attacking any ROCAF interception effort from beyond visual-range with their Aspide missiles (the PLAAF chose an Italian radar instead of the British AI.24 Foxhunter).  This, combined with the anticipation of future difficulties in acquiring modern combat aircraft due to the ROC's worsening status in international politics as well as the subsequent desire to buy time for building up an indigenous military aviation industry, prompted the ROC in early-1980s to place what was expected to be a large order for US-made fighters for the last time, in the form of 150 F-16/79s and 150 F-20s.

Despite a protracted negotiation and numerous political close calls, these orders are approved, with the F-16s built to a variant of the Block 15 standard that additionally included a night identification spotlight and the ability to employ the AIM-7F Sparrow missile.  Strike capabilities without external aids were deliberately limited to unguided munitions and the AGM-65B missiles; laser-guided bombs can be employed if supported by forward observers with laser designators on the ground or a F-20B equipped with the AN/AVQ-27 laser target designator set.    As the J79-GE-119 turbojet has less performance restrictions at higher altitudes and because the performance of the F-20 suffers when carrying the AIM-7 missiles, the F-16/79s took over interception missions from the F-104G/J Starfighters whereas the F-20s largely displaced the F-5E/F Tiger IIs in other frontline roles.  These F-16s, like the F-20s, adopted a camouflage scheme derived from the one used on the F-5E/F Tiger IIs.

The ROC is later able to develop an equivalent to the AIM-9L designated TC-1 or the Sky Sword 1 missile, and after France exported the Mirage 4000 to the ROCAF in the wake of Tiananmen Square Incident, the F-16/79s were cleared to use the Magic II within-visual-range missiles that came with the heavy fighters although the TC-1 and AIM-9P remained in common usage.  The AIM-7Fs were supplanted by AIM-7Ms and remanufactured into RIM-7F for use with the Skyguard air defense systems in late-1990s, and the ALQ-184 ECM pods were acquired at the same time.

In mid-2000s the F-16/79s were structurally-rehabilitated and then, in cooperation with the Singapore Technologies Aerospace based on their Falcon ONE project (https://www.flightglobal.com/st-aero-to-flight-test-f-16-falcon-one-upgrade-/37398.article), upgraded at the AIDC with a new cockpit and avionics suite, APX-113(V) Advanced IFF system, new wiring, and a new radar.  In the meantime, the US first approved the release of the AIM-9X and AIM-120C for export to Taiwan and then, 34 years after the sale of the F-16/79 and F-20, approved the ROCAF request for another US-made combat aircraft in the form of the F-16C/D Block 70.  A new ECM pod incorporating Digital Radio Frequency Memory technology is being planned, with the proposal of joining the USAF's ALQ-131 Electronic Attack Pod Upgrade Program seen as the frontrunner.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: elmayerle on February 10, 2020, 05:37:24 AM
Beautiful!  Just a thought, combine those surplus F-5Fs with the old "three camera" RF-5A nose, replace the radar and guns with the internals of a laser designation pod with the head where the front window of the camera nose was, and use them as "fast FAC' aircraft to designate targets for laser-guided munitions carrying aircraft.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on February 11, 2020, 01:31:21 PM
Just a thought, combine those surplus F-5Fs with the old "three camera" RF-5A nose, replace the radar and guns with the internals of a laser designation pod with the head where the front window of the camera nose was, and use them as "fast FAC' aircraft to designate targets for laser-guided munitions carrying aircraft.

I'm actually rather partial to Sargeant Fletcher LITE, which mounts a Litening targeting pod section to the forward portion of a F-5 external tank.  Unfortunately I can no longer find a picture of it, and I don't think I am faithfully reproducing its likeness.

(https://i.imgur.com/ONTmE8K.png)

(I did not add my name to the attachment because the only thing I did is to change weapons- clockwise starting from upper-left corner: AIM-9X & AIM-120C5 [AIM-120C7, once available, would be issued specifically to F-16/79 units], TC-1 & Magic II, TC-1 & AGM-84L, and TC-1 & GBU-12 & centreline tank-mounted targeting sensors.)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on February 12, 2020, 02:34:49 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/yk5x4L6.png)

The Falcon ONE project offered a choice of radar between Grifo and APG-66(V)2 (or, in the ROCAF's case, APG-66[V]3 because of the need to be able to utilize the AIM-7 missile until the widespread service of the AIM-120C).

But Grifo would, in my estimation, probably have offered a more-convenient pathway to ultimately having a phased array radar on these F-16s.   From APG-66(V)3 would likely have led to wholesale replacement by the APG-83, and I don't remember ever hearing about any fighter fleet having their radars replaced twice or more...... the Italians, OTOH, might be more-easily-incentivized into coming up with a PESA or AESA antenna option that is either drop-in or requiring only up to moderate modification to the Grifo radar's backend.

Grifo is also advertised as being compatible with the MICA missile (the US won't release the APG-66[V]3's source codes anyway).  Although having a shorter range, the MICA EM is also lighter than the AIM-120C...... having said that, the compatibility being advertised is likely in the interest of the radar being installed in a Mirage 2000; the F-16 would have had to be qualified for making use of it.  The alt.-ROCAF therefore would likely have had to pay out of their own pocket to carry out that qualification- that could have been expensive, and if neither NATO nor UAE would fund the qualification of MICA on the F-16, the alt.-ROCAF probably wouldn't have, either.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on February 18, 2020, 02:56:46 AM
While we are still on the subject of the F-16......

(https://i.imgur.com/w1Eo0p1.png)

The camo (chosen based on a scaled model displayed at TADTE 2019) is an attempt at HAVE GLASS V and total conjecture as to the question if the ROCAF machines will get it or not, as is the triple AMRAAM rack (originally shown in promotion material for the F-21).  But hey, at the very least one can always dream and see how much the real deal is similar to or different from it  ;)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on May 10, 2020, 09:22:58 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/p6sUa4S.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/vyzencu.png)

'Made two of last year's Floaties Group Build contestants even more complete.

Now I will go back to fresh projects......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on May 11, 2020, 10:41:01 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/Z2rYh32.png)

The Kestrel, in the single-seat A and two-seat B varieties, serves various air forces of the Independent World Coalition Forces in a similar capacity to the F-16 in the Frontier Air Force.

Armaments include two wingtip and six underwing stations for disposable ordnances, as well as two 27mm cannons in the LERX.  The wingtip and outer-most underwing stations are originally cleared to carry only Sidewinder-class short-ranged air-to-air missiles, but the development of a new Aspide medium-range missile version with smaller, less-draggy "clipped" aerosurfaces soon led to the outer-most underwing stations being used to carry this missile; an active radar-guided variant is recently deployed.

A Mid-Life Update was carried out early during the war against the League of Kings terrorist group, featuring improved avionics and modified intake to add hardpoints for targeting pods.  Updated aircraft and new aircraft built to this standard are designated AM for single-seaters and BM for two-seaters.

================================================

(It's actually the Hawker-Siddeley P.1202-9 with RB.431 turbofan; I don't know if it can carry BVRAAMs on wingtips)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on May 15, 2020, 01:20:02 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/s8SidFw.png)

Air-to-air loadout for early Kestrel A.

(https://i.imgur.com/0iTDLwJ.png)

Vought Model 1600 dressed up as the F-16 in Ace Combat 2.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: ChernayaAkula on May 18, 2020, 11:01:34 PM
Kestrel looks cool!  8)

The F-16 in Ace Combat colours is also quite interesting. Never really paid much attention to the Hasegawa boxings of Ace Combat subjects. That will have to change.  :smiley:
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on June 21, 2020, 01:13:50 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/9ZSNWGT.png)

A marginally-less-lazy attempt to do a fictional early-model MiG-21/J-7 upgraded to use the Derby missile than my previous one.

I normally disdain MiG-21 ;D other than the tailless Analog-144, but the contrast between an early model of this venerable aircraft and 21-century missiles gets a pass, so to speak.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: ChernayaAkula on June 22, 2020, 01:43:50 AM
I like it.  :smiley: A pity not more -21s are getting newer radars. Some of the feasible upgrades could make them quite potent aircraft even today.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on July 04, 2020, 02:51:28 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/7Qmm15g.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/OC6YUnG.png)

Made some alterations to the Alt-ROCAF Mirage 4000 drawing found online.

The first involves changing the rudder blue-white stripes to the correct pattern (six white ones and six blue ones), removing the "Chung-Cheng" writing on the nose (first, such writings would be applied only on aircraft built, whether licenced or indigenously designed, in Taiwan; and second, even if the Mirage was to be built in Taiwan, it'd have used someone else's name since "Chung-Cheng" is already used on the F-5E/F), and switching the inflight refueling probe to the right hand side.

The second one is brought up to the same standard as the real-life Mirage 2000Ei except for the MICA-IR intended to get the aircraft ready for 21-century WVR combat.

Okay back to finishing the Cutlasses......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: ChernayaAkula on July 04, 2020, 08:00:07 PM
Sexy!  :-*
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: GTX_Admin on July 05, 2020, 03:09:05 AM
Nice.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: elmayerle on July 05, 2020, 06:33:46 AM
Nice.
Indeed!  Very nice!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on July 05, 2020, 08:19:08 AM
I lied- a thought involving putting MICA-IR onto a Mirage III crossed my mind and it quickly led to a detour from the Cutlasses *banging head*

The choice of operator is kinda inspired by an old what-if post elsewhere involving the KMT having won the Chinese Civil War.

(https://i.imgur.com/Hi8j9bL.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: elmayerle on July 05, 2020, 10:48:07 AM
Very nice!
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: ChernayaAkula on July 07, 2020, 07:15:56 AM
The camo on that Exocet-toting Mirage is great!  8)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on July 11, 2020, 02:43:30 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/r6eO3od.png)

F-102 with the bomb-carrying external fuel tanks taken from the Mirage III/5.  The tanks are smaller (500L from the F-102's standard 800L, IIRC) but meant on the Mirage III/5 for supersonic use and each has hardpoints for bombs.

Yay or Nay?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: finsrin on July 11, 2020, 03:16:51 PM
Long time F-102 fan.  Saw a lot in 50s-60s.  Triple blue over tan on F-102 works so well.  :smiley:  Yay.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: GTX_Admin on July 12, 2020, 03:23:56 AM
Different
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on July 13, 2020, 03:54:09 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/ZVaBEYl.png)

Me trying to portray the same camo on a J35 Draken.

On a sidenote, fans of arcade-style flight action video game genre might be able to see the crossover I am attempting to do.  This one (and that F-102  ;)) is part of something that would be a bit more "formally FD Scale" once completed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: ChernayaAkula on July 15, 2020, 05:52:13 AM
Works well on the Delta Dagger, but even better on the Draken. At least to my eye. Probably the light grey radome.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on July 15, 2020, 02:20:45 PM
Triple blue over tan on F-102 works so well.
Probably the light grey radome.

How is this try?

(https://i.imgur.com/Z1jO6YT.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: elmayerle on July 15, 2020, 10:51:14 PM
How about a F-106 done up the same way?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on July 19, 2020, 04:02:42 AM
I'm still trying out patterns, but I guess now is as good of a time to round out "Team 'Falcon Missile'" as any.

(https://i.imgur.com/Cll5M70.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/7spb8Tb.png)

Which one looks nicer?  The one on the F-102 in the above post or the one on the F-106?
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: finsrin on July 19, 2020, 04:21:16 AM
Combo of color placement on F-102 design make it my favorite.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on July 19, 2020, 08:37:50 AM
'Might as well further facilitate the comparison:

(https://i.imgur.com/oHaHvZQ.png)

I have never seen any picture of a F-106 with its radome colour being anything other than black or orange/red.  That being said, I guess the world setting that I put this project under (https://acecombat.fandom.com/wiki/Mercenary#Infinity) technically allows me to do whatever I want  ;)

The different positioning of the Matra JL-100 fuel tanks relative to the pylons they are mounted under is a result of me being very confused regarding where their attachment points are......
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on August 13, 2020, 03:24:45 PM
AR15 (16" barrel, meant to represent a Recon Rifle setup) with sports rifle or old battle rifle ergonomics, courtesy of the Ares SCR chassis:

(https://i.imgur.com/B4z6tfv.png)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on September 21, 2020, 01:38:26 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/zWUqqJp.png)

After delays suffered by Project Zhen Hai due to difficulties in developing an indigenous active electronically-scanned array radar suitable for a 4500-ton class frigate meant to approach the opposing People's Liberation Army Navy's Type 052C class destroyer in terms of firepower, the Republic of China Navy, after the swearing-in of the new administration in 2024, decided to upgrade their Cheng Kung class and Ming Chuan class (ex-USN OH Perry class) frigates, as well as the Keelung class destroyers (ex-Kidd class guided missile destroyers), using elements from Project Zhen Hai that are ready for mass-production.

To that end, each ships has received a new combat data system derived from that intended for the new-construction frigates; the AN/SPS-49 radar is replaced with an SMART-S-like rotating AESA radar (the most-notable difference being its use of Yagi-type elements to achieve long range),  the Mk.13 missile launcher is given Ordnance Alterations to handle the more-powerful SM-2MR missile; a self-defense-length Mk.41 VLS is installed in the same manner as the Australian Adelaide class for quad-packed TC-2N point-defense missiles, and the Phalanx CIWS on each Cheng Kung class frigate is upgraded to Block 1B standard (the Ming Chuan class is already equipped with this latest iteration of the Phalanx CIWS).

A new batch of SM-2MR missiles are purchased for both these frigates and the Keelung class destroyers.  Designated as the RIM-66K-7 SM-2 Medium Range Block IIIC Active, these newly-built missiles feature an active radar seeker and require only the frigates' fire control radars to provide the occasional mid-course autopilot command uplink (although, unlike the Keelung class destroyers, the frigates have no mean of receiving downlink data from the missiles in return), improving multi-target engagement capability and allowing the aging SM-1MR missiles to be reduced to exercise shots and reserve.  The introduction of the MH-60R Seahawk helicopters means that two are embarked on each Ming Chuan class frigate and Keelung class destroyer; the Cheng Kung class frigates continue to use the existing S-70C(M) Thunderhawk helicopters due to the frigates lacking the SQQ-89(V) anti-submarine warfare system and therefore unable to fully employ the LAMPS Mk.III capabilities anyway.

=====================================================================================

As I continue on with my Heavy Cutlass project, I came across a series of photographs showing the correct position of the 40mm L70 guns on the ROCN's Cheng Kung class frigate.  After slapping myself for basing my past works on an incorrect drawing, I set about making my best interpretation of the photographs......

The above-mentioned modernization is a what-if; the low-observable cupola for the Mk.75 cannon is real, as IRL both the Cheng Kung class and the Ming Chuan class did receive retrofit kits from Oto Melara for those weapons.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on October 04, 2020, 03:50:19 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/A0weR4B.png)

When the Frontier Army starts using the SkyCeptor ordnance to replenish the stock of older MIM-104 Patriot missiles expended during various operations against the League of Kings warlord alliance, the Frontier Navy's Fleet Foreign Auxiliary initiates a parallel programme to upgrade the navalized Patriot launchers of the helicopter cruiser Chiyo with these missiles as well.

With the SkyCeptor, Chiyo no longer has to divide her missile complement between two separate Patriot missile variants in order to deal with the full spectrum of anti-ship threats, including anti-ship reentry vehicles launched from ballistic missiles.  The new missile has a dual-mode active radar homing and imaging infrared seeker and is stated to be at least the equivalent to the SM-2MR Block IIIC used by frontline warships of the Frontier Navy when used against aircraft and anti-ship cruise missiles.  Also, each launcher is capable of taking on 12 SkyCeptor canisters compared to four for the older Patriot missiles.

Chiyo received Link 16 equipment shortly after her formal commissioning, well before the rearming programme with the SkyCeptor.  Her S-70C Thunderhawk anti-submarine helicopters are upgraded for improved crew survivability with a view of ultimately being replaced with the MH-90 Caiman (a LAMPS-compatible NH90 NFH used primarily onboard the Frontier Navy's AEGIS cruisers) as the mass-production of the latter permits; the successor to the RH-3H Sea King mine countermeasure helicopters is still being debated, as the MH-101 Merlin that the Frontier Navy is already invested in is too heavy for her flight deck whereas the MH-90 as a mine countermeasure platform, mirroring the capability of the MH-60S, is still being assessed.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on October 08, 2020, 11:52:09 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/hjKjPI2.png)

The original version of this drawing is the work of RP1- I only replaced certain parts on it with the recently-drawn version of them and figured that the extent of the "changes" does not warrant inserting my name into it.

I just have one question- the original drawing shows four rows of VLS fore and aft, but I either don't know or have forgotten how many 8-cell modules each row has.  If there are two modules each row, that'd be Arleigh-Burke-level of firepower……

However, in my current spin I oriented the VLS (Sylver A-50) à la the Type 45 and assumed two modules each row, for 64 cells in total.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on January 19, 2021, 02:47:47 PM
So this is what happens when I played too much World of Tanks   ;D

Somewhere in the South Pacific, a secret island hosts The Armored Gladiators, a bloodsport tournament with tanks and artilleries, for the entertainment of the wealthy, powerful degenerates that have either overtly or covertly held sway over much of the civilized world.

On this island called War Paradise, people kidnapped from all over the world- those who bet on the wrong horses during power struggles, political dissidents, victims of score-settling, even random nobodies having the misfortune of walking by some bored, socially-influential activist in the wrong place at the wrong time- are parachuted onto random locations.  Those who didn't get killed in the crossfires of on-going combat are either forced to form factions or recruited by one of the factions they run into (typically the first one they meet, willingly or otherwise), which in term deploy teams of 15 vehicles to locations specified by the game show hosts.  These unfortunate souls must then crew the vehicles and fight it out against teams from rival factions with live ammunitions.  Anything goes, the winning teams live to fight another battle, and the losing teams are completely at the mercy of their opponents.

The tournament is divided into thirteen "Tiers"; each faction is given increasingly-capable vehicles as the tournament progresses through Tiers, with Tier I corresponding to late 1920s technology and Tier XIII corresponding to early 1960s level.  All vehicles and ammunitions are produced in automated plants on the island- their precise locations known only to Tyrannos Inc., the organization that produces and administers the game show- and delivered via heavy-duty unmanned ground vehicles to ensure properly-functioning logistics for each viable faction.

Unmanned aerial vehices disguised as replicas of the Il-2 attack aircraft and MiG-21 jet fighters patrol the skies over War Paradise.  They not only add immersion to the audience but also scan the ground with their sophisticated onboard cameras for anyone showing signs of desertion or even stalling, who will then be strafed and bombed.  The aristocracy demands entertainment, and the show must go on- even though it kills you.

As the team death match goes on, The Armored Gladiators matches become largely dominated by two factions- the New 1st Army, known for being relatively-disciplined compared to others due to being led and trained by a former tank commander, and the Order of Schäferhund, a group of upper-class thrill-seekers who came to this island willingly and are known for brutal, calculated tactics, an utter lack of compassion, and their penchant for executing strangers on-sight out of spite (which in turn means that they never took in new recruits but are bolstered directly from their home societies- a priviliege, amongst others, granted by the administrators at Tyrannos Inc.).

(https://i.imgur.com/3ip2AEn.png)

Even as Season 1 of The Armored Gladiators reaches its eighth Tier, the desperate need for standing forces against the Order of Schäferhund's onslaught means that the New 1st Army must utilize any vehicle that can be armed with an useful gun at all.  Normally this means all serviceable vehicles shall be upgraded to the farthest extent permitted by the game show (which is in turn based on these vehicles' real world potential to begin with), but the capture and the subsequent "digital pacification" a.k.a. hacking of an automated plant with the assistance of a former Tyrannos employee exiled to War Paradise in an instance of workplace cancel culture, presented a "good news, bad news" situation.  On one hand, the New 1st Army now has not only ready access to powerful vehicles such as the Caernarvon, IS-3, M26 Pershing, and AMX-13 75 tanks but also the ability to fabricate parts in surplus- that is, in addition to supporting the construction of new vehicles.  On the other, however, only in a fool's dream would the gamemasters at Tyrannos remain ignorant to the loss of an automated plant for long or accept such a loss without a fight once they figure out exactly what happened, and a counterattack by their security forces is only a matter of when, not if, further exacerbating the need to keep as many tanks operational and somehow combat-worthy as possible (fortunately, they do have enough manpower, both through rescuing new arrivals from Order of Schäferhund hunting parties and through absorbing survivors from defeated factions, to field such numerous armoured formations).  One of the results of this new situation is that surviving examples of the T6 Medium, a forerunner of the M4 Sherman tank and acquired during Tier IV phase of the tournament, are upgraded alongside the Tier V Sherman tanks equipped with Vertical Volute Spring Suspension (tanks that were not already allocated for conversion into the M36B1 Jackson tank destroyers) and employed using tank destroyer tactics.

The most visible upgrade to the T6 Mediums is the same FL-10 turret used by AMX-13 and upgraded M4 Sherman tanks, with a high-velocity 75mm gun that is effective enough against the Order of Schäferhund's elite Tiger I tanks, especially when using ambush tactics that the New 1st Army Shermans have already been resorting to anyway.  The M3-type VVSS units are also replaced with the more-resilient M4-type ones, and "duckbill" extended end connectors are added to their tracks, which are standardized with other VVSS Shermans, in order to improve their cross-country performance.

(https://i.imgur.com/6aglA4p.png)

With the Tier VIII phase of the tournament comes the T-VI-100 variant of the Tiger I tank, basically one re-armed with the 100mm D-10T gun.  Beyond upgrading the existing Tiger I tanks, the same gun ended up being tried with the Porsche Tiger, which has essentially the same turret design.  While these up-tiered tanks are no longer well-protected by Tier VIII standard, the wide variety of the 100mm ammunition means that the tanks will have at least a fighting chance against the opponents they will face.

(Credit: AMX-13 turret by Tank Encyclopedia (https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/AMX-13.php); the "castle turret" insignia came from World of Tanks; the rest by War'tist of War (http://www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/1-Vehicles/Allies/1-USA/US-Armor.htm) Drawings (http://www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/1-Vehicles/Axis/1-Germany/German-Armor.htm); I only threw them together and then adjusted the turret's colour a bit)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 20, 2021, 04:25:08 AM
I have toyed with the idea of a post War Tiger tank in Israeli service and retrofitted with a 105mm Royal Ordnance L7 main gun.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on January 20, 2021, 04:07:46 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/q7yHWdp.png)

Through trials, errors, and a huge amount of luck (considering the inexperience of the personnel involved and having to work completely from scratch this time), the New 1st Army successfully tested the D-10T gun on an Elefant tank destroyer in anticipation of diminishing effectiveness of its 88mm L/71 gun in the future.

(Credit: Modded from works of the War'tist of War Drawings (http://www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/1-Vehicles/Axis/1-Germany/04-Panzerjaegers/Jagdpanzer-Tiger(P)/Ferdinanf-Elefant_late.htm))

(I also attempted to rescale the Tiger tanks and their 100mm gun barrels.  Hopefully they look less clownish now.)

=========================================================================

I have toyed with the idea of a post War Tiger tank in Israeli service and retrofitted with a 105mm Royal Ordnance L7 main gun.


The Tiger has a turret ring diametre seemingly comparable with the T-54, so now I guess it can.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on January 23, 2021, 03:57:15 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/sG0pUiM.png)

Upgraded M26 Super Pershing with the 105mm L/51 cannon used by the M51 Sherman.

No marking as it is not part of the story with the previous two posts- I want to limit the number of different guns used for non-historical upgrades and prefer APFSDS-capable guns in that story.  The French 105mm L/51 gun relies on HEAT.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on January 01, 2022, 02:56:50 PM
I found myself unable to resist the temptation of playing around with FD scale planes *BANGING HEAD*

How does Europe 1 look on an F-104......

(https://i.imgur.com/43yzEdw.jpg)
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on May 24, 2022, 02:49:10 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/k7pKabU.png)

The 055 class guided missile destroyer had its beginning in February 1968 in an effort to create a fleet air defense vessel capable of operations on the high seas.  Originally calling for a 7800-ton ship with gas turbine and diesel engines as well as a full range of new-development guided weapons, technological limitations led to constant reduction of its specifications while growing in size.  The project was also threatened by the Type 051S (a Luda class destroyer armed with Sea Dart missile from the UK, cancelled due to cost and PLA & state defense industry corporations' internal politics) and the Type 052-II (a Luhu class destroyer armed with vertically-launched HQ-65 anti-aircraft missiles, cancelled after further importation of LM-2500 gas turbine proved impossible after Tiananmen Square Incident) destroyer projects.  By the time of the Type 052-II's cancellation, the 055 project had long since dabbed into cruiser category- although everyone involved was forced to call it a "large destroyer" so as not be accused of defeatism and purged- with steam turbine powerplants and a much-limited set of weapons.  The twin 100mm automatic guns and HY-1A anti-ship missiles were salvaged from the Type 052-II project, as the range of the YJ-8A anti-ship missile used on the Type 052 destroyers is considered unsatisfactory, and a navalized HQ-2 missile was considered the only domestic area defense missile that could be readied for the near future; the guided anti-submarine weapon requirement ended up being deleted altogether, with the standard triple lightweight torpedo launchers given as little more than an afterthought.

Only one 055 class destroyer, D-114 Yan'an, was built due to re-normalization of relationship with Russia after Tiananmen Square Incident and the resulting possibility of importing matured area air defense systems.  Despite having the size and displacement of a cruiser, the ship only has 20 area defense anti-aircraft missiles; based on the HQ-2A missile, the HHQ-2 is barely-serviceable against aircraft and useless against the increasing threat of air-launched sea-skimming cruise missiles.  Although the plan is to upgrade the HHQ-2 system later on, the Shtil-1 missile complex from Russia rendered the exercise pointless by the time the technologies are in place.

Yan'an was deemed unsuccessful and never considered for modernization- its H/PJ33A twin 100mm guns received a low-observable cupola, but unlike other PLAN ships with the weapons, the gun mount was not upgraded to the H/PJ33B standard- finally being decommissioned with the introduction of the Type 052C destroyers due to poor material conditions.  Its Type 055 designation is eventually continued with the Renhai class destroyers, and since the two different generations of Type 055 destroyers do not end up serving together, no effort was made to differentiate between them in official documents although popularly people call them "Old 055" and "New 055".

========================================================================

This is a project that I did not know I hated until it's way too late.  **Banging Head**

I just couldn't find a way to satisfactorily address the incorporation of the sort of radars that the PLAN has access to during the late stage of the Cold War, and also this ended up being what I botched my Naval GB participation twice with.

At least there are a couple of elements of it that can be salvaged for future use.

========================================================================

(https://i.imgur.com/R2mfC4b.png)

Also, how dare I professing to do a Flying Tigers aircraft without the shark mouth!

(https://i.imgur.com/VpKh0Ad.png)

The Alt.-PLAAF's answer to the new Flying Tigers during the Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis, trying to co-opt the romanticism associated with the old International Brigades from the Spanish Civil War and to frame the war as internationally popular & their oppositions as evil.  Usually sortie with some armed with PL-8 missiles and others carrying Derby BVRAAMs.

========================================================================

The J-7L apparently actually exists in real life as a small number of J-7Es upgraded with radar, derived from the EL/M-2032, and datalink equipment from the J-7G.  This makes the J-7L all-weather-capable.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on October 19, 2022, 03:03:47 PM
Some little thing for now:

(https://i.imgur.com/RizQ1h6.png)

Inspired by anime "Girly Air Force".  I'm indifferent towards the anime itself, but the idea of the following pics somehow interested me.

Quote
(https://i.imgur.com/32proXt.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VfZTgv3.jpg)

These depict a "fat spine" MiG-21 variant, which in terms of a PLAAF counterpart would be the less-successful J-7C/D (based on the MiG-21MF; IIRC, the only all-weather J-7 variant until the advent of the J-7G).  The missiles don't look like the (new) PL-10, which has forward-swept tailfins, but look instead like the IRIS-T.  So I added the livery used by modern J-7 and J-10 units, light grey with low-visibility yellow serial number, a J-7D upgraded with Western technology for defense of Shanghai (where the anime partly takes place).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: ChernayaAkula on October 20, 2022, 10:06:51 AM
Japanese AAM-5 maybe?

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/JASDF_AAM-5_%26_AAM-5Kai_at_Gifu_Air_Base_October_25%2C_2015.JPG) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JASDF_AAM-5_%26_AAM-5Kai_at_Gifu_Air_Base_October_25,_2015.JPG#/media/File:JASDF_AAM-5_&_AAM-5Kai_at_Gifu_Air_Base_October_25,_2015.JPG)

SOURCE (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAM-5_(Japanese_missile))
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on October 23, 2022, 02:51:02 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/3kGmoCf.png)

Combining two B-29 prototypes together.

Japanese AAM-5 maybe?

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/JASDF_AAM-5_%26_AAM-5Kai_at_Gifu_Air_Base_October_25%2C_2015.JPG) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JASDF_AAM-5_%26_AAM-5Kai_at_Gifu_Air_Base_October_25,_2015.JPG#/media/File:JASDF_AAM-5_&_AAM-5Kai_at_Gifu_Air_Base_October_25,_2015.JPG)

SOURCE (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAM-5_(Japanese_missile))

In terms of positioning of control surfaces, yes, AAM-5 fits the illustration better.  IRIS-T remains politically more-plausible though (as I am not aiming for the alien invasion background of the anime).
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on December 17, 2022, 05:08:58 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/9A2Dvye.png)

I recently unsuccessfully made a suggestion at War Thunder forum for a ROCAF F-16/79.  Still I decided to visualize it just a bit.

As appropriate with their positions as late Rank VII and early Rank VIII aircraft as well as what the ROCAF would have had access to in early 1980s if the deal didn't fall through, ROCAF FXs are given AIM-9P whereas USAF FXs are armed with AIM-9L; all except for USAF F-16/79 have AIM-7F capabilities since FX Project was billed to the ROC as BVR-capable air-superiority fighters (i.e. to engage enemy aircraft before they cross into ROC airspace in the event of hostility) while the F-20A was later promoted to the US as a fighter for the Air National Guard.  AIM-7F was being superseded by AIM-7M on the production line in early 1980s; I think the US would likely have rather sold the former to the ROC rather than the latter, considering that the FX saga took place prior to 1989.  Serial numbers are removed to take account of multiple examples being used/spawned in a match.  ROCAF Tigershark is designated as the F-5G as it was known when promoted to the ROCAF- there would likely have been the need to present the aircraft as a version of the F-5E to get past the early 1980s political radar- it also inherited the christened name from the F-5E built by AIDC to make the deal look like a mere continuation of the F-5E licence production at AIDC.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on December 20, 2022, 09:23:55 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/Euz9FHj.png)

The Project 8-2, known to the West as the Peace Pearl Program, aims to upgrade the J-8II, then in the less-than-service-ready Block 1 iteration, into a form that is capable of intercepting Soviet supersonic strategic bombers under all weather conditions as a more-affordable alternative to buying the F-16A/B from the US.  Grumman was selected to integrate the weapon systems & avionics used by the F-16 into the J-8II, and two airframes and one forward fuselage mockup were transferred to Grumman to that end.  The Phase 1 involved installing a variant of the AN/APG-66(V), computerized fire controls, LN-39 inertial navigation system, and a modernized cockpit including a new head-up display and a multifunction display, all integrated to MIL-STD-1553B standard.  A Martin-Baker ejection seat is also to be installed.  This was to be followed by introducing the AIM-7M Sparrow missile into the J-8II's list of armaments and even re-engining the aircraft with the F404 turbofan.

The program was paused in the aftermath of the 1989 June 4th Incident and resumed in October of the same year.  Although by then the specified new electronics had been installed and were ready for test flights, the PLAAF decided not to continue with the Project as they have in the meantime secured the importation of the Su-27, and the two airframes were therefore returned.  The J-8II remained an issue of pride for CCP and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, however, so attempts to upgrade the aircraft continued.

The modified aircraft can be identified by its slightly-enlarged dorsal spine.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on December 28, 2022, 11:39:32 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/LInKaUo.png)

Developed in 1982 as a private initiative, around two years after the official J-9 programme was cancelled, this is the final evolution of the J-9 that ends up being the transitional stage between it and the J-10.  Not much of the old J-9 other than the wings and maybe rear fuselage remained- a single fixed ventral intake was adopted instead of two lateral ones, the bubble canopy is much more pronounced with the traditional flat windscreen gone, and, as Liming Aero Engine Corporation in Shenyang only started ground tests for their WS-6 turbofan (the intended engine for the J-9 programme that was, despite persisting into 1983, essentially doomed with the programme), provision is made to use the WP-15 turbojet, basically an imported R-29-300 turbojet modified locally also by Liming to function as a stand-in for the WS-6 and later WS-10, in WS-6's place.

The design is known to possess at least six hardpoints, 2 on the intake chins and at least four under the wings, and a Type 23-3 twin-barreled 23mm cannon.  The intake chin hardpoints can be used for short-range air-to-air missiles whereas wing hardpoints can be used for two PL-4 radar-guided missiles and either two drop tanks or two more SRAAMs.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: dy031101 on December 31, 2022, 01:18:44 PM
I took some moments between working on several Shipbucket and FD scale projects I'm trying to resume to update my what-if PLAAF F-16s.

(https://i.imgur.com/aDA7Plp.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/x9CMZ3s.png)
I forgot that Carter-era F-16s are of earlier blocks and would have smaller stabilators, so the J-14 derived from it would likely have started out with those as well.  I also slightly changed the story- since Reagan wanted to sell PRC the AIM-7M via Peace Pearl Program in real-life, it would likely have had to be something a deal more serious than an early PLAAF BVR capability to facilitate ROCAF access to the F-16/79 and the F-5G.

(https://i.imgur.com/BO9nXa8.png)
The F-16 as depicted in the internet illustration that I found and derived the J-14 idea from but which shall not be named due to its petty use of the F-16/79 as the basis.  As the aircraft was originally a Reagan-era proposal, it is based on Block 15 as with the top picture.
Title: Re: dy031101's Mental Notes
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 01, 2023, 01:41:55 AM
Interesting - The way things were going up until the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, these might well have occurred.