Shipbucket

This is a WIP of the French destroyer D609 Aconit

1970 ACONIT A prototype anti-submarine corvette or destroyer built for the French Navy. Her name commemorates a ‘Flower’-class corvette of the wartime Free French Navy.

AN EXPERIMENTAL SHIP

The Aconit was the prototype for what the French Navy hoped would be a new series of convoy escorts suitable for the North Atlantic. France was still a full member of the NATO alliance in the early 1 960s, and the main threat was seen as Soviet submarines. The C65 design was unique in the modern French Navy in having a single-shaft steam plant and only two boilers, and although well-equipped by the standards of the day, the lack of a helicopter limited her effectiveness against fast submarines. The weapons systems were essentially the same as those that ran trials on La Galissonnière. Plans to build four more were abandoned, which suggests that the French Navy may not have been entirely happy with the single screw or the reduction in speed.

A LONG BUT UNEVENTFUL CAREER

The ship entered service in 1973 and joined the Atlantic Squadron at Brest. Her armament included the Malafon stand-off weapon, a rocket- launched homing torpedo amidships, and a quadruple 305mm (12in) rocket-launcher forward of the bridge. In 1984—85 the latter was replaced by two quadruple sets of MM-40 Exocet missiles. At the same time the radar inside the prominent radome was upgraded from DRBV 13 to DRBV 1 5A. In 1991 the Aconit received a DSBV 62C towed array, which is streamed from the DUBV 43 variable-depth sonar (VDS) right aft. By 1997 this one-of-a-class was becoming very expensive to maintain and operate. Consequently, she was decommissioned.

TECHNICAL DATA
Type: Destroyer
Machinery: 1-shaft geared turbine, 28,650hp
Dimensions: Length, 127m ; beam, 13.4m
Displacement: 3500t (standard)
Draught: 5.8m (19ft)

It is also, to my knowledge, the only single shaft destroyer ever built.

On the artistic front, this is the first time I've used brown for shading the underwater hull, so I'd like some feedback on that, especially the bow sonar.
Also, I think the VDS is the most complex piece of equipment I've done to date.

_________________
“Close” only counts with horseshoes, hand grenades, and tactical nuclear weapons.
That which does not kill me has made a grave tactical error

Worklist

Source Materiel is always welcome.

I believe this is the final version, but feel free to comment mercilessly.

_________________
“Close” only counts with horseshoes, hand grenades, and tactical nuclear weapons.
That which does not kill me has made a grave tactical error

Worklist

Source Materiel is always welcome.

What is that turret looking thing behind the first turret?

It looks great by the way!

EDIT: Nevermind, I saw the weapons thread.

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When Britain first, at Heaven's command
Arose from out the azure main;
This was the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang this strain:

"Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:
"Britons never will be slaves."

Very good Thiel. BTW I have plans to do the La Galissonnière (D638) as I allready did the earlier ships, so please let me do it (I'm also looking for more plans for the Duprre (D633))

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Sure thing. Are you going to do it as it looked during the weapons trials that let to the Aconit?
Anyway, in case you don't know about it, this page is a veritable goldmine when it comes to french warships.
http://www.servicehistorique.sga.defens ... tebato.php

_________________
“Close” only counts with horseshoes, hand grenades, and tactical nuclear weapons.
That which does not kill me has made a grave tactical error

Worklist

Source Materiel is always welcome.

really nice, I hope we start seeing more of french ships now as the still mostly miss from the bucket and there are shittload of french line-drawings spamming all over the somewhat questionable russian e-book torrent sites with multitude.

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Shipbucket mainsite, aka "The Archive"
New AU project "Aravala"

Yes, a very worthwhile addition. BTW, the thing on the bow behind the main gun is a combined asw/shore bombardment mortar. Re the drawing, it is difficult working with such light colours, and my only suggestion would be to go for a darker shade on any overhangs - otherwise nothing to add to what is an excellent drawing

(Novice, I've got a decent side view of the Victor Schoelcher (Commandant Riviere) but no lower hull, if your interested?)

Great drawing
Hopefully to see many much more french warships in shipbucket standart

Few points about your drawing:
- shading of the stern towed sonar, the ASW sonar is white ?
- Shading of superstructure appear maybe too clear for me ?...
But great work

Oh yes Thiel, I know this page. The La Galissonnière was in fact somewhat of a trials ship, both for the Malafon and the 305mm ASW mortar, as well for the DUBV-43 VDS. The Duperrè was trial ship for a different VDS and eventually was armed as an ASW detroyer, with 4 Exocet SSM launchers, 1 100mm gun and 2 21"" ASW torpedo launchers for L-5 ASW torpedoes and one Lynx helicopter in a full hangar.

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

I'll give it a try and see how it looks.
Btw, any comments on the mortar? I'm not quite happy with the panel lines, but I'm not sure what to do about it.
If Novice isn't interested, I am.
The VDS is indeed white. Or at least, that's how it looks on the few pictures I've seen of it. Since Aconit was an unsuccesful one-off with a rather uneventful career, finding pictures of her is hard.
Like I told PB, I'll give it a try with some darker shading.

_________________
“Close” only counts with horseshoes, hand grenades, and tactical nuclear weapons.
That which does not kill me has made a grave tactical error

Worklist

Source Materiel is always welcome.