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Panama Canal max displacement?

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:25 pm
by Historiker
Padfield writes in Battleship that the maximum size of ships was calculated 63.000ts which means a BB with 23kn v/max and 10x16in. Apart from wondering while only two more 16in when getting 28.000ts heavier, Peattie and Evans mention in Kaigun 45.000ts.

Peattie and Evans seem more reasonable. What's correct, what says the other literature?

RE: Panama Canal max displacement?

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:33 pm
by Mike Scholl
Panama Canal Locks were 110 feet wide, making the maximum width of ships using it 108 feet.  Iowa's pretty much "maxed out" width, length, and displacement.  When the Montana's were authorized, a third (and larger) set of locks were as well.  They were cancelled with the Montana's, and are only being built today.

RE: Panama Canal max displacement?

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:36 pm
by Historiker
So if Padfield isn't totally wrong, his 63.000 mean full displacement while Kaigun means standard. 

RE: Panama Canal max displacement?

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:37 pm
by pompack
IIRC, beam was the limit, not displacement, draft or length (although draft would be limiting for an extremely deep, narrow design)

All of the studies I have seen come out around 60k tons but they had a variety of characteristics. My primary resouce for this is Friedman US Battleships and Friedfman Battleship Design

RE: Panama Canal max displacement?

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:52 pm
by Historiker
I've got both, so I'll look at them, thx.

RE: Panama Canal max displacement?

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:46 pm
by akdreemer
ORIGINAL: pompack

IIRC, beam was the limit, not displacement, draft or length (although draft would be limiting for an extremely deep, narrow design)

All of the studies I have seen come out around 60k tons but they had a variety of characteristics. My primary resouce for this is Friedman US Battleships and Friedfman Battleship Design

Most of the rebuilt old BB's had bulges installed that gave the ships a width of greater than 110 feet (iirc 114 feet). They were no longer able to transit through the Canal. This should have implications in the game, but there are none. Ditto for the Midway's, they are too large to transit the Panama Canal at 968 x 136 x 32.75 feet/295 x 41.5 x 10 meters.