Gary's Never Was Workshop and Doodle Pad

[GaryChildress]

I've been messing around with some alternative history "never-were" designs. Here's my first batch.

1. On the left are some variations of Hawkins class cruisers. In the "never-were" universe it would be easy to postulate HMS Vindictive being upgraded to a flush deck carrier in the early 1930s instead of being converted back to a cruiser after her short career as an experimental carrier. Or a boiler refit along with improved armament for a couple Hawkins class boats.

2. Middle: Apparently there were very tentative plans to convert some Omaha class cruisers into light carriers in the 1930s I believe. Never even got off the drawing board but if they had... And of course a boiler and armament refit for Omaha.

3. Right: What if the Royal Navy had upgraded its "D" Class cruisers to destroyer leaders utilizing DP guns?

I'll post some shils and sides over the weekend for these ships. In the mean time, here are some teasers.



EDIT: These ships are basically standard WITP:AE images which have been doctored up a bit. The bottom row are the original AE ship sides. Above are my conversions.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

I've been messing around with some alternative history "never-were" designs. Here's my first batch.

1. On the left are some variations of Hawkins class cruisers. In the "never-were" universe it would be easy to postulate HMS Vindictive being upgraded to a flush deck carrier in the early 1930s instead of being converted back to a cruiser after her short career as an experimental carrier. Or a boiler refit along with improved armament for a couple Hawkins class boats.

2. Middle: Apparently there were very tentative plans to convert some Omaha class cruisers into light carriers in the 1930s I believe. Never even got off the drawing board but if they had... And of course a boiler and armament refit for Omaha.

3. Right: What if the Royal Navy had upgraded its "D" Class cruisers to destroyer leaders utilizing DP guns?

I'll post some shils and sides over the weekend for these ships. In the mean time, here are some teasers.



EDIT: These ships are basically standard WITP:AE images which have been doctored up a bit. The bottom row are the original AE ship sides. Above are my conversions.

Nice, and I actually need those for a mod I've been working on.

Also, apparantly there was some thought put into making a 4 x 8in gun version of the Omaha, as well as a Monitor with 2 x 14in gun based on the Omaha hull.

[GaryChildress]

Great! Then they won't go to waste. [8D]

Does anyone happen to have some ship side blanks they could send me so I can put them on. The side blanks I have are on my other computer and my other computer is kaput for right now. Specifically I'm looking for AE compatible blanks, blue sky, whispy clouds, etc. JWE sent me the ones I currently have on my computer. If you're out there John, would you send me some more. Pretty please! [:)]

Thanks.

[TOMLABEL]

I think these are the ones we used for AE. I might have reversed some to have more variety.
If I'm wrong....sorry, but I think these are the ones we used.

TOMLABEL

[GaryChildress]

Many thanks Tomlabel!! They do look like the ones JWE sent me a while back. [:)]

[JWE]

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress
Many thanks Tomlabel!! They do look like the ones JWE sent me a while back. [:)]

Yep. They are the same. TomLabel and BigB and I all used that same collection of background panels for the AE art Sides.

[GaryChildress]

Here are the sides and shils for the Allied CLs.

[Don Bowen]

One of my favority never-were ships is the abortive CF flight deck cruiser...

[GaryChildress]

Note I made a few design changes, especially adding float planes to the Omaha and Hawkins refits.

[GaryChildress]

Tonight's project was creating an alternative set of Alt_naval BBs for the IJN. I did a full set of ship sides and shils for the alt_naval fleet which is posted on Rogue USMC's WITP fan site. However, I never did like the color scheme very well on those ships. They always seemed a little too light. I intend to redo an alt_naval fleet for the IJN, however, this time I'm going to use existing WITP:AE ship sides which I'm doctoring up to appear like the alt_naval ships.

So for instance, I did a BB Harima based upon some basic IJN design habits, using existing sides from the AE art pack.

For those who don't know, BB Harima is part of the alt_naval couinterfacutal IJN building program. In order to cut costs and building time, the IJN refits Ise, Hyuga, Fuso and Yamishiro by removing 2 turrets from each ship and lengthening to create fast BBs out of them so they can keep up with the carriers. Using the 2 extra turrets pulled off the ships above, the IJN builds 2 new 8 x 14" gun BBs called the Harima class.

Below is my rendition of Harima, and the 8 x 14" Fuso and Ise classes. The BBs carry a bit less punch but they can still escort the carriers and provide shore bombardment.

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen


One of my favority never-were ships is the abortive CF flight deck cruiser...

Here's a rendition of it for anyone interested... [:)]

[GaryChildress]

And here are the side and shil for the CF flight deck cruiser.

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen


One of my favority never-were ships is the abortive CF flight deck cruiser...

Here's a rendition of it for anyone interested... [:)]

Yeah, I'm interested in any of the never were designs you are willing to make. I'm making a 'No Treaties' type mod, so the never were's are going to become the sure are's.

[traskott]

Amazing job. Thank you VERY much... 

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: traskott

Amazing job. Thank you VERY much... 

You are most welcome traskott!

@ Shark7: Sounds like a great mod in the making! [8D]

Another use for the Omaha and Hawkins buildouts which would be a little less "never-were" would be to create binds out of the refits or CVL versions so that the player could convert Omaha or Hawkins class ships during the course of the war.

[traskott]

Very useful conversion, I think...


 The big trouble with all these is it's almost impossible put everything in just one mod [:'(]

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

ORIGINAL: Gary Childress

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen


One of my favority never-were ships is the abortive CF flight deck cruiser...

Here's a rendition of it for anyone interested... [:)]

Yeah, I'm interested in any of the never were designs you are willing to make. I'm making a 'No Treaties' type mod, so the never were's are going to become the sure are's.

What other ships are you going to need for your mod? If you give me a list I can probably make some of them.

[oldman45]

Gary, what stats would you use for the "D" class conversions?

[GaryChildress]

ORIGINAL: oldman45

Gary, what stats would you use for the "D" class conversions?

Off the top of my head, I'm not sure. Main armament could maybe be 5.25in/50 QF Mk I ala Dido class ships. From that point you could give them similar secondary armament to the Leanders or something along those lines.

[DuckofTindalos]

I'd go with the 4.5in if it were me. Better AA performance.