Shipbucket

Hi,

what happens when you combine a cruiser, a speedboat, an aircraft carrier and a sizable portion of madness?
Well, this umm... war-winning thing... The "Atlantikbomber-Kreuzer" (Atlantic-bomber-cruiser)!





But seriously, this is no joke. The drawing is based on real plans, which are actually stored at the Marinearchiv Freiburg.

There were two designs for a diesel powered aircraft-carrying cruisers. A light and a heavy version, which mainly differ in their armament.

Both designs would have been able to carry an airwing of up to 6 medium bombers or double the amount of fighters.
Apparently, the planes would have been launched by four large catapults spread around the ship. They would have had to land on an inflatable raft-like 200mx20m runway, that would have been tugged along by a submerged torpedo-like tractor machine. The tractor would have been driven by electric motors and was intended to be remote controlled from the ship.
A 200x25m long net would also be fitted between the runway and the tractor to dampen the waves.

My drawing depicts the heavy version, the "Grosser Atlantikbomber-Kreuzer".
Its armament would have consisted of the following:

12 (4x3) 20,3cm
12 (6x2) 10,5cm
8 (4x2) 3,7cm
8 (4x2) 2cm

The ship would have had a maximum speed of 40 knots and a range of 12000miles at 20 knots. Well, at least if it would have been able to float at all...
Its hull form is very peculiar, in that it would have had a large thin keel, which is kind of reminiscent of speedboats or sailing yachts.

The plans are signed by the "Arbeitsgemeinschaft Leichtmetallbau" (consortium for light metal construction) and the hull was partly to be made of "light metal", most probably aluminum.


I highly doubt, that this design was even considered to be built. Like all those whacky Flugzeugkreuzer and later H-class proposals, it was probably just some thought excercise and an excuse to prevent young designers from being drafted.
It was fun to draw this ugly abomination, though.

cheers
maomatic

Weinbrand while designing a warship is not a good idea!

Mein Gott...

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Proof that humanity gave up on lobotomy too early.

Not Joke, (1940 ?) serious plans
You drawing have only 1 (very) small mistake


This design is so unworkable, that only the largest version is "thinkable"/"praticable"

So many flaws:
- planes and catapults seriously impede correct use of the main turrets.
- planes and catapults even reduce the firing arc of 105mm secondary guns
- ridiculous pattern and quality of armor on a 200-meter ship => Hull vulnerable to 102mm guns of English escort destroyers ? (even vulnerable from 76mm gunfire ?)
=> too focused on speed, ridiculous armor
- too low number of the air group aircrafts (air group too vulnerable to AA fires, ennemies fighters), not numerous enough, to inflict severe damage on the enemy fleet.
- ridiculous bow shape, not "Atlantic bow". This ship will suffer in the Atlantic, its forward part will be "very wet in heavy seas".
- these propulsions shafts are ridiculously long (28+ meters) and too vulnerable. In the open sea, in the event of a collision, a blue whale weighing 120-180 tonnes could break these long shafts ?
- when we think that the Germans did not manage to finish the heavy cruiser Seydlitz in 1940-1943 so imagine these ships

Yes,
So many flaws,
Studies used to prevent precious german naval engineers from going to the (Occidental & Russian) wartime front


On this 1940 study, I only detected 2 interesting things (for hypothetical future/never-were German capitals-ships/large-cruisers designs of 1941-1945 timeframe) :
- 203mm triple turrets
- newly designed main tower bridge & aft tower bridge

What in the world is that?! I've seen some strange designs, but this one's right up there! Great drawing, though!

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MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

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OK, absolutely foolish (the typical late war German Project), but really fashinating. No possibility of being real, and of really working, but a unusual project and obviously a great drawing!

This thing is downright insane.
(excellent drawing!)

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excelent drawing of something...


if they decide to put that one in World of Warships, I wonder how that would worker...

From 1940... they had some wild ideas early or even before the war. Are there are dates on planes when they had been drafted?

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Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!