Drake's Drum

[Nick Sumner]

Good Morning all!

I am pleased to announce that my book, Drake's Drum, has now been published by Sea Lion Press. The first part, Drake's Drum: The Peace of Amiens, is now available as a Kindle on amazon. Here is a link to the book.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07SW5MMNW

A paper edition will follow soon. The manuscript for Part 2, Drake's Drum: The Reckoning, is complete and awaiting editing while the manuscript for Part 3, Drake's Drum: The Horizon of Our Hopes, is approaching completion. I hope to publish all of them in due time.

I have been given permission to post photographs, fact files and other snippets from the world of Drake's Drum to this forum where I hope they will entertain and amuse. Comment and criticism is welcomed.

 

[Graham1973]

I think that calls for some appropriate music to mark the occasion...

 

[Dynoman]

Congratulations! I read the preview pages on Amazon and it looks like it will be an exciting trilogy! Best of Luck!

 

[Nick Sumner]

Thank you Dynoman.

 

[Nick Sumner]

I’m pleased to announce the launch of the Drake’s Drum website today. There are photographs, fact files and all sorts of information to interest and amuse. Links in blue are 'live', links in grey are coming soon. ish.

www.drakesdrum.co.uk

Below is a photograph from the world of Drake's Drum. A Messerschmitt Me 364 bomber above New York City, 23rd June 1945.

 

[martinbayer]

Nick,

since you are planning three parts, will the timeline ultimately extend up to the present day or even beyond?

Best wishes,

Martin

 

[Nick Sumner]

Hi Martin, it's going to go up to about 1979.

 

[Nick Sumner]

'The Montana class battleships were the backbone of the American battle line...'

 

[Nick Sumner]

As the ships of the Drake's Drum timeline have stimulated a lot of interest on various message boards here are a couple more. These two designs were the main protagonists at TTL's Battle of the River Plate. Graf Spee is based on one of the OTL initial designs for Scharnhorst, Neuentwurf D-02-31. The battle cruisers Invincible and Inflexible are based on a fictional design which I have called 'E3'. It is essentially based on the British K2/K3 design of 1921 OTL but with characteristics of the final G3 design.



'Essentially conceived as a heavy raider the design of the Hipper class battle cruisers grew out of two inspirations. Though based on the Deutschland type they also owed much to the concept apparently embodied in the design of the Soviet battle cruiser Frunze. Co-operation between the German and Soviet military's was close in the late 20s and early 30s and German designers were very impressed with the Frunze not realising that she was a failure.

Hipper survived the war of 1940, Graf Spee left Germany shortly before the outbreak of hostilities and undertook a lengthy raiding cruise in the South Atlantic. She was sunk on 13th December 1939 at the Battle of the River Plate when she encountered the much faster and more powerful British battle cruiser Invincible. Though she put up a brave fight she was quickly silenced and sank seven minutes after the engagement began with heavy loss of life.'



This is a picture of HMS Inflexible at the 1933 Fleet Revue.

 

[Hood]

Those are very well done photo manipulations. They remind me of the work 'Alt Naval' used to do back in the early 2000s.

 

[Nick Sumner]

Thank you Hood. It was Alt_naval's work that got me interested in doing photo manipulations of never-were ships.

 

[Nick Sumner]

More warships from the world of Drake's Drum. These are Photoshopped images of the Amagi class battle cruisers, Atago and Takao. The top image shows Atago shortly after completion, the lower one after her re-construction in the early 1940s. www.drakesdrum.co.uk

 

[Nick Sumner]

"The design of the Caracciolo class battleships went through several phases and was even changed after the ship was laid down. The Italian Admiralty were unhappy with the placing of the mainmast in the early design, citing the problem of smoke interference from the forefunnel. The decision to move the conning tower and mainmast forward caused a rearrangement of the forward turrets. As well as this, ‘A’ turret was judged to be too near the end of the ship in a position where the movement of the hull in a lively sea would affect gunnery adversely. Also, the height of the turret rear (due to the height of the forecastle) meant that end on fire forward with B turret at 0 degrees elevation was impossible. When ‘A’ turret was moved aft it had little effect on internal arrangements but a two feet reduction in the height of 'A' barbette was acheived because it was further back on the sloping focsle. A small increase in the height of ‘B’ barbette was also made. The photographs show the ship as she was in the late 1920s and after her reconstruction in 1944." www.drakesdrum.co.uk #DrakesDrum #AlternateHistory

 

[Nick Sumner]

The USN and RN's ultimate heavy cruiser designs. They were never built in our timeline, but in Drake's Drum they will sail the seas. Top: USS Rochester, based on the CA-B design of 1941 (One of the Alaska preliminaries). Below: HMS Warrior, based on Design III of the series of RN heavy cruiser designs of March 1941.

 

[Nick Sumner]

There are new updates to the Drake's Drum website. The Photographs section has been expanded and Appendix 17: The Royal Navy Air Arm 1932 to 46 has been posted.

Above: A Fairey Firefly Mk II. This aircraft originated with a 1939 Royal Navy specification, NAD925/39A for an interceptor. A parallel project for a two seat fighter with a much thicker wing to specification N.8/39 did not proceed far.

Above: A RAAF Cormorant Mk II at Darwin, 1946. The RAAF used small numbers of ex-Royal Navy Cormorants as land based dive bombers, though the dive bombing role was later supplanted by fighter-bombers. The Cormorant naval dive bomber was based on the Boulton Paul P.96A design.

Above: A Cutlass IIIB of 849 Squadron RN in flight over Singapore 1945. The Cutlass saw action in the early part of the campaign in South East Asia but was phased out by mid 1946.

Above: Above: Hawker Sea Furies. The type's powerful Bristol Gemini engine made it extremely fast.

 

[Nick Sumner]

Some Regia Marina carriers from the Drake's Drum timeline. Top Leonardo Da Vinci after her reconstruction. Bottom, Aquila at sea, 1946.

 

[Nick Sumner]

Top: An Me 364 bomber prepares to take off. The outboard jetisonable undercarriage legs are in place, suggesting she has a full load. Bottom: A Ju 187 of TragerGruppen 186 from the carrier Strasser.

 

[dan_inbox]

Wouldn't such efforts better at home in a whatif site?
AFAIK, here we are normally trying to get rid of false informations and fakes, not manufacturing them...

 

[martinbayer]

If you look at the title of this section, which is "Alternative History and Future Speculation", I think the placement of these posts is justified.

 

[dan_inbox]

I hear you, this is the right section if it must be posted anywhere.
Still, the repeated posting of deliberately forged pictures --on SPF-- somehow feels wrong and makes me cringe.

 

[Nick Sumner]

dan_inbox, I don't mean to make you cringe. I'm not mis-representing what these are, I seek merely to entertain. I also asked the moderators first.

 

[dan_inbox]

I know. And you're upfront about it. It's just me, over-sanctifying the too-few places where genuine, professional info thrive.
And congrats for your forged photos, they are disturbingly believable.

I'll keep cringeing, but don't mind me.

 

[Nick Sumner]

There is a new update to the Drake's Drum website. The Photographs section has been enlarged.

www.drakesdrum.co.uk

 

[Nick Sumner]

There is a new update to the Drake's Drum website. Appendix 14: The Armada Espana 1939 to 48 has been posted.

Below, two shots of the battleship Pelayo. Initially named Impero, she was built for the Regia Marina but sold to the Armada in 1941 . The purchase was financed with loans from the Reichsbank. The ‘Super Washington type’ heavy cruiser Andalucia was built at El Ferrol. Her construction was an unhurried affair, but she was both fast and powerful.

 

[royabulgaf]

Very impressive, but I think the new Spanish Armada would end up like the old Spanish Armada.

 

[Nick Sumner]

Very impressive, but I think the new Spanish Armada would end up like the old Spanish Armada.

 

[Nick Sumner]

Here are two more Photoshopped images of warships from the Drake’s Drum timeline. The first is the Soviet battleship Frunze (formerly the Poltava) which has undergone a comprehensive reconstruction to become a battleship. Although certainly ambitious, this reconstruction was actually contemplated in OTL, though it was never carried out. The second is HMAS Endeavour, seen here running her trials in 1926. In Drake’s Drum, HMAS Australia becomes a museum ship and an incomplete Hood class battle cruiser is purchased by the Royal Australian Navy (with a little help from the RN) to replace it. There is a significant redesign, the ship becomes flush decked, the height of the aft barbettes are increased, the secondary armament is modified and a more modern style of conning tower is fitted. There would need to be more hull volume aft to compensate for the extra weight and the ships draught would increase. Top speed would be slightly reduced.






The ‘photographs’ section of the Drake’s Drum website has also been updated and you can read the full story of the Frunze in the 'Peterson's World Fighting Ships' section of the Appendices.

 

[Nick Sumner]

I'm very proud to formally announce the launch of the paperback edition of Drake's Drum: The Peace of Amiens.

Drake's Drum:The Peace of Amiens on the Sea Lion Press Website​

'Books, like Champagne, should be bought by the case.'​

 

[Nick Sumner]

Two warship designs that feature in Drake's Drum. They were designed in our time line but never built. Top: HMS Lion, lead ship of a class of five battleships armed with 9 X 16 inch guns. In OTL four were planned and two were laid down, but wartime shortages and changes in priorities meant neither were ever launched. In Drake's Drum, five are commissioned. Bottom: two designs for heavy cruisers were prepared by the RN in 1938/39. The second was a 15,500 ton ship with 9 X 8 inch guns. None were ever laid down. In the Drake's Drum timeline four are completed and two more cancelled.

 

[Kiyone4ever]

Your work on these is exceptional.

Have you seen this thread? https://forum.worldofwarships.eu/topic/6872-alt_naval-and-other-never-were-pics/?

I started it years ago to retrieve the works of various individuals such as Alt_naval, CanisD, and the late Craig Burke that were disappearing from the net. I've added other 'unreals' as it were over time, which is how I stumbled across your work here. The names of the creators always credited where known.

HOWEVER, While I think those perusing that thread should be made aware of your work, I only request that I be allowed to post the web address of your site in the thread (without direct link. I have no desire to accidentally set off a mod over there... or hopefully not HERE either.) So those that are interested can take a look at your works?

 

[Nick Sumner]

Your work on these is exceptional.

Have you seen this thread? https://forum.worldofwarships.eu/topic/6872-alt_naval-and-other-never-were-pics/?

I started it years ago to retrieve the works of various individuals such as Alt_naval, CanisD, and the late Craig Burke that were disappearing from the net. I've added other 'unreals' as it were over time, which is how I stumbled across your work here. The names of the creators always credited where known.

HOWEVER, While I think those perusing that thread should be made aware of your work, I only request that I be allowed to post the web address of your site in the thread (without direct link. I have no desire to accidentally set off a mod over there... or hopefully not HERE either.) So those that are interested can take a look at your works?

Thank you for the kind words! I certainly miss Alt_naval's contributions. It's great that you have saved so many of them in one place. Before he disappeared from the internet I obtained his permission to use a few of his images in fact files and appendices of the Drake's Drum timeline. Here is a link to the main site Drake's Drum homepage and one to the appendices page Drake's drum Appendices You are welcome to post the links anywhere you like, but be advised that not all the appendices are up yet. Several naval appendices, including those for the Drake's Drum timeline Royal Navy, US Navy, Kreigsmarine, IJN and Regia Marina will be posted between now and Christmas to supplement the release of the second book in the series. This should be happening within the next four weeks or so and I will of course be advertising it here.

 

[martinbayer]

Nick,

one minor nit - it's Kriegsmarine, not Kreigsmarine .

Martin

 

[Archibald]

We all live in the yellow kriegsmarine...

 

[Nick Sumner]

Nick,

one minor nit - it's Kriegsmarine, not Kreigsmarine .

Martin

Ooops! Thanks Martin, I'm always getting that wrong...

 

[Nick Sumner]

I'm very happy to announce that the second book of the Drake's Drum Trilogy is now available.



Available here

​

 

[Nick Sumner]

Shikishima was the largest and most powerful battleship ever constructed. Her design was derived from that of the Yamato class and she shipped six 20 inch guns. Each of her armour piercing shells weighed 4190lbs.
Blast from the main armament was so great that no catapult could be installed and therefore no aircraft were carried. Also because of blast, steel was used on the upper deck rather than the more traditional teak. All AA weapons had to be fully enclosed in shock resistant mountings. Despite these precautions, discharge of the main armament caused extensive damage to the decks and superstructure. This included buckled plates, stripped paint, broken fixtures and fittings, popped rivets and ruptured pipes.
This Photoshopped image is my interpretation of what the OTL Japanese A150 battleship design might have looked like. She will be making an appearance in Drake’s Drum.

Drake's Drum website

 

[Nick Sumner]

The USN Appendix is now up at the Drake's Drum Website

Top: BB72 USS Wyoming, a battleship from the Drake’s Drum timeline. Based on the BB65 Montana design, she was commissioned in early 1947, shipped nine 18 inch guns and had a modified superstructure and secondary armament layout. Originally to be one of a class of eight ships, only three were eventually completed.

Below: CV 13 USS Franklin, an Essex class carrier, lies alongside CV19 USS Independence. Lead ship of her class, Independence commissioned towards the end of 1946 and was based on the CV-B design of 1941.

 

[Nick Sumner]

The Kreigsmarine Appendix is now up at the Drake's Drum website

This image is Photoshopped

What if the French fleet had fallen into German hands? What if that fleet was much more powerful than that of our time, because the talks to establish the London Naval Treaty had collapsed in 1934?

This is the battleship Moltke, from the Drake’s Drum timeline. Built by the Marine National, she was running trials in June 1940 and was surrendered to the Kreigsmarine as part of the terms of the French capitulation. In design terms she.is based on an OTL project; the Type 2 and Type 3 design studies of 1939-40. There are two crucial differences. Firstly, the failure of the London Naval Conference means that the naval arms race has started early so Moltke and her sister ship Blucher were laid down in 1934 and 1935 respectively. Secondly, instead of the twelve 15 inch guns planned in OTL, she ships nine 16.5 inch guns.

 

[Nick Sumner]

This image is Photoshopped

In Drake's Drum timeline, the Kreigsmarine requires a new class of heavy cruiser to follow the Blucher class. In OTL, a triple 8 inch turret had been designed by Krupp as early as 1937. This is the Derfflinger, she is based on a modified version of OTL’s ‘Kreuzer P’ design of 1939, but is also influenced by OTL’s ‘Handelzerstorer’ designs of spring 1941. ‘Kreuzer P’ and the 'Handelzerstorer' designs were conceived purely as commerce raiders. As a heavy cruiser, the Derfflinger meant to fit in with either a ‘Guerre de Corse’ strategy or a more conventional cruiser role supporting the battle fleet.

 

[Nick Sumner]

This image is Photoshopped

What if the last battleship built by the Royal Navy was designed to carry nine 18 inch guns?

This is the battleship Dreadnought, from the Drake’s Drum timeline. With the war at sea raging and its outcome in doubt; she is seen here on her way to the Far East in early 1948. In OTL the British investigated designs for very large battleships. For instance, the 1944 design ‘D’ would have had a standard displacement of 62,700 tons, but the design presented here is based on a different ship; the OTL K3 design of 1921, with machinery, armament and equipment suitable to a battleship designed in 1941.

The Royal Navy Appendix is now up at the Drake’s Drum website in the Appendices - Fighting Ships section. There are also two essays in the Appendices – Stories and Essays section to explain how the Royal Navy’s capital ship designs were developed for this timeline.