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Looking for data on floating dry docks for the DB mod. Stock AE only has the largest Floating Drydocks but we want to expand that as far as possible in “the Babes”.

We have rather good information on US Navy docks. But would be interested in data for Civilian Docks along the US West Coast or in Hawaii. Also service history, especially for the smallest docks.

Considerable data on British Naval Docks, but some questions. We know of:
AFD 9 (55,000 ton lift) - Singapore 12/7/41
AFD 10 (50,000 ton lift) - Singapore 12/7/41
AFD 17 (2,750 ton lift) - Sydney June, 1945 for British Pacific Fleet
AFD 18 (2,750 ton lift) - Darwin prior to June, 1945
AFD 20 (2,750 ton lift) - British Pacific Fleet
AFD 22 (2,750 ton lift) - Replaced AFD 23 at Trincomalee
AFD 23 (50,000 ton lift) - Completed 7/44, Lost Trincomalee 8/44.

There are a lot of references to a Kings Floating Dry Dock in Singapore, apparently used by the Japanese after capture of Singapore. Both AFD 9 and AFD 10 are listed as scuttled. Does anyone know anything about Kings Floating Dry Dock? Is it –9 or –10 raised/repaired? Or another one?

Also, replacing a 50,000 ton lift dock with a 2,750 ton one is a bit odd. Anyone have better data?

And, any others? Naval or commercial docks in Burma or India??

As for the Dutch, we have reference to four naval floating docks. Three at Soerabaya of 15,500, 3,500 and 2,500 ton lift, and one at Tjilatjap of 8,000 tons. The latter moved from Batavia in December, 1941 (not sure but probably after war began). Can anyone verify this? Were there any others, especially at Batavia?

The only reference to a floating drydock in Australia or New Zealand that we have so far is the small dock at Darwin that was occupied by a corvette during the big air raid. Any others? Any at all…

Almost nothing on Japan. There was apparently a 4,000 ton dock at Truk – any one have any details on this (or others)?

Any and all help appreciated. This type of data is hard to find. Would like as precise data as possible – especially lift capacity and service dates/locations.

Don, check this out.  Some info on a floating dry dock at Truk:
 
http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/T/r/Truk.htm

I was looking at this last night. References a large dry dock arriving at Fremantle in 1943 for use with the submarines,

http://www.subvetpaul.com/TheFremantle.htm

Don IIRC there was at least one floating dock and a small repair yard at Saigon, no doubt those would have been commandeered by the Japanese. I don't have any actual info on it other than seeing it mentioned in some articles I've read.

ORIGINAL: Buck Beach

I was looking at this last night. References a large dry dock arriving at Fremantle in 1943 for use with the submarines,

http://www.subvetpaul.com/TheFremantle.htm

Thanks. This appears to be a USN floating drydock. Pretty good data on those. We really, really need British/Dutch/Australian/India/New Zealand dock data. Plus Japanese of course.

Not wanting to hijack this too much, how will the floating dry dock work? To further explain the question, In my last game I sent a drydock to Java because I had a ship there too big in the port to repair the hull damage. I had assumed the dry dock would allow me to repair it. But it still had X's across the board for what repair facility it could be assigned. Will these new docks rectify this, ie will they have a value assigned so the big ones can lift a BB if required?

Sorry for the hijack

Also there is/was a 16k graving dock in Saigon, (If I recall it can/could handle a 180m ship.) I have not been able pin down when the floating dock was first there.

ORIGINAL: oldman45

Not wanting to hijack this too much, how will the floating dry dock work? To further explain the question, In my last game I sent a drydock to Java because I had a ship there too big in the port to repair the hull damage. I had assumed the dry dock would allow me to repair it. But it still had X's across the board for what repair facility it could be assigned. Will these new docks rectify this, ie will they have a value assigned so the big ones can lift a BB if required?

Sorry for the hijack

Current Float Dry Docks are unlimited in capacity. Adding capacity will occur with patch 2, with a zero still considered unlimited for backwards compatability.

ARDs only repair float damage. That may be the issue.

As of Patch 2, ARDs will have a capacity rating just like shipyards. Difference in priority however, as shipyards take up more capacity for priority repairs to emulate assignment of extra work gangs. Floating drydocks do not have this feature.

ORIGINAL: oldman45

Also there is/was a 16k graving dock in Saigon, (If I recall it can/could handle a 180m ship.) I have not been able pin down when the floating dock was first there.

The graving dock is still there, you can check using google earth. Regarding the floating dock, there was one (50 x 9 meters capacity) in the 30' but found no mention after.

Additionally, there was one floating drydock at Haiphong in the same period. His capacity was 96.5 x 16.4 meters and 2300 tons. In fact, it was 2 independent elements that can be combined into one if necessary.

ORIGINAL: Skyland

Additionally, there was one floating drydock at Haiphong in the same period. His capacity was 96.5 x 16.4 meters and 2300 tons. In fact, it was 2 independent elements that can be combined into one if necessary.

Was this unit available for use by the Japanese?

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen

Was this unit available for use by the Japanese?

It was a civilian unit so may be if they pay for or by requisition. But found no trace of usage by japan until now.

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen

ORIGINAL: oldman45

Not wanting to hijack this too much, how will the floating dry dock work? To further explain the question, In my last game I sent a drydock to Java because I had a ship there too big in the port to repair the hull damage. I had assumed the dry dock would allow me to repair it. But it still had X's across the board for what repair facility it could be assigned. Will these new docks rectify this, ie will they have a value assigned so the big ones can lift a BB if required?

Sorry for the hijack

Current Float Dry Docks are unlimited in capacity. Adding capacity will occur with patch 2, with a zero still considered unlimited for backwards compatability.

ARDs only repair float damage. That may be the issue.

As of Patch 2, ARDs will have a capacity rating just like shipyards. Difference in priority however, as shipyards take up more capacity for priority repairs to emulate assignment of extra work gangs. Floating drydocks do not have this feature.

Does this mean that the smaller AFD's that the USN used will also be represented?

ORIGINAL: oldman45

Also there is/was a 16k graving dock in Saigon, (If I recall it can/could handle a 180m ship.) I have not been able pin down when the floating dock was first there.

I bet that graving dock is the one I'm thinking about. Probably only good for up to cruiser size ships (as you stated) due to Saigon being a shallow harbour.

You've probably seen the CINCPAC - CINCPOA report 'Field Survey of the Japanese Defenses on Truk', but in case not, it includes the following dimensions of the floating dry dock:

Length - 117m
Breadth - 16.7m
Height of side wall - 9.2m
Displacement in light condition - 2027 T

Unfortunately the report does not appear to include a figure for the maximum vessel tonnage that could be accomodated, merely that it was used for ships of destroyer size downwards.

ORIGINAL: Local Yokel

You've probably seen the CINCPAC - CINCPOA report 'Field Survey of the Japanese Defenses on Truk', but in case not, it includes the following dimensions of the floating dry dock:

Length - 117m
Breadth - 16.7m
Height of side wall - 9.2m
Displacement in light condition - 2027 T

Unfortunately the report does not appear to include a figure for the maximum vessel tonnage that could be accomodated, merely that it was used for ships of destroyer size downwards.

I believe the value is 2500 tons. Our capacity method is the same as shipyards (1 point = 1000 tons) so we can't do half-thousands. Probably be 3,000.

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen

ORIGINAL: Local Yokel

You've probably seen the CINCPAC - CINCPOA report 'Field Survey of the Japanese Defenses on Truk', but in case not, it includes the following dimensions of the floating dry dock:

Length - 117m
Breadth - 16.7m
Height of side wall - 9.2m
Displacement in light condition - 2027 T

Unfortunately the report does not appear to include a figure for the maximum vessel tonnage that could be accomodated, merely that it was used for ships of destroyer size downwards.

I believe the value is 2500 tons. Our capacity method is the same as shipyards (1 point = 1000 tons) so we can't do half-thousands. Probably be 3,000.

Wasn't Truk also used mostly for submarine repairs? I seem to recall reading that somewhere. 2000-2500 tons would certainly be sufficient for most submarines.

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen
There are a lot of references to a Kings Floating Dry Dock in Singapore, apparently used by the Japanese after capture of Singapore. Both AFD 9 and AFD 10 are listed as scuttled. Does anyone know anything about Kings Floating Dry Dock? Is it –9 or –10 raised/repaired? Or another one?

Bit confused. Are you sure that the King's Dock being referred to is a floating dock and not the King George VI Graving Dock? Admiralty IX Floating Dock was in use by the Japanese and was targeted (along with the King's Dock) by bombing raids in January 1945. (cf eg p.156, ed. Cate and Craven, Army Air Forces in World War II, volume 5.) 58th Bomb Wing's B-29s reported that they 'sank' the floating dry dock and it settled on the harbour floor.

ORIGINAL: Zebedee

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen
There are a lot of references to a Kings Floating Dry Dock in Singapore, apparently used by the Japanese after capture of Singapore. Both AFD 9 and AFD 10 are listed as scuttled. Does anyone know anything about Kings Floating Dry Dock? Is it –9 or –10 raised/repaired? Or another one?

Bit confused. Are you sure that the King's Dock being referred to is a floating dock and not the King George VI Graving Dock? Admiralty IX Floating Dock was in use by the Japanese and was targeted (along with the King's Dock) by bombing raids in January 1945. (cf eg p.156, ed. Cate and Craven, Army Air Forces in World War II, volume 5.) 58th Bomb Wing's B-29s reported that they 'sank' the floating dry dock and it settled on the harbour floor.

Beats the hell out'a me. I found one reference from which I assumed it was a floating dry dock. Not hampered in the least by knowing what I am talking about.

Requisite pinches of salt, but hope some of this may of use in at least tracking things down properly:


I have AFD-9 reportedly captured by Japanese intact. King's Dock I'd have thought would be a reference to the King George VI Graving Dock but if there was another floating dock there, who knows? I only thought there was the one at Singapore with significant 'lift'. My understanding was that AFD-10 was bought from the Dutch in September 39 and was for use by destroyers and lightened cruisers in order to free up space for bigger ships in the graving dock and AFD-9. (AFD-10 seems to have been repaired post war as it is listed as being used by frigates.)

AFD 20 left Gibraltar on 31st December 1944 and arrived at Aden 21st February 1945. Destination was Manus (Admiralty Islands) via Cochin and Darwin. (Apparantly it rendezvoused with its sister AFD 18 at Cochin for the passage to Darwin - AFD 18 arrived in Darwin 24th May 1945, AFD 20 two days earlier).

AFD 35 was under construction in Bombay but not completed until January 1947 (although it was scheduled to be completed in 1946). No info on capacity (beam 175' if that's of any use whatsoever heh).

I've also seen references to AFD-26 at Trincomalee (or at least leaving there in 1947).

Sorry it's so sketchy.