Brooklyn Argentino What-If Cruiser Design

[00-PureEvil-00]

On an unrelated note...

Buy or modernize? That is the question!

In the late 1950s, there were many proposals to repower the Argentine fleet, with the lowest possible costs. These options included buying new or used ships or modernizing existing ones. Of this last case I will mention three proposals:
1- Replacement of the anti-aircraft artillery of the Belgrano and Nueve de Julio cruisers.
2- Conversion of the Cervantes and Mendoza classes from gun destroyers to anti-submarine frigates
3- Reconversion of the Buenos Airesos class from torpedo destroyers to leading destroyers

1- Replacement of the anti-aircraft artillery of the Belgrano and Nueve de Julio cruisers, changing to models 127/25 for 125/38.
(W.I.P.).

Brooklyn Argentino, brought to you by some bad kitbashing (or should it be "Shipbucket-bashing"? ).
The first version is "true to the text": just a Shipbucket drawing of ARA General Belgrano, with 127-mm/38 single mounts slapped in place of 127-mm/25s. I've chosen Mark 30 enclosed mountings from  Fletcher-class, because, well, in late 50s these will be pretty much the only 127-mm/38 singles avialable (and twins would require too much work to install).
Ah, and she also has new radars which were installed in early 60's IRL.

And the second one is a "what-if" version with further improved AA defence, with quadruple Bofors guns replaced by twin 76-mm/50 Mark 33's, and the remaining Bofors and Oerlicon guns replaced by eleven single 40-mm/70 Bofors Model 1948 (one on the bow, six replacing old twin Boforses, and four on the aft deckhouse).

Sorry in advance for any screwups like scales being wrong or artifacts from kitbashing, my artistic skill is pretty much nonexistent

 

[Archdude]

On an unrelated note...

Brooklyn Argentino, brought to you by some bad kitbashing (or should it be "Shipbucket-bashing"? ).
The first version is "true to the text": just a Shipbucket drawing of ARA General Belgrano, with 127-mm/38 single mounts slapped in place of 127-mm/25s. I've chosen Mark 30 enclosed mountings from  Fletcher-class, because, well, in late 50s these will be pretty much the only 127-mm/38 singles avialable (and twins would require too much work to install).
Ah, and she also has new radars which were installed in early 60's IRL.
View attachment 756075
And the second one is a "what-if" version with further improved AA defence, with quadruple Bofors guns replaced by twin 76-mm/50 Mark 33's, and the remaining Bofors and Oerlicon guns replaced by eleven single 40-mm/70 Bofors Model 1948 (one on the bow, six replacing old twin Boforses, and four on the aft deckhouse).
View attachment 756076
Sorry in advance for any screwups like scales being wrong or artifacts from kitbashing, my artistic skill is pretty much nonexistent

That looks interesting!!!

 

[Archdude]

Thank you!

 

[isayyo2]

Models look great!

Would a Brooklyn class have enough weight/space margin for the upgraded secondary and AA armaments?

 

[Dilandu]

Would a Brooklyn class have enough weight/space margin for the upgraded secondary and AA armaments?

Well, any such problem could be solved by just removing one of her main gun turrets. It would not decrease her gunnery capabilities significantly, but would save a lot of weight. About 167 tons if I recall correctly.

 

[Dilandu]

And the second one is a "what-if" version with further improved AA defence, with quadruple Bofors guns replaced by twin 76-mm/50 Mark 33's, and the remaining Bofors and Oerlicon guns replaced by eleven single 40-mm/70 Bofors Model 1948 (one on the bow, six replacing old twin Boforses, and four on the aft deckhouse).

A good follow-up step would be to install a SAM system - I propose the Oerlikon RSE series, since its available on market in early 1960s.