If anyone can find hull lines for the G3 1921 Britsh BC's (cancelled after the Washington Treaty) I'll build the mold. I have side and top views but they don't show if the G3s had external bulges like the Hood or internal ones like the Nelson Class which was a direct but smaller derivative of the G3. Oscar Parkes wrote that the G3 hull was similar to Hood's (except for transom stern) and had similar underwater protection, but not specifically the same external antitorpedo bulges. Years ago I saw a photo of a scratchbuilt G3 in 'Model Boat' magazine. It had a hull like the Nelson Class but longer (no bulges). Bad Bob
Bob, Interesting. Do you have any links showing any of the info you have? I will look around. Thanks,
Bobo, My sources are Oscar Parkes 'British Battleships' in which he wrote the G3 Class were to have bulges, but later said the Nelson and Rodney were "diminutives of the 1921 battle cruisers", though they did not have external bulges. Peter Smith in 'British Battle Cruisers' doesn't mention bulges but wrote that the Nelson Class were "cut-down versions" of the G3. I don't have a copy of Raven and Roberts 'British Battleships of WWII' and don't recall what they wrote about the G3. Will check out the copy in the university library in a week or two. Bob
That could be a very interesting build. What are some of the numbers on the ship? Design speed? Thanks,
Sorry all. Been away from the old P.C. for the last several days. Here is what I have found so far. Mikey Conway's G-3 battlecruisers 48,400 tons legend 53,909 tons deep load. 856' overall 106' beam 4 shafts 160,000 shaft horsepower speed 31-32 knots So 32 knots Siegfried Breyer Intended names Invincible, Inflexible, Indomitable, Indefatigable 4 shafts, 160,000 shp 31-32 knots 1 rudder. Under Treaty rules they would get 6 units, and 32 knots. I will have to get ahold of BDE, and see f they have ships plans. I am pretty sure that they do, and I could pick up a set, and get them to you. I have seen one of these neat ships in the MBG (big-gun club), and it seemed to have slab sides (no bulges). If I recall correctly, they had an internal-bulge type torpedo bulk-head. More on this later. Mikey
N J M Campbell's article "Washington's Cherry Tree's" in Warship Vol. 1. gives the G-3 33 knots and a cross section shows an internal bulge like the Nelsons. Hope that helps.
Mikey, Raven and Roberts in 'British Battleships of WWII' confirmed there were no external bulges. Still looking for cross-sections but the model I found photos of has sloping hull sides like Hood's instead of vetical sides amidship like the Nelson Class. I've posted on the UK 'Model Boats' magazine forum (mag. where the photos were found) asking for the source of the plans used. Several sources say they were really fast battleships (like Iowa), not battlecruisers, due to the very heavy armour. Bad Bob
Yes, the British were trying to pull a fast one with the G3s. Everyone though they were to have 7 inch belts, and anyone who "countered" them with that assumption would have been sorely over matched.
I am still looking for the plans for the G-3. I am waiting to hear back from two other guys. I will keep you posted. Mikey
Thanks Mikey, Gettysburg has suggested I consider an British R Class battleship hull. I have the R Class plans, so if no plans for the G3 aren't found in the next month or so I'll do an R hull. Bad Bob
An R would be awesome. I think those are among the very best looking battleships ever built. That is how a battleship SHOULD look.
I like the shape of the stern on the R class over the shape of the Warspite. The fore and aft rudders would make for interesting battling.
As refitted, with the large anti-torpedo bulges curving well above the waterline. Only 2 of the 5 R Class ships had that type of bulge but it's the easiest to model (and sheet). Bad Bob
