Keynes' Cruisers Volume 2
- Thread starter fester
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It is barely an invasion. Slightly more than a walk in the park.
Story 2837
Clark Air Field, April 8, 1945
The grass strips that were reinforced with steel mats were busy with dozens of aircraft of half a dozen basic types from a double digit number of manufacturers. One of the strips would soon be delegated to secondary purposes as the 4,000 yard long concrete runway that would run northeast to southwest would soon be cured. A battalion of engineers and thousands of local laborers were now working on a second runway that would be even longer and wider to handle both current super-heavy bombers and the projected ever larger super-duper heavy bombers. Superfortresses and Lancasters were allocated to the ever growing complex of bases on northern Luzon which were supported by the reborn port of Manilla and one of the better local rail networks in the East Asian littoral.
The grass strips that were reinforced with steel mats were busy with dozens of aircraft of half a dozen basic types from a double digit number of manufacturers. One of the strips would soon be delegated to secondary purposes as the 4,000 yard long concrete runway that would run northeast to southwest would soon be cured. A battalion of engineers and thousands of local laborers were now working on a second runway that would be even longer and wider to handle both current super-heavy bombers and the projected ever larger super-duper heavy bombers. Superfortresses and Lancasters were allocated to the ever growing complex of bases on northern Luzon which were supported by the reborn port of Manilla and one of the better local rail networks in the East Asian littoral.
Story 2828
HMNB Singapore, April 9, 1945
HMS Hood slowly moved into the drydock. Her armor had stopped most of the damage from a bomb blast, but there was enough that time in the yard was needed. And once she was scheduled for yard time, it was as good as any for a dozen score work orders that had been accumulating to be addressed including repairs to her hull.
HMS Renown, freshly released from repairs in Durban would take her place with the British Pacific Fleet.
HMS Hood slowly moved into the drydock. Her armor had stopped most of the damage from a bomb blast, but there was enough that time in the yard was needed. And once she was scheduled for yard time, it was as good as any for a dozen score work orders that had been accumulating to be addressed including repairs to her hull.
HMS Renown, freshly released from repairs in Durban would take her place with the British Pacific Fleet.
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Driftless
Donor
With the state of this universe war, where both the German and Japanese navies (at least anything resembling a capital ship) have been destroyed or permanently neutered as warships, putting the Hood through significant repairs seems pointless..... unless there's some plans for the HMS Hood in 1946 and beyond?
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Big refits aren't justified, but repairing a 500 pound bomb exploding in a non-critical area while also knocking down the long to-do list of things that should be done --- including just repainting the hull can be justified to get another good 18 to 24 months of service.
The RN plans for Hood to be razor blades within 12 months of the end of the war but the Admiralty can't say if the end will be Summer 1945, Winter 1946 or Summer 1946 will be the end of the war. A big fast ship with lots of deck space for AA is still valuable even if the main battery might never fire another shot in anger.
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Look More Closely Later
Gone Fishin'
Would there be any scope, maybe, for a ship like Hood to be gifted to an allied and friendly (and possibly newly independent) nation to be the flagship of their navy? (Edit: Assuming that anyone would want the ship?)
Honestly, Hood is likely in quite good shape given that she missed most of the heaviest action in the war due to Bismarck smacking the seven shades out of her so early on (IIRC, she missed the remainder of 1941 and all of 1942 before returning in 1943 being modernized and overhauled), she might end up like Belfast did OTL, put in reserve. Then converted into a museum because it would be easier for her to convert, even then however, another option might see her serving well into the 50s and 60s before being retired.
She might end up a bit like Vanguard did OTL...only she might actually get to fire her guns in anger one last time due to being put on the gunline for Korea before being retired.
Interesting question, given the Soviets are a little behind schedule while the Western Allies are a couple of months ahead, will there be a divided Korea? Are they willing to divert forces to the Soviet Far East before the collapse of Germany and if they don't, will the Japanese last long enough for them to go to war and claim some spoils?
Most countries who could afford it already have Battleships and the countries who are allied may well want newer more capable ships but will find frigates, destroyers and light cruisers more than adequate. For those who feel the need for a capital ship, they are going shopping for British CVL's or an Essex. Iirc the original plan for the post colonial Indian Navy didn't include any Battleships.
Hood, in this timeline, is in good shape for a ship laid down in 1916 that is still operating in 1945. She never got a full QE/Warspite style rebuild when she went to Boston for repairs after Denmark Straits. Relative to the KGVs, she is an expensive to operate and has substantial fundamental weaknesses that can not be papered over in capabilities (electrical generation, armor scheme, habitability) that strongly way against maintaining her in a fleet structure that anticipates a need for a large battle squadron at most in the post-war period. Hood loses to a KGV for manpower/operating costs in the post-war fleet. She is competing against Nelson, Rodney, Renown for a potential slot and dominates against the modernized QEs.
This is true, but its just. Part of me really wishes that one of the British Battleships of the Second World War was preserved; though if any British BB will be preserved, it will probably not be Hood (though its a slim possibility) but more likely a KGV, likely one of the ships that fought in Makassar Strait.
if they going preserve any ships I would hope it would be warspite and renown and ark royal I would hope
Story 2829
Off the coast of Hokkaido, April 10, 1945
The submarine turned eastward. Her diesel engines turned the shafts faster and faster instead of enough to station-keep and charge her battery banks now that half a dozen men were aboard. Within minutes, they were all below. The ensign in charge was debriefing the captain while the chief on the raid guaranteed that the rest of the landing party had stowed their small arms before getting hot coffee in their hands or dry wool socks on their feet. By the time that the ensign had his second sip of coffee, the screws were sending the submarine out to sea at nineteen knots.
An hour later, and two hours before dawn, half of the dozen placed charges worked.
The next evening, the bosun received permission from the old man to paint a bridge on the sail next to the seventeen other kills the crew had claimed.
The submarine turned eastward. Her diesel engines turned the shafts faster and faster instead of enough to station-keep and charge her battery banks now that half a dozen men were aboard. Within minutes, they were all below. The ensign in charge was debriefing the captain while the chief on the raid guaranteed that the rest of the landing party had stowed their small arms before getting hot coffee in their hands or dry wool socks on their feet. By the time that the ensign had his second sip of coffee, the screws were sending the submarine out to sea at nineteen knots.
An hour later, and two hours before dawn, half of the dozen placed charges worked.
The next evening, the bosun received permission from the old man to paint a bridge on the sail next to the seventeen other kills the crew had claimed.
Story 2830
Copenhagen, Denmark, April 11, 1945
Dozens of soldiers were waiting for officers to issue their first orders in years. Uniforms hung on thin bodies as even the fittest of men had been deprived over five years of occupation. Soon the lines were straightened up and the honor guard moved forward as if they were all connected by an invisible string at the hips. Boots slammed into the ground on a steady metronome as the flag bearers walked down through the old city.
The small procession soon became a large procession as civilians joined behind what had been a platoon and by the time they reached the royal residences, thousands of men, women and children were celebrating until a single sharp whistle commanded silence. They stayed silent until the flags were raised at which point, the festivities truly began.
Five miles north, Canadian riflemen were slowly guarding thousands of German prisoners. Every man would have both a medical and a skill check. By the end of the week, sappers and engineers would be split from the rest and trucked to the Jutland coast to begin the slow task of clearing the beaches of mines and traps.
Dozens of soldiers were waiting for officers to issue their first orders in years. Uniforms hung on thin bodies as even the fittest of men had been deprived over five years of occupation. Soon the lines were straightened up and the honor guard moved forward as if they were all connected by an invisible string at the hips. Boots slammed into the ground on a steady metronome as the flag bearers walked down through the old city.
The small procession soon became a large procession as civilians joined behind what had been a platoon and by the time they reached the royal residences, thousands of men, women and children were celebrating until a single sharp whistle commanded silence. They stayed silent until the flags were raised at which point, the festivities truly began.
Five miles north, Canadian riflemen were slowly guarding thousands of German prisoners. Every man would have both a medical and a skill check. By the end of the week, sappers and engineers would be split from the rest and trucked to the Jutland coast to begin the slow task of clearing the beaches of mines and traps.
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