What if

Hot Research Topics => Aircraft, Armor, Weapons and Ships by Topic => Topic started by: ysi_maniac on July 14, 2022, 08:04:20 PM

Title: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: ysi_maniac on July 14, 2022, 08:04:20 PM
Was this ever proposed? IMO it would be very convinient.

Why there is no one yet?
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriersca
Post by: jcf on July 14, 2022, 09:10:58 PM
Multi-hulls offer no advantage for large ships, and a multi-hull aircraft carrier would very possibly end
up being slower because of increased drag.
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: kerick on July 14, 2022, 10:14:20 PM
It's the drag between the different hulls that can cause a problem. Shallow draft sailboat and pontoon boats don't have so much of a problem. Plus their hulls are pretty far apart comparing draft, hull width and hull spacing compared to the Independence class LCS for example. Of cource the LCS is pretty fast.

Of course in whiff world...........
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: AeroplaneDriver on July 14, 2022, 11:35:50 PM
I remember this trimaran idea floating around in the late 90s when concept work started on what would become the Queen Elizabeth Class

Clearly it was a good idea because the world's navys rushed to adopt it. 

(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/5326/7MTCQE.jpg)
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Flyer on July 15, 2022, 03:02:58 AM
Don't really like the look of the floaty thing in the background, but the aircraft above it looks interesting and I'd like to do a search on it, what is it called please? Looks to have a little bit of F-16XL D.N.A...
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Flyer on July 15, 2022, 10:31:48 PM
Quote from: AeroplaneDriver on July 14, 2022, 11:35:50 PM
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/5326/7MTCQE.jpg)

Can anyone tell me what that aircraft is called? I'd really like to know.
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: AeroplaneDriver on July 15, 2022, 11:01:21 PM
Quote from: Flyer on July 15, 2022, 10:31:48 PM
Quote from: AeroplaneDriver on July 14, 2022, 11:35:50 PM
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/5326/7MTCQE.jpg)

Can anyone tell me what that aircraft is called? I'd really like to know.


It's the BAe Figment FG.1
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Flyer on July 15, 2022, 11:29:46 PM
Quote from: AeroplaneDriver on July 15, 2022, 11:01:21 PM
Quote from: Flyer on July 15, 2022, 10:31:48 PM
Quote from: AeroplaneDriver on July 14, 2022, 11:35:50 PM
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/5326/7MTCQE.jpg)

Can anyone tell me what that aircraft is called? I'd really like to know.


It's the BAe Figment FG.1

Thankyou, but got no search results with that.
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Flyer on July 15, 2022, 11:31:45 PM
Guess there is enough of an idea of it's shape and layout to go on with that picture. I'd really like to see a 3-view though...
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: AeroplaneDriver on July 15, 2022, 11:44:43 PM
It was never even a paper project. Just a cool painting in a very much "What If" proposal. More of a thought exercise than any real contender. Very cool looking jet though.
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Flyer on July 16, 2022, 12:36:01 AM
 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: rickshaw on July 16, 2022, 01:54:01 AM
Quote from: AeroplaneDriver on July 14, 2022, 11:35:50 PM
I remember this trimaran idea floating around in the late 90s when concept work started on what would become the Queen Elizabeth Class

Clearly it was a good idea because the world's navys rushed to adopt it. 

(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/5326/7MTCQE.jpg)

Catamans suffer from twisting movement between the hulls, so they are not great for aircraft carriers.  That particular carrier suffers from an extreme angles on it's flight deck, so extreme landing on would be a real chore.  I would care to try it, personally. :banghead:
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Steel Penguin on July 16, 2022, 02:10:04 AM
i think its more trying to get "rule of cool" points,  probably by some one who had no idea how things work....    the Dilbert fan in me shrugs and goe "marketing"

my problem is i keep reading the title of the thread and thinking,  how would a catamaran aircraft work???   the carrier can be just a normal ship,  but how does a catamaran aircraft work...  and normal double ups just dont fit the question / mental image
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Old Wombat on July 16, 2022, 03:37:08 AM
Not sure about catamaran aircraft, although I'm pretty sure they're a "thing";

(https://warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/S.55-X-016.jpg) (https://i.pinimg.com/736x/87/17/54/8717544884a2743219ccee0be5984f5b--marchetti-model-airplanes.jpg) (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/93/Savoia-Marchetti_S.66_take_off.jpg/1280px-Savoia-Marchetti_S.66_take_off.jpg)

But catamaran aircraft carriers are highly improbable because, for any given size of ship, you reduce your overall hangar space by at least 1/3 & the width of your hangars by at least 50%. The air wing would need to be comprised of fewer & smaller (thus less capable & shorter ranged) aircraft. To fit the same size & number of aircraft on a twin-hull ship would require a huge increase in the size of your carriers.

If you do go for a full-width hangar deck on your catamaran carrier, then you have to compensate for the greater mass by making the hulls bigger;
wider = more resistance reducing the speed or requiring larger engines;
deeper = more (though significantly less than above) resistance but much deeper, (further) limiting the harbours available to you for shelter, repairs, etc.
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: zenrat on July 16, 2022, 03:54:25 AM
If big catamarans offered any advantage wouldn't we already have big catamaran cruise ships, tankers, container ships, and floating gin palaces?
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: PR19_Kit on July 16, 2022, 04:26:14 AM
Quote from: rickshaw on July 16, 2022, 01:54:01 AM

  That particular carrier suffers from an extreme angles on it's flight deck, so extreme landing on would be a real chore. 


You'd have to be flying sideways to land-on if the ship had any speed on!  :o
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: PR19_Kit on July 16, 2022, 04:27:22 AM
Quote from: Old Wombat on July 16, 2022, 03:37:08 AM

Not sure about catamaran aircraft, although I'm pretty sure they're a "thing";

(https://warbirdsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/S.55-X-016.jpg) (https://i.pinimg.com/736x/87/17/54/8717544884a2743219ccee0be5984f5b--marchetti-model-airplanes.jpg) (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/93/Savoia-Marchetti_S.66_take_off.jpg/1280px-Savoia-Marchetti_S.66_take_off.jpg)



SM-55 and 66!  :wub:

Droooool!  ;D
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Steel Penguin on July 16, 2022, 06:27:08 AM
those work very well   :thumbsup:

thanks they do seem to fit the missing image in my minds eye. ;D
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: sandiego89 on July 16, 2022, 07:24:02 AM
Quote from: rickshaw on July 16, 2022, 01:54:01 AM


Catamans suffer from twisting movement between the hulls, so they are not great for aircraft carriers.....


Building it and maintenance would also be a huge problem.  Drydock/graving docks are hugely expensive to build and maintain and are often not available when you need one (ask the Russians), and there may only be one or two in the whole world that could fit a large catermeran type carrier (I am thinking of some of the large graving docks used for oil rigs, not sure even those are big enough).  Securing this dock for the several years required to build one and for periodic and emergency drydocking would be problematic.   
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: PR19_Kit on July 16, 2022, 07:37:46 AM
And it'd be a problem getting one through the Panama Canal if required. :(

The Suez may not be so much of a problem, so long as you could get past the 'parked' Chinese box boats anyway.....
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: ysi_maniac on July 16, 2022, 12:58:59 PM
This is what I mean. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: ;D

http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=363.msg199489#msg199489
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Joe C-P on July 16, 2022, 01:19:18 PM
That might work, though the air compliment seems minimal.  Maybe extend it with a plug, 30-50 meters, give it a few more aircraft?

There are models of those catamarans if you're interested in building it.

JoeP
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: seadude on July 30, 2022, 01:05:40 PM
What about this design? I like it!  :wub:
https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/stealth-aircraft-carrier-3d-model-1890618
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Tophe on July 30, 2022, 08:36:23 PM
Quote from: Steel Penguin on July 16, 2022, 02:10:04 AM
my problem is i keep reading the title of the thread and thinking,  how would a catamaran aircraft work???   the carrier can be just a normal ship,  but how does a catamaran aircraft work...  and normal double ups just dont fit the question / mental image
I wrote the (French) book "Catamarans du ciel" (catamarans in the sky) and it was published in 1994. It was not specifically about twin-hull flying boats (even if I know maybe 40 such families of projects) but about twin-boom aircraft saying they are for aircraft like what catamarans are for ships.
This book is now free to download inline at http://www.kristofmeunier.fr/CdC2.pdf  (but big: 6.6Mb)
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: Tophe on July 30, 2022, 08:48:03 PM
Quote from: Tophe on July 30, 2022, 08:36:23 PM
twin-hull flying boats
Here is a rather modern Twin-hull airliner (dream) like of the 1950s with 6 turboprop in the Pan-Am airways:
https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/85779567894741342/
Title: Re: Catamaran aircraft carriers
Post by: ysi_maniac on July 30, 2022, 10:22:23 PM
Beautiful :wub:
Thanks for posting :thumbsup: