Saturday, September 3, 2011

1/4800 FN Capital Ships Pack 3 WIP.2: Jean Bart Hybrid (Battleship/Aircraft Carrier)

The French Battleship Jean Bart "What If:" Theoretically, after her engagement at Casablanca, Morocco, she was brought to the US for completion. And for some unknown reason, the plan to have her converted to an aircraft carrier "didn't quite go well" (though there is picture of the proposed conversion somewhere over the net...), thus her ending up as a hybrid BB/CV (akin to the IJN.BB.Ise class; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ise_class_battleship#Conversion_to_aircraft_carriers)

My version (see pics below), based on an illustration in Sea Power: A Modern Illustrated Military History (L.Casey, A.Preston & J.Batchelor) has her second 15" quad installed. Instead of her usual triple 6", I opted to "re-use" her dual 4", now fully enclosed (or perhaps dual 5" like the turrets found in the MN.BC.Dunkerque-class). Would've installed dual 5"/38cal but it would require the Mk37 FCS as well ("recycling" as much equipment as possible from the original ship). Quad 40mm Bofors tubs are also installed (instead of dual/quad 37mm) like was done to Richelieu, as well as 20mm Oerlikons.

She has two hangar deck levels similar to Royal Navy carriers at that time. Mainly done to have the flight deck clear the #2 turret. To add, the flight deck's area is only as large as a US escort carrier (CVE); offset to port side to compensate for the large superstructure (see MN.CV.Joffre link below). Aircraft facilities include two elevators and a catapult, considering the short flight deck.

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_battleship_Jean_Bart_(1940)
http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Power-Illustrated-Military-History/dp/0896730115
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_aircraft_carrier_Joffre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joffre_class_aircraft_carrier






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