Overview[]
The Justinian class is the latest in the long line of Byzantine battleships and a cumulation of the "All-or-Nothing" armor design. The ship has 9 16"/50 guns, unlike the 12 in the Basil II class. The Basil II class, though regarded highly, faced some degree of criticism from many quarters. One criticism heaped, was that the armor of the ship was not sufficiently proof against its own guns, and the ship was too slow. The Justinian class was thus born and the ship was notably faster by 1 knot and long cruising range. Provisions were also made so that the ship could fire heavier shells, though the could in principle fire those as well. Another aspect of the ship was the use of inclined armor to provide her with greater protection against future threats, such as the 18"/45 guns in development at that time.
Specifications[]
Justinian, Byzantine Empire Battleship laid down 1923
Displacement:
47,199 t light; 50,009 t standard; 53,482 t normal; 56,260 t full load
Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
(822.75 ft / 803.81 ft) x 108.27 ft x (36.09 / 37.62 ft)
(250.77 m / 245.00 m) x 33.00 m x (11.00 / 11.47 m)
Armament:
9 - 16.00" / 406 mm 50.0 cal guns - 2,400.00lbs / 1,088.62kg shells, 120 per gun
Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1923 Model
3 x 3-gun mounts on centreline ends, majority forward
1 raised mount - superfiring
16 - 6.00" / 152 mm 54.0 cal guns - 116.18lbs / 52.70kg shells, 200 per gun
Quick firing guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1923 Model
8 x 2-gun mounts on sides, evenly spread
40 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm 40.0 cal guns - 1.87lbs / 0.85kg shells, 2,000 per gun
Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1923 Model
10 x Twin mounts on side ends, majority aft
4 raised mounts - superfiring
40 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm 39.0 cal guns - 0.22lbs / 0.10kg shells, 2,000 per gun
Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1923 Model
10 x Quad mounts on side ends, majority aft
16 - 0.50" / 12.7 mm 12.0 cal guns - 0.04lbs / 0.02kg shells, 2,000 per gun
Machine guns in deck mounts, 1923 Model
16 x 4-gun mounts on centreline, aft deck forward
Weight of broadside 23,543 lbs / 10,679 kg
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 16.0" / 406 mm 520.00 ft / 158.50 m 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
Ends: Unarmoured
Main Belt covers 100 % of normal length
Main Belt inclined 19.00 degrees (positive = in)
- Torpedo Bulkhead - Additional damage containing bulkheads:
4.00" / 102 mm 450.00 ft / 137.16 m 33.00 ft / 10.06 m
Beam between torpedo bulkheads 68.00 ft / 20.73 m
- Hull void:
19.0" / 483 mm 19.00 ft / 5.79 m 19.00 ft / 5.79 m
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 18.0" / 457 mm 16.0" / 406 mm 16.0" / 406 mm
2nd: 2.50" / 64 mm 2.50" / 64 mm 2.50" / 64 mm
3rd: 0.50" / 13 mm 0.50" / 13 mm - -
4th: 0.50" / 13 mm 0.50" / 13 mm -
5th: 0.50" / 13 mm - -
- Armoured deck - multiple decks:
For and Aft decks: 8.00" / 203 mm
Forecastle: 2.00" / 51 mm Quarter deck: 2.00" / 51 mm
- Conning towers: Forward 16.00" / 406 mm, Aft 3.00" / 76 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Electric motors, 4 shafts, 74,704 shp / 55,729 Kw = 24.00 kts
Range 9,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 6,251 tons
Complement:
1,757 - 2,285
Cost:
£12.330 million / $49.319 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 4,895 tons, 9.2 %
- Guns: 4,895 tons, 9.2 %
Armour: 22,487 tons, 42.0 %
- Belts: 7,123 tons, 13.3 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 2,065 tons, 3.9 %
- Void: 254 tons, 0.5 %
- Armament: 4,637 tons, 8.7 %
- Armour Deck: 7,828 tons, 14.6 %
- Conning Towers: 581 tons, 1.1 %
Machinery: 2,497 tons, 4.7 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 17,225 tons, 32.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 6,283 tons, 11.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 95 tons, 0.2 %
- Hull above water: 20 tons
- On freeboard deck: 75 tons
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
85,248 lbs / 38,668 Kg = 41.6 x 16.0 " / 406 mm shells or 16.4 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.05
Metacentric height 6.2 ft / 1.9 m
Roll period: 18.3 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 72 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.80
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.31
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck,
a normal bow and a round stern
Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.596 / 0.601
Length to Beam Ratio: 7.42 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 28.35 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 41 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 55
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 30.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
Fore end, Aft end
- Forecastle: 20.00 %, 32.81 ft / 10.00 m, 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Forward deck: 30.00 %, 22.97 ft / 7.00 m, 19.69 ft / 6.00 m
- Aft deck: 30.00 %, 19.69 ft / 6.00 m, 19.69 ft / 6.00 m
- Quarter deck: 20.00 %, 19.69 ft / 6.00 m, 16.40 ft / 5.00 m
- Average freeboard: 21.29 ft / 6.49 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 86.7 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 141.0 %
Waterplane Area: 63,412 Square feet or 5,891 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 109 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 219 lbs/sq ft or 1,070 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.98
- Longitudinal: 1.21
- Overall: 1.00
Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
Excellent accommodation and workspace room
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily