Fuso Preliminary Design Studies

[Tzoli]

The Battleship Fuso class, project number A-64 have a story of multiple preliminary designs. Featuring all twin, mixed twin and triple or all triple armaments of 30 or 35cm Cannons in various arrangements.
Based on official papers in which some even included sketches of the designs I've created line drawings of these designs, 11 altogether.
From A-47 to A-57 (sadly between A-58 and A-64 no drawings or data I've found)

So if you guys interested I can post them and the appropiate data of them.

 

[Jemiba]

So if you guys interested...

Of course ! I'm surprised to hear, that 30 cm guns were still considered then.

 

[Tzoli]

Okay then!
As there are 11 drawings, I post 3 drawings per post instead of creating one very big one.
So the First 3:

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 187,4x29x9,1m
Displacement: 30.000tons
Engine Power: 46.000shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 29mm Deck
Armaments:
6x2 356mm,
12x1 152mm,
10x1 120mm,
2x1 76mm Guns,
4x1 533mm Torpedoes.

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 182,9x28,7x9m
Displacement: 28.000tons
Engine Power: 44.200shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 29mm Deck
Armaments:
6x2 305mm,
12x1 152mm,
10x1 120mm,
2x1 76mm Guns,
4x1 533mm Torpedoes.

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 173,7x28,3x9m
Displacement: 27.100tons
Engine Power: 43.500shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 29mm Deck
Armaments:
5x2 356mm,
12x1 152mm,
10x1 120mm,
2x1 76mm Guns,
4x1 533mm Torpedoes.

 

[Antonio]

Great!, many thanks

 

[Tzoli]

Next trio of design Studies:

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 173,7x28,3x9m
Displacement: 27.000tons
Engine Power: 43.300shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 29mm Deck
Armaments:
5x2 356mm,
12x1 152mm,
10x1 120mm,
2x1 76mm Guns,
4x1 533mm Torpedoes.

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 176,7x28,7x8,8m
Displacement: 27.700tons
Engine Power: 41.500shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 52mm Deck
Armaments:
2x3,2x2 305mm,
12x1 152mm,
6x1 76mm Guns,
6x1 533mm Torpedoes.

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 172,2x28,7x8,8m
Displacement: 26.000tons
Engine Power: 40.000shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 52mm Deck
Armaments:
4x3 305mm,
12x1 152mm,
6x1 76mm Guns,
6x1 533mm Torpedoes.

 

[Jemiba]

Very interesting, thanks for posting ! With regards to the arrangement of the heavy artillery, the fact, that
there already (or better still) was a medium artillery and consideration of the 30 cm calibre, I'm wondering,
if there was some German influence ?

 

[Tzoli]

Very interesting, thanks for posting ! With regards to the arrangement of the heavy artillery, the fact, that
there already (or better still) was a medium artillery and consideration of the 30 cm calibre, I'm wondering,
if there was some German influence ?

I doubt it!
At that time Japan was closer to Great Britain, and the Kongo too was built by Vickers so I think more of a Vickers influence then German.

Note that A-52 is basically the Japanese Viribus Unitis! Same armament and sie but a bit thicker armour and speed/range

 

[Jemiba]

Ok, it was just A-49, that is quite near to the SMS Kaiser class. And the IJN had kept
a full sized medium artillery all the time, so not followed the British example in this point.

 

[Tzoli]

Ok, it was just A-49, that is quite near to the SMS Kaiser class. And the IJN had kept
a full sized medium artillery all the time, so not followed the British example in this point.

More like the British Neptune class!

 

[Tzoli]

Now the 3rd trio:

The most numeriously armed one among the designs exceeding in barrels even the Agincourt!

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 186x28,8x8,9,1m
Displacement: 29.000tons
Engine Power: 45.500shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 52mm Deck
Armaments:
5x3 305mm,
12x1 152mm,
6x1 76mm Guns,
6x1 533mm Torpedoes.

By the look of the turret arrangements probably this was used as a basis for the Ises (Design A-92)

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 180x28,8x8,9m
Displacement: 28.100tons
Engine Power: 46.000shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 52mm Deck
Armaments:
6x2 305mm,
12x1 152mm,
6x1 76mm Guns,
6x1 533mm Torpedoes.

What is known about this design that it's length 173,7meters, same as the Design A-49, 27.300tons displacement, 44.000shp engine power and 12x 30cm cannons in 6 twin turrets.
Despite the absolute similarity with the final Fuso design there are some differences:
The length is 30meters short (202.7m was the Fuso), 2000tons less displacement, armament aren't 36cm but 30cm cannons and as the secondary armament aren't stated I've used the earlier 12x1 152mm Casemate guns (Fuso had 16 such guns), and lastly the engine power is 10% stronger (40.000 on Fuso)

So this could be seen as probably the smallest hull where you can place 6 twin turrets on the centreline in this arrangement.

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 173,7x28,3x9m
Displacement: 27.300tons
Engine Power: 44.000shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 52mm Deck
Armaments:
6x2 305mm,
12x1 152mm,
6x1 76mm Guns,
6x1 533mm Torpedoes.

 

[Jemiba]

Yes, placing of the aft funnel between the wing turrets is identical to the Neptune class, I agree.
I've read (think it was in Hough "Dreadnought"), that it were the lessons learned from the battle of Tsushima,
that les the IJN to keep a more worthwhile medium battery .

(from http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints/ships/battleships-germany/7039/view/)

 

[Tzoli]

And now the last 2 known designs:

What we see here is basically the same as the A-51 proposal but instead of mixed twin and triple turrets, here the designers choose all twin turrets but with the final 36cm (14inch) cannons and an increased now final 16 casemated 152mm (6inch) guns.

The hull is the same size that of the A-51:
176,8 meters
26.500tons (A-51: 27,700tons)
36.000shp (A-51: 41.500shp)

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 176,7x28,3x8,5m
Displacement: 26.500tons
Engine Power: 36.000shp
Maximum Speed: 41km/h (22knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 52mm Deck
Armaments:
5x2 356mm,
16x1 152mm,
12x1 76mm Guns,
8x1 533mm Torpedoes.

The last drawing of the Fuso preliminary design series.

So about this design:
Almost exactly the same as A-56 only difference is the size, mass and engine power.
A 179,8-180meter long hull, 28.000ton displacement and 40.000shp engine power.
Armament is the same 36cm cannons in 5 twin turrets.

Overview of this design:
Dimensions: 179,8x28,3x8,5m
Displacement: 28.000tons
Engine Power: 40.000shp
Maximum Speed: 43km/h (23knots)
Armour Thickness: 305mm Belt, 52mm Deck
Armaments:
5x2 356mm,
16x1 152mm,
12x1 76mm Guns,
8x1 533mm Torpedoes.