Cat Class

## Design

The Cat class or Lulu class frigates are light warships of the Navy of Tokkaido.
Designed initially in 1900 and iterated on for three years under Project 2 phase 02 block F (202-F) the Cat class frigates were designed from the initially rejected 201-FX design which was rejected as unsuitable, however it's small size, decent speed and with a hull strong enough to take a 100mm thick armored belt appealed to the design board and it's basic design was reworked.

202-F went through many revisions eventually settling on a 45m long 7m wide hull with two 102mm guns mounted fore and aft. In 1903 the advent of the steam Turbine in warships and Tokkaido developing their own small turbine that was capable of powering the ships.

## Ship type designation

Tokkaido classifies the Cat and Blossom Class both as Frigates. There was much argument in 1902-03 about what to define the ships as, many opted for calling them patrol gunboats but as the ships grew beyond 30 meters in length and gained a second and third gun the term gunboat didn't really seem to fit. When compared to other similar ship types some noted similarities to the faster and weaker hulled Torpedo Boat Destroyers and more recent Destroyers, however critics argued that the ship's were not designed to hunt torpedo boats and were too general purpose as patrol vessels to really be called Destroyers. And as was noted, they lacked the characteristics of them, being similar instead to second line frigates and corvettes of the age of sail. Due in part to their extreme range, small size and formidable armament for their size, it was decided that Tokkaido would call any warship larger than a Sloop or Patrol Ship and smaller than a Cruiser built for general service by the term Frigate. The usage in other countries hasn't really caught on but the Cat class has been ordered in a Destroyer configuration with less range, no ice resistant bow and a larger powerplant.

Cat Class, Tokkaido Frigate laid down 1904

Displacement:
 536 t light; 557 t standard; 699 t normal; 813 t full load

Dimensions: Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep)
 (153.56 ft / 147.64 ft) x 22.97 ft x (13.12 / 14.81 ft)
 (46.81 m / 45.00 m) x 7.00 m x (4.00 / 4.51 m)

Armament:

```
     2 - 4.02" / 102 mm 45.0 cal guns - 32.65lbs / 14.81kg shells, 150 per gun

```

 Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1900 Model
 1 x Single mount on centreline, forward deck forward
 1 x Single mount on centreline, aft deck aft

```
     2 - 1.97" / 50.0 mm 30.0 cal guns - 3.53lbs / 1.60kg shells, 300 per gun

```

 Quick firing guns in deck mounts, 1900 Model
 2 x 2-gun mounts on sides, aft deck forward

```
     4 - 0.26" / 6.5 mm 45.0 cal guns - 0.01lbs / 0.00kg shells, 2,000 per gun

```

 Machine guns in deck mounts, 1904 Model
 2 x 2-gun mounts on sides, aft deck forward

```
     Weight of broadside 72 lbs / 33 kg
     Main Torpedoes
     2 - 17.7" / 450 mm, 14.76 ft / 4.50 m torpedoes - 0.611 t each, 1.222 t total

```

 In 1 sets of deck mounted carriage/fixed tubes

Armour:

```
  - Gun armour:	Face (max)	Other gunhouse (avg)	Barbette/hoist (max)

```

 Main: 0.79" / 20 mm - -
 2nd: 0.79" / 20 mm - -

```
  - Armoured deck - single deck:

```

 For and Aft decks: 1.57" / 40 mm
 Forecastle: 1.57" / 40 mm Quarter deck: 1.57" / 40 mm

```
  - Conning towers: Forward 1.97" / 50 mm, Aft 0.00" / 0 mm

```

Machinery:
 Coal fired boilers, steam turbines,
 Direct drive, 2 shafts, 1,938 shp / 1,445 Kw = 16.00 kts
 Range 4,000nm at 10.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 256 tons (100% coal)

Complement:
 67 - 88

Cost:
 £0.049 million / $0.197 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 14 tons, 2.0 %
 - Guns: 13 tons, 1.8 %
 - Weapons: 2 tons, 0.2 %
 Armour: 80 tons, 11.5 %
 - Armament: 7 tons, 1.1 %
 - Armour Deck: 69 tons, 9.9 %
 - Conning Tower: 3 tons, 0.5 %
 Machinery: 194 tons, 27.7 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 233 tons, 33.4 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 163 tons, 23.3 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 14 tons, 2.0 %
 - Hull below water: 5 tons
 - Hull above water: 5 tons
 - On freeboard deck: 2 tons
 - Above deck: 2 tons

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
 831 lbs / 377 Kg = 25.7 x 4.0 " / 102 mm shells or 1.0 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.26
 Metacentric height 0.8 ft / 0.3 m
 Roll period: 10.5 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 100 %
 - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.27
 Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.99

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has raised forecastle,
 a normal bow and a cruiser stern
 Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.550 / 0.567
 Length to Beam Ratio: 6.43 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 12.15 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 63 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 15.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: 1.97 ft / 0.60 m
 Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length):
 Fore end, Aft end
 - Forecastle: 20.00 %, 14.76 ft / 4.50 m, 12.80 ft / 3.90 m
 - Forward deck: 30.00 %, 12.14 ft / 3.70 m, 10.93 ft / 3.33 m
 - Aft deck: 35.00 %, 10.93 ft / 3.33 m, 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
 - Quarter deck: 15.00 %, 9.84 ft / 3.00 m, 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
 - Average freeboard: 11.29 ft / 3.44 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 97.1 %
 - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 72.1 %
 Waterplane Area: 2,366 Square feet or 220 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 136 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 44 lbs/sq ft or 213 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
 - Cross-sectional: 1.03
 - Longitudinal: 11.80
 - Overall: 1.31
 Adequate machinery, storage, compartmentation space
 Cramped accommodation and workspace room
 Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
 Excellent seaboat, comfortable, can fire her guns in the heaviest weather

Above Deck weight is the antenna mast for a wireless set
Deck weight is wireless equipment as well as extra rescue equipment
Spare supplies for rescue and search are included in hull storage.
Additional Balast is included below water.
Hull shape is an Ice Resistant Hull, Hull sides strengthend to resist ice and rounded to push the ship up when trapped.