Shipbucket

Greetings!

Apologies for the long dry spell. This post is not strictly a continuation of the Nusantara AU, but rather a place to post my work as I have time, and because of this, new images will be uploaded on an intermittent basis for the foreseeable future.

Despite this, please enjoy these as they occur. Comments are welcome, as always.

Starting off with a couple of Nusantaran battlewagons. The Iya class is a slightly updated image from the Treaty Battleship Challenge:

Iya class battleships:

Nusantara’s participation in the Washington Naval Conference of 1921-22 was the direct result of a Japanese plan to stifle her long-time rival’s naval expansion which was now perceived as a threat to the Empire’s ambitions in the Pacific – albeit a lesser one than posed by the United States or Britain.
However, these efforts were derailed at the conference itself. Japan immediately pushed for Nusantara to have parity with France and Italy at a ratio of 1.7, whereas the US and the UK wanted Nusantara to have parity with Japan. After weeks of heated debate a compromise was reached; Nusantara was allowed a ratio of 2.3, which equaled 244,000 metric tons for capital ships compared to Japan’s allowance of 320,000 metric tons. However, the big win for Nusantara was the provision allowing the country to complete the Lewotobi class, which was currently under construction, in order to meet treaty limits, which of course did nothing to mollify the Japanese and further strained already poor relations with Nusantara.

After the so-called “building holiday” established by the Treaty expired in late 1931, the Nusantaran Admiralty issued specifications for a new class of battleship to replace the Kerinci class battleships and the now thoroughly obsolete Toba class semi-dreadnoughts which were nearing their twentieth year in service and thus eligible for replacement. A number of designs were created between 1932 and 1934 in keeping to the Treaty displacement limits of 35,560 metric tons armed with eight to twelve 343mm (13.5”) guns. The Admiralty wasn’t satisfied with these designs, however, as Japan already fielded two battleships with 16” guns and eight with 14” guns. New specifications were issued in 1935 for ships with a heavier main battery.

As it transpired, the solution was already at hand. Back in 1920, as work began on what would be the Lewotobi class, the KNM purchased several British 15” Mk I guns originally intended for now-cancelled members of the Queen Elizabeth and Royal Sovereign classes as evaluation weapons. As part of this process, the Nationale Bewapeningswerken (National Armament Works or NB) took one of the guns and over-bored it to 393mm (15.5”), designating it the 393mm/40 Mk I. Work had continued on this weapon and by 1935 the NB was confident a 45-caliber variant could be produced to arm the new ships.
This revised program hit a snag when Nusantara, along with the US, Britain, and France, signed the 1936 London Naval Treaty which maintained the Washington Treaty 35,000 ton displacement limit, but also limited maximum gun size to 14” (356mm), which required another revision to the design by swapping the proposed 393mm’s for an up-rated 343mm/50 Mk III. This change delayed the start of construction until late 1937.
However, Japan’s refusal to sign the 1936 London Treaty triggered the escalation clause allowing up to 16” (406mm) guns. Nusantara immediately swapped out the planned quad 343mm turrets for triple mounts with the new 393mm/45 Mk IV – made possible when the designers, suspecting the Japanese wouldn’t sign the treaty, ensured the turret base rings were the same diameter for both mounts (a similar change occurred in the US when the 14” guns intended for the North Carolina class were swapped for new design 16” weapons).

The first ship in the class, Iya, was laid down in October of 1937, followed by four sister-ships; Talakmau, Masurai, Kunyit, and Imun, over the next two years. Iya and Talakmau were in service when war with Japan broke out in July of 1941, and Kunyit commissioned by early 1942. Construction had lagged on the other two ships as war approached however, and both were cancelled in December of 1941, soon after broken up on the slipways to free up space for the Emergency Carrier Program. Commissioned initially without radar and with an outdated battery of 75mm AA guns, the three ships completed were quickly equipped with British radars, fire-control systems, and modern license-built 40mm and 20mm anti-aircraft weapons.

The Iya class, although slightly outgunned by the Japanese Nagato class and severely outgunned by the Yamatos’, nevertheless gave a good accounting of themselves. Talakmau was lost in April of 1943 to an air-strike from the Japanese carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku off Formosa, but Iya and Kunyit, although damaged on several occasions, survived the war.
Kunyit’s crowning moment was undoubtedly in August of 1945 when, along with the newer Ijen, she fought the Yamato off Okinawa. Although taking heavy fire, the two Nusantaran battlewagons showered the Yamato with over a hundred 393mm AP and HE rounds, which, although failing to sink her, severely damaged the superstructure, fire-control gear, most of the secondary battery, and wrecked the funnel uptakes and several boilers, forcing the crippled battleship to be taken under tow. Both Nusantaran ships were badly damaged in the encounter – Kunyit severely – but would be repaired and returned to service. Yamato would be torpedoed and sunk two days after the battle by the Cavalerie (O-162), a Jimpul class submarine, before she could reach Japan.

After the war ended in September of 1946, the Iya class continued in active service until placed in reserve in 1962. Iya was scrapped four years later, but Kunyit became a museum ship and can still be visited today.

In class: (3+2) Iya, Talakmau, Maurai (cancelled incomplete 1941, scrapped), Kunyit, Imun (cancelled incomplete 1941, scrapped)

Built: 1937-1942

In commission: 1940-1962

Displacement: 35,200 ts standard, 38,820 ts full load

Dimensions: Length (o/a) 225.0m, length (w/l) 220.0m, beam 32.5m, draft (normal) 9.5m

Propulsion: 4-shaft, 4 x SKR geared turbines, 16 x HeV oil-fired boilers; 94,500 shp

Performance: 27.0 knots

Range: 12,000 nm at 12 knots

Armor: Belt 350mm tapering to 100mm ends, deck 145-120mm, main turrets 380-200mm, main barbettes 360mm, secondary turrets 50-25mm, torpedo bulkhead 30mm, forward conning tower 350mm, aft conning tower 50mm

Armament: 9 (3 x 3) NB 393mm/45 Mk IV, 16 (8 x 2) NB 114mm/45 Mk II; original AA battery: 8 x NB 75mm HA Mk VII; AA battery by January of 1945: 60 x NB 40mm AA Mk I (8 x 4, 14 x 2), 52 x NB 20mm AA Mk I (16 x 2, 20 x 1); 2-3 Royer V1R Meeuw scout floatplanes (replaced by 1944 by Royer V3R Albatros)

Sensors/Electronics: Type 273 surface-search radar, Type 277 air/surface search radar, Type 281 air-search radar, 2 x Type XX 5-meter fire control directors; 4 x Type AIII (license-built British HACS) AA fire control directors

Crew: 1,338-1,750

Bromo class battleships:

Design work on what would become the Bromo class began in mid 1937 initially as an upgraded follow-on to the Iya class. As intelligence out of Japan indicated they were building at least two super battleships with a battery of 410mm (16.1”) main guns, changes were demanded by the Admiralty intended to counter the Japanese ships.
This was of course the Yamato class which was being built under extreme secrecy and actually armed with 460mm (18.1”) guns – a fact that wasn’t confirmed until early in 1945 by naval recon aircraft, after the Nusantaran ships had already entered service.

Due to delays caused by design changes and lengthening the slipways at the Surabaya Navy Yard, construction on the lead ship, Bromo, didn’t begin until October of 1940. She was followed by four sisterships laid down over the next eight months.
Construction slowed dramatically after the outbreak of war in July of 1941 as materials and personnel were transferred to the Emergency Carrier Program, so the final two ships; Ranau and Marapi, were suspended in June of 1942 while construction of Bromo, Sibayak, and Ijen proceeded, albeit at a slower rate. Finally, in March of 1943, the decision was made to complete only the two ships furthest along, Bromo and Ijen, and scrap the remaining three, which were broken up on the slipways by Spring of 1944.

Bromo (B-24) commissioned in January of 1944, Ijen (B-26) a year later. Both ships saw limited action during the conflict, being used primarily as fast carrier escorts and for shore bombardment duties. One of the rare exceptions occurred in August of 1945 when a powerful task force centered on the Japanese super battleship Yamato attempted to intercept a Nusantaran amphibious assault group bound for the island of Okinawa.

As the bulk of Nusantara’s carriers were engaged in the on-going campaign to seize Formosa (Taiwan) from the Japanese, a force centered on the battleships Ijen and Kunyit was hurriedly assembled and deployed to intercept the Yamato. The result was one of the only battleship to battleship encounters of the war. As detailed under the entry for the Iya class, both Nusantaran ships were seriously damaged in the battle but still managed to cripple the Japanese giant, which had to be towed away from the area after the action was broken off.

Ijen was repaired over the next six months and re-entered service in February of 1946. Over the last seven months of the conflict both Bromos’ continued to carry out shore bombardments in support of Nusantaran Army and Marine landings. Their last major engagement was the July 1946 surprise raid on the Sasebo Naval District on the island of Kyushu. The two battleships and their cruiser escort evaded dwindling Japanese patrols and bombarded the District for over an hour before withdrawing causing heavy damage to the facility. This incident (along with increasingly devastating bomber raids on Japanese cities and industry) was later sited as one of the factors convincing the Japanese government to agree to a crease-fire.

Both ships continued on active duty postwar until placed in reserve in 1967. They were reactivated in 1976 during the South China Sea Crisis, conducting patrols in the disputed area during which they engaged enemy forces on several occasions. In 1977 Bromo assisted in rescuing survivors of the American guided missile battleship Nebraska after she was sunk by Soviet ships off Vietnam.

Returned to reserve in 1978, the two ships were briefly considered for conversion into either missile or aviation ships, but this fell through due to cost concerns. The pair were finally declared surplus and broken up between 1982 and 1984.

In class: (2+3) Bromo, Sibayak (cancelled incomplete 1943, scrapped), Ijen, Ranau, Marapi (both cancelled incomplete 1943, scrapped)

Built: 1940-1945

In commission: 1944-1978

Displacement: 52,990 ts standard, 57,690 ts full load

Dimensions: Length (o/a) 260.3m, length (w/l) 258.1m, beam 33.0m, draft (normal) 9.7m

Propulsion: 4-shaft, 4 x SKR geared turbines, 16 x HeV oil-fired boilers; 207,420 shp

Performance: 31.0 knots

Range: 12,000 nm at 12 knots

Armor: Belt 340mm (inclined 15 degrees) tapering to 100mm ends, deck 150-120mm, main turrets 400-250mm, main barbettes 380mm, secondary turrets 50-25mm, torpedo bulkhead 40mm, forward conning tower 400mm, aft conning tower 50mm

Armament: 12 (4 x 3) NB 393mm/45 Mk IV, 20 (10 x 2) NB 134mm/50 Mk I; AA battery by January of 1945: 64 x NB 40mm AA Mk I (12 x 4, 8 x 2), 60 x NB 20mm AA Mk I (16 x 2, 28 x 1); 2-3 Royer V3R Albatros

Sensors/Electronics: Type IV surface-search radar, Type VI air/surface search radar, Type III air-search radar, 2 x Type XXI 5-meter fire control directors; 4 x Type AIII AA fire control directors (all license-built UK units)

Crew: 1,809-2,353

Cheers!
Stealthjester

Sindoro class battlecruisers:

The Sindoro class was first proposed in August of 1935. Initially, little interest was shown by the Nusantaran Admiralty as the somewhat spotty record of battlecruisers during the Great War – along with their costs (nearly as much as battleships) – was cited by their critics in discrediting the type.

It was not until 1937 that serious consideration was given to building these ships. Japan had been keeping pace with Nusantaran heavy cruiser construction throughout the 20’s and 30’s, and in fact was posed to pass Nusantara with at least 16 heavy cruisers in service by 1941, compared to 11 for the KNM. The proposed battlecruisers were revived as “cruiser-killers” and a viable counter to the Japanese buildup. A total of six ships were proposed; three for the KNM and three funded by the Netherlands, with one built by Nusantara and the other two by Dutch yards.

The Sindoro class was authorized in late 1938, with construction beginning the following year. They were given priority and all three Nusantaran ships had been laid down by mid-1939. The fourth unit, named Van Oranje by the Dutch was laid down by Berlage en Prawiro early in 1940, about the same time construction of her sisterships; Gouden Leeuw, and Eendracht, had been started in the Netherlands. The German invasion of May, 1940, halted work on the Dutch ships, which were broken up on the slipways by the occupying forces sometime during 1943 (although some consideration had been given by the Germans to completing the ships for the Kriegsmarine, no work was apparently carried out). The three Nusantaran ships (plus the Van Oranje) were commissioned during 1942-43. Van Oranje operated with the KNM for only a few months before being turned over to the Dutch Navy in exile, which by then had replaced the British force based at Singapore after it was recalled back to the European Theater by the Royal Navy.

The three Nusantaran ships, meanwhile, saw intense action against the Japanese fleet in the Western Pacific from the onset of the conflict in July, 1941, and all three were lost; Sindoro in May, 1944, Sumbing in April, 1943, and Sorikmarapi in September, 1945. HMNLS Van Oranje survived the war and served in the postwar RNN until 1956.

Although they served as the basis of the follow-on Tandikat class, the Sindoros were not considered a completely successful design. Their 8,000 nautical mile range was lower than other Nusantaran capital ships limiting their operational flexibility and their relatively weak main battery (six 305mm guns in two triple turrets) proved to be inadequate for dealing with newer Japanese cruisers – particularly when outnumbered. Despite these shortcomings however, the ships were well built and proved to be excellent seaboats as well as very stable gun platforms. In keeping with the battlecruiser ideal of “outrunning anything they couldn’t outfight”, these ships were, along with the succeeding Tandikat class, the fastest Nusantaran capital ships ever built.

To date (2023), the only member of this class whose wreck site has been located is Sumbing. The battlecruiser was found in early 2019 at a depth of around 650 meters in the South China Sea. Broken in two aft the forward superstructure, the ship is otherwise mostly intact apart from the heavy damage she sustained at the time of her sinking. Sumbing has been classed as a war grave by the Nusantaran government and her precise location is kept secret to prevent illegal salvaging. The whereabouts of Sindoro and Sorikmarapi remain unknown as of this writing – although search efforts continue.

In class: (4+2) Nusantaran ships: Sindoro, Sumbing, Sorikmarapi, Dutch ships: Van Oranje (built by Nusantara), Gouden Leeuw, Eendracht (built by the Netherlands; neither complete at time of German invasion, scrapped on the slipways in 1943)

Built: 1939-1943

In commission: 1942-1945; Van Oranje 1943-1956

Displacement: 27,750 ts standard, 29,320 ts full load

Dimensions: Length (o/a) 241.2m, length (w/l) 237.2m, beam 30.9m, draft (normal) 7.8m

Propulsion: 4-shaft, 4 x SKR geared turbines, 12 x HeV oil-fired boilers; 192,400 shp

Performance: 34.0 knots

Range: 8,000 nm at 12 knots

Armor: Belt 190mm, deck 127-120mm, main turrets 210-110mm, main barbettes 200mm, secondary turrets 20-10mm, torpedo bulkhead 35mm, forward conning tower 120mm, aft conning tower 20mm

Armament: 6 (2 x 3) NB 305mm/56 Mk I, 12 (6 x 2) NB 114mm/45 Mk III; AA battery by January of 1945: 34 x NB 40mm AA Mk I (17 x 2), 38 x NB 20mm AA Mk I (38 x 1); 4-5 Royer V3R Albatros

Sensors/Electronics: Type IV surface-search radar, Type VI air/surface search radar, Type III air-search radar, 2 x Type XIX 5-meter fire control directors; 4 x Type AII AA fire control directors (all license-built UK units)

Crew: 1,100-1,430

Tandikat class battlecruisers:

The last “traditional” capital ships built by Nusantara, the Tandikat class were originally intended as follow-on to the Sindoro class. Changes in naval thinking and a reevaluation of the Imperial Japanese Navy (Nustanara’s likely opponent in the war clearly in the offing) resulted in a design, which while based on the earlier battlecruisers, were larger and better armed and armored.

Using the earlier design as a base, the Tandikats were built to the same high standard and proved just as seaworthy and durable as their predecessors. They were also nearly as fast, courtesy of the most powerful propulsion system of any Nusantaran vessels to date (although both classes had an official top speed of 34 knots, the Sindoros were slightly faster – particularly in light-ship or calm sea conditions).

Originally a class of six ships; five were laid down between 1942 and 1943. The sixth unit; Muria, was cancelled late in 1942 before she could be laid down in order to clear space for the Ijsvogel class of light carriers (Emergency Carrier Program Batch III) authorized two months earlier. The five ships completed entered service between 1944 and 1945 and were immediately deployed in independent patrol and carrier escort duties.

Unlike the Sindoros (two of which had been lost by the end of 1944), the Tandikats frequently encountered their Japanese counterparts, the Kurama “Super Type A” class cruisers. The two classes proved to be equally matched and one-on-one contests; although rare, were often draws. Even today, naval historians and “armchair admirals” continue to debate which ship was better.

Two members of this class; Talang and Kembar, were lost in the conflict, the former having the dubious distinction of being the last major Nusantaran warship sunk before the September, 1946, ceasefire.

The three surviving ships, with major refits in 1952-53 and 1971-72, continued to serve in the postwar fleet until 1983, when they were taken out of service for a major reconstruction. The after 305mm turret was removed and replaced by an SSR-20 Parhara (Tempest) anti-ship missile launcher, while the forward pair and aft single 134mm turrets were replaced by ALR-27 Sabel (Saber) anti-air launchers. In addition, a completely modern electronics suite (including sonar) was installed and the aft helipad expanded. After they re-commissioned in 1985 they served as the main element in specialized surface-action groups or as heavy escorts for Nusantaran aviation ships – duties very similar to their wartime service.

Retired from active duty by the end of 2002, these ships remain in reserve today and are subject to recall should circumstances warrant it.

In class: (5+1) Tandikat, Kaba, Talang, Kembar, Ungaran, Muria (cancelled 1942, not laid down)

Built: 1942-1945

In commission: 1944-1983; 1985-2002

Displacement: 31,920 ts standard, 33,950 ts full load

Dimensions: Length (o/a) 245.0m, length (w/l) 241.0m, beam 31.0m, draft (normal) 8.0m

Propulsion: 4-shaft, 4 x SKR geared turbines, 14 x HeV oil-fired boilers; 214,000 shp

Performance: 34.0 knots

Range: 10,000 nm at 12 knots

Armor: Belt 200mm, deck 130-120mm, main turrets 250-110mm, main barbettes 210mm, secondary turrets 20-10mm, torpedo bulkhead 35mm, forward conning tower 120mm, aft conning tower 20mm

Armament: 9 (3 x 3) NB 305mm/56 Mk I, 14 (7 x 2) NB 134mm/50 Mk I; AA battery by January of 1945: 52 x NB 40mm AA Mk I (11 x 4, 4 x 2), 42 x NB 20mm AA Mk I (42 x 1); 2-3 Royer V3R Albatros

Sensors/Electronics: Type IV surface-search radar, Type VI air/surface search radar, Type V air-search radar, Type III air-search radar, 2 x Type XIX 5-meter fire control directors; 4 x Type AII AA fire control directors (all license-built UK units)

Crew: 1,230-1,600

Cheers!
Stealthjester