Shipbucket

The Japanese were building the Fubuki's with 6x5", France was building the large Contre-torpileurs with 5x5.5", Italy was following France with large destroyers even the US had to follow the Japanese with larger destroyers. What this meant is that the standard A-I type destroyer with its 4x4.7" were being badly outclassed. The idea of the A-I Leaders with 5x4.7 went some way to giving the smaller DD's a ship of force to back them up, but even they paled in comparison to other navies construction. The solution was to build a larger leader with guns that would match or better their oppositions. The latest 'G' class patrol cruisers had a new mark of 5.5" and these guns were to be fitted to a larger destroyer hull in single mountings and the twin light turret.




Working in the open with the single 5.5" had shown the difficulties of hand loading the larger weapons. A redesign of the aft section allowed for the three singles to be replaced with two twin turrets as fitted to the A position. The extra weight and beam required to fit three turrets on the design was more than made up for by the effectiveness of the loading system.

Another interesting idea.
Looks good, but I think you might want a tad more freeboard on the forecastle to keep the bows dry (the 5.5in twin is likely to be somewhat heavier than 2x1 4.7in so the bows might dig in more).

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

Raised the hull freeboard by 2 feet, and increased the sheer forward. That should also help with deck penetration for the turrets, which I did wonder about. I had made sure the aft turret was mounted far enough forward from where the shafts were not to interfere.

That looks much better, getting towards a Tribal in style.

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

Added drawings of refitted Mars/Jupiter class DDL's with 4.5" and 5" rebuilds

Interesting, the weights should work in your favour, allows a better fire-control system too.

_________________
Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft