Lightning in the Night timeline

[lordroel]

Lightning in the night timeline United States Aircraft Carriers

In the Lightning in the night book eight United States Aircraft carriers are mention to serve in the United States Pacific Fleet. Twelve Essex-class aircraft carriers were under construction at the time of the publishing of the timeline (august 24th to November 1940) and most likely serve with their originally assigned names. It is also mention that there are 5 United States aircraft carriers serving with the United States Atlantic Squadron. This means that there are nineteen United States Aircraft carriers in service, fourteen with the United States Pacific Fleet and five with the United States Navy Atlantic Squadron at the eve of the war on Augusts 1st 1945.

Lexington-class aircraft carrier

USS Lexington, mention in the book to serve with the United States Pacific Fleet.

USS Saratoga, mention in the book to serve with the United States Pacific Fleet.

Ranger-class aircraft carrier

USS Ranger, not mention in the book but most probably serves with the Atlantic Squadron.

Yorktown-class aircraft carrier

USS Yorktown, mention in the book to serve with the United States Pacific Fleet.

USS Enterprise, mention in the book to serve with the United States Pacific Fleet.

USS Hornet, mention in the book to serve with the United States Pacific Fleet.

Wasp-class aircraft carrier

USS Wasp, mention in the book to serve with the United States Pacific Fleet.

Essex-class aircraft carrier

USS Essex
USS Bon Homme Richard
USS Intrepid
USS Kearsarge
USS Franklin
USS Hancock
USS Randolph
USS Cabot
USS Bunker Hill
USS Oriskany
USS Ticonderoga
USS Bennington

[lordroel]

Lightning in the night timeline United States Navy Cruisers

It is not known how many light, heavy or large cruisers are in service with the United States Navy on the eve of war on Augusts 1st 1945 but those light, heavy and large cruisers under construction at the time of the writing of the Lightning in the night book (august 24th to November 1940) and what I assume are built under the large naval expansion during the 1940 to 1945 period are in service. I also assumed that the United States Navy of the Lightning in the night timeline has a large number of light cruisers in service to counter the Japanese Imperial Navy and the United Greater German Reich Kriegsmarine light cruisers.

Large cruiser

Alaska-class large cruiser

USS Alaska
USS Guam
USS Hawaii
USS Philippines
USS Puerto Rico, still under conduction as of Augusts 1st 1945.
USS Samoa , still under conduction as of Augusts 1st 1945.

Heavy Cruisers

Baltimore-class heavy cruisers

USS Baltimore
USS Boston
USS Canberra
USS Quincy
USS Pittsburgh
USS Saint Paul
USS Columbus
USS Helena

Wichita-class heavy cruisers

USS Wichita

New Orleans-class heavy cruisers

USS New Orleans
USS Astoria
USS Minneapolis
USS Tuscaloosa
USS San Francisco
USS Quincy
USS Vincennes

Portland-class heavy cruisers

USS Portland
USS Indianapolis

Northampton-class heavy cruisers

USS Northampton
USS Chester
USS Louisville
USS Chicago
USS Houston
USS Augusta

Pensacola-class heavy cruisers

USS Pensacola
USS Salt Lake City

Light cruisers

Cleveland-class light cruisers

USS Cleveland
USS Columbia
USS Montpelier
USS Denver
USS Amsterdam
USS Santa Fe
USS Tallahassee
USS Birmingham
USS Mobile
USS Vincennes
USS Pasadena
USS Springfield

Atlanta-class light cruisers

USS Atlanta
USS Juneau
USS San Diego
USS San Juan
USS Oakland

St. Louis-class light cruisers

USS St. Louis
USS Helena

Brooklyn-class light cruisers

USS Brooklyn
USS Philadelphia
USS Savannah
USS Nashville
USS Phoenix
USS Boise
USS Honolulu

Omaha-class light cruisers

USS Omaha
USS Milwaukee
USS Cincinnati
USS Raleigh
USS Detroit
USS Richmond
USS Concord
USS Trenton
USS Marblehead
USS Memphis

[lordroel]

Lightning in the night timeline United States Navy battleships

It is mention in Lightning in the night book that the United States Navy by the eve of war with the Germans on Augusts 1st 1945, they have 35 battleships in service, of them only 12 are named with the rest not.This is my assumption of the remainder of them using what was being built in 1940 at the time of the writing on the book and what was planned to be built like the canceled Montana-class battleships.

Florida-class battleship

USS Utah, mention in the book.

Wyoming-class battleship

USS Wyoming, mention in the book.
USS Arkansas, mention in the book.

New York-class battleship

USS New York, mention in the book.
USS Texas

Nevada-class battleship

USS Nevada
USS Oklahoma

Pennsylvania-class battleship

USS Pennsylvania
USS Arizona

New Mexico-class battleship

USS New Mexico
USS Mississippi
USS Idaho

Tennessee-class battleship

USS Tennessee
USS California

Colorado class battleship

USS Colorado, mention in the book.
USS Maryland
USS West Virginia

North Carolina-class battleship

USS North Carolina
USS Washington

South Dakota-class battleship

USS South Dakota
USS Indiana
USS Massachusetts, mention in the book.
USS Alabama

Iowa-class battleship

USS Iowa, mention in the book.
USS New Jersey, mention in the book.
USS Missouri, mention in the book.
USS Wisconsin
USS Illinois
USS Kentucky

Virginia-class battleship

USS Virginia, mention in the book to be of 40,000 ton and completed between 1944 and 1945.

Montana-class battleship

USS Montana, mention in the book.
USS Ohio, mention in the book.
USS Maine, mention in the book.
USS New Hampshire
USS Louisiana

[lordroel]

Lightning in the night timeline Republic of Canada Navy Destroyers and Corvettes

As the Republic of Canada Navy was only mention once in the Lightning in the night book, this is my attempt in what the Republic of Canada Navy Destroyers and Corvettes fleet could look like on the eve of war on Augusts 1st 1945.

The Republic of Canada Navy has three destroyers classes in service the first which is the River-class destroyer who were purchased from the British Royal Navy for the then Royal Canadian Navy, the second destroyer class in service are the 25 Town-class destroyers provided by the United States of America to the Republic of Canada Navy and the last class of destroyers are 6 Huron-class destroyers who are based on the United States Navy Gleaves-class destroyers, this in total gives them 31 destroyers of which the majority serves on the Atlantic coast.

The Corvettes in use with the Republic of Canada Navy are based on the Canadian flower class corvette a British design which with the surrendering of the United kingdom on September 17th 1940 to the Third Reich continued to be produced by the Republic of Canada for its navy as the Canadian flower-class corvette. More than 70 have been built between the period of 1940 to 1945 for the Republic of Canada Navy and 20 for the United States Navy where they are known as Action-class patrol gunboats.

Together with the 10 River-class destroyers, 25 Town-class destroyers and 6 Huron-class destroyers, the more than 70 Canadian flower-class corvettes provide the majority of the Republic of Canada Navy surface fleet and are divided between the Pacific and Atlantic coast.

Destroyer

Canadian River-class destroyer

The River-class is a class of 10 destroyers that are in service with the Republic of Canada Navy (previous known as the Royal Canadian Navy). They are named after Canadian rivers.

RCS Saguenay
RCS Skeena
RCS Assiniboine
RCS Crescent
RCS Fraser
RCS Margaree
RCS Ottawa
RCS Restigouche
RCS St. Laurent
RCS Saskatchewan

Canadian Town-class destroyer

The Canadian Town-class destroyer where transferred by the United States of America to the Republic of Canada in November 2nd 1940. In exchange of this transfer the United States Armed Forces is allowed to use air fields and naval bases in use by the Republic of Canada Armed Forces in exchange for the 25 destroyers.

RCS Annapolis
RCS Buxton
RCS Columbia
RCS Hamilton
RCS Niagara
RCS St Clair
RCS St Croix
RCS St Francis
RCS Chelsea
RCS Georgetown
RCS Leamington
RCS Lincoln
RCS Mansfield
RCS Montgomery
RCS Richmond
RCS Salisbury
RCS Bath
RCS Belmont
RCS Beverley
RCS Bradford
RCS Brighton
RCS Broadwater
RCS Broadway
RCS Burnham
RCS Burwell

Huron-class destroyers

The Huron-class destroyers is a Canadian class destroyer build by the Republic of Canada, which is based on the United States Navy Gleaves-class destroyers. They were produced between 1943 and 1944.

RCS Huron
RCS Athabaskan
RCS Cayuga
RCS Nookta
RCS Haida
RCS Iroquois

Corvettes

Canadian flower-class corvette

RCS Vancouver
RCS Agassiz
RCS Alberni
RCS Algoma
RCS Amherst
RCS Arvida
RCS Baddeck
RCS Barrie
RCS Battleford
RCS Brampton
RCS Brandon
RCS Brantford
RCS Buctouche
RCS Calgary
RCS Camrose
RCS Chambly
RCS Charlottetown
RCS Chicoutimi
RCS Chilliwack
RCS Cobalt
RCS Collingwood
RCS Dauphin
RCS Dawson
RCS Drumheller
RCS Dundas
RCS Dunvegan
RCS Edmundston
RCS Fredericton
RCS Galt
RCS Halifax
RCS Ingersoll
RCS Kamloops
RCS Kamsack
RCS Kenogami
RCS Kitchener
RCS La Malbaie
RCS Lethbridge
RCS Levis
RCS Listowel
RCS Louisburg
RCS Lunenburg
RCS Matapedia
RCS Mayflower
RCS Meaford
RCS Midland
RCS Moncton
RCS Moosejaw
RCS Morden
RCS Nanaimo
RCS Napanee
RCS New Westminster
RCS Oakville
RCS Orillia
RCS Pictou
RCS Port Arthur
RCS Prescott
RCS Quesnel
RCS Regina
RCS Renfrew
RCS Rimouski
RCS Rosthern
RCS Sackville
RCS Saskatoon
RCS Shawinigan
RCS Shediac
RCS Sherbrooke
RCS Simcoe
RCS Snowberry
RCS Sorel
RCS Spikenard
RCS Sudbury

[lordroel]

Lightning in the Night timeline Tanks of the United states Army

It is mention in the Lightning in the night book what kind of medium tanks are in service with the United States Army. This is my attempt in what the United States Army Tanks could look like on the eve of war on Augusts 1st 1945 using the information provided in the book, what was in service at the time of the writing of the book and my own assumption.

Light Tanks

Light Tank M2

The Light Tank M2 is a light tank that is operated by the United States Army on the eve of war on Augusts 1st 1945 with the latest version being the M2A5 which is a 10-ton light who production began in 1943 and is armed whit a 37 mm gun and a modified version of the Light Tank M2A4.

M2A1 (1935)

50 MG in a single turret. 10 units were produced.

M2A2 (1935)

Twin turrets. 239 units produced.

M2A3 (1938)

Twin turrets, Thicker armor, improved suspension. 72 units produced.

M2A4 (1940)

Single turret with 37mm gun. Thicker armor. 375 units produced.

M2A5 (1943)

10 ton version with single turret with 37 mm gun. 914 produced as of Augusts 1st 1945.

Medium Tanks

Medium Tank M2

The Medium Tank M2 was a United States Army tank that was produced in 1939 to 1940 with only 112 M2s produced. Events in Europe rapidly demonstrated that the M2 was obsolete and it was replaced in production by the Medium Tank M3 a year later in 1941.

M2A1 (1940)

Thicker armor and new vertical-walled turret, only 94 build.

Medium Tank M3

The United States Army in need of a good tank and replacement for the Medium Tank M2 began in 1941 with production of the Medium Tank M3 who is armed whit a 75 mm gun in an offset sponson mounted in the hull and a small turret with a lighter, high-velocity 37 mm gun mounted in the hull.

M3A1 (1941)

Riveted hull, high profile turret, gasoline engine. 300 built.

M3A2 (1941)

Cast (rounded) upper hull. Only 12 vehicles produced.

M3A3 (1944)

Welded (sharp edged) hull. 2,724 produced as of August 1st 1945.

[lordroel]

Republic of Canada Army Tanks

It’s never mention in the Lightning in the night book what kind of tanks are in service with the Republic of Canada Army. However I assume that the Republic of Canada Army fields tanks based on United States deigns or British designs. This is my attempt in what the Republic of Canada Army Tanks could look like on the eve of war on Augusts 1st 1945, what was in service at the time of the writing of the book and my own assumption.

Tank, Infantry, Grizzly

With the United Kingdom having surrendered to the Third Reich on September 16th 1940 the Canadians where left own their own. Having two Tank, Infantry, Mk III, Valentines in possession who were used for training, the Canadian General Staff requested CPR Angus Shops in Montreal to produce a Canadian version of the Mk III. This resulted after modifications to the Mk III design in the Tank, Infantry, Grizzly which production began in 1943.

Tank, Infantry, Mk I, "Grizzly I" (1943)

Canadian-built version of the Tank, Infantry, Mk III, "Valentine". Initially known as Tank, Infantry Mark I It used some Canadian and American mechanical parts and a GMC diesel engine.

Tank, Infantry, Mk II, "Grizzly II" (late 1943)

Second version, essentially the Mk I with internal changes and a No. 19 Wireless replaced the No. 11 radio set. Also the 7.92 mm Besa coaxial machinegun, replaced by a 0.30 inch Browning coaxial machinegun.

Tank, Infantry, Mk III, "Grizzly III" (1944)

Turret modification to take 6 pounder gun instead of the 2 pounder gun, this meant the loss of the coaxial machine gun.

Tank, Infantry, Mk IV, "Grizzly IV" (Late 1944)

A new turret design so that a 0.30 inch Browning coaxial machinegun could be mounted again. Welded construction. Together with the Bison Mk II its forms the main tank force with the Republic of Canada Army on the eve of war on Augusts 1st 1945.

Tank, Cruiser Bison

The United States Tank Mission, in collaboration with the Canadian General Staff, designed a modified United States Medium Tank M3 which would become the Bison. The Bison uses standard M3 mechanical components, with a Canadian designed hull and cast turret.

Tank, Cruiser, Mk I "Bison I" (1941)

Equipped with Canadian produced Ordnance QF 2-pounder gun instead of 75 mm gun used by the Americans.

Tank, Cruiser, Mk II "Bison II" (1943)

Version with 6 pounder gun instead of the 2 pounder gun.

[lordroel]

Lightning in the night timeline Soviet submarines

It is mention in the Lightning in the night book that the soviet Navy operates some 150 submarines, more than any nation at the beginning of the war on Augusts 1st 1945. Using the submarines that were already in service ore where build at the time of the writing of the Lightning in the night book and my own assumption, I have tried to create this list of the Soviet Navy submarines.

Cruiser submarines

K-class submarine (Serie XIV)

K-1
K-2
K-3
K-21
K-22
K-23
K-51
K-52
K-53
K-54
K-55
K-56

Dekabrist-class submarine (Serie I)

Dekabrist
Narodovolets
Krasnogvardyeyets
Revolutsioner
Spartakovets
Yakobinets

Medium submarines

S class submarine (Serie IX)

S-1
S-2
S-3
S-4
S-5
S-6
S-7
S-8
S-9
S-10
S-11
S-12
S-13
S-14 ·
S-15
S-16
S-17
S-18
S-19
S-20

Shchuka-class submarine (Series III, V and X)

Shch-101
Shch-102
Shch-103
Shch-104
Shch-105
Shch-106
Shch-107
Shch-108
Shch-109
Shch-110
Shch-111
Shch-112
Shch-113
Shch-114
Shch-115
Shch-116
Shch-117
Shch-118
Shch-119
Shch-120
Shch-121
Shch-122
Shch-123
Shch-124
Shch-125
Shch-126
Shch-127
Shch-128
Shch-129
Shch-130
Shch-131
Shch-132
Shch-133
Shch-134
Shch-135
Shch-136
Shch-137
Shch-138
Shch-139
Shch-201
Shch-202
Shch-203
Shch-204
Shch-205
Shch-206
Shch-207
Shch-208
Shch-209
Shch-210
Shch-211
Shch-212
Shch-213
Shch-214
Shch-215
Shch-216
Shch-301
Shch-302
Shch-303
Shch-304
Shch-305
Shch-306
Shch-307
Shch-308
Shch-309
Shch-310
Shch-311
Shch-315
Shch-317
Shch-318
Shch-319
Shch-320
Shch-322
Shch-323
Shch-324
Shch-401
Shch-402
Shch-403
Shch-404
Shch-405
Shch-406
Shch-407
Shch-408
Shch-411
Shch-413
Shch-414
Shch-421
Shch-422

Pravda-class submarine (Serie IV)

Pravda
Zvezda
Iskra

Mine laying submarines

Leninets-class submarine (Series II, IX and XIII)

Leninets
Stalinets
Frunzenets
Garibaldets
Chartist
Carbonari
Voroshilovets
Dzerzhinets
Kirovets
Menzhinets
Sverdlovets
Molotovets

[steffen]

Hi,

shouldn´t the USN have 9 more Cleveland-CLs, because OTL they build the Independence-CVL from "prepared" Cleveland-class-designs?

For me this is a hint that the USN for sure would at last have these 9 CLs MORE, but no CVL.
Or maybe even more CL?
It seems to me the USN build a lot CLs with 12x6" as the main armament....


Also, with the german "Z-Plan" there should be at last 200 german submarines... so the 150 russian ones couldn´t be the "largest submarine force of the world in 1945"... 

[lordroel]

Apr 16, 2018 14:21:55 GMT steffen said:

Hi,

shouldn´t the USN have 9 more Cleveland-CLs, because OTL they build the Independence-CVL from "prepared" Cleveland-class-designs?

For me this is a hint that the USN for sure would at last have these 9 CLs MORE, but no CVL.
Or maybe even more CL?
It seems to me the USN build a lot CLs with 12x6" as the main armament....

Well i based the ships on what was planned ore where under construction before November 1940, this would mean only Cleveland and Columbia would be under construction, i do not know if there where the 27 cruisers to be build under the Two-Ocean Navy Act where all Clevelands.

 

Apr 16, 2018 14:21:55 GMT steffen said:

Also, with the german "Z-Plan" there should be at last 200 german submarines... so the 150 russian ones couldn´t be the "largest submarine force of the world in 1945"... 

Thanks for replaying to my most favorite timeline i have ever created, second to the A History of the American-Japanese Campaign of 1931-1933 thread.

It is mention in the book that the Soviet Union has more than 150, more than any other country, but then again it is what the Americans now of.

[steffen]

Apr 16, 2018 14:39:51 GMT lordroel said:

Apr 16, 2018 14:21:55 GMT steffen said:

Hi,

shouldn´t the USN have 9 more Cleveland-CLs, because OTL they build the Independence-CVL from "prepared" Cleveland-class-designs?

For me this is a hint that the USN for sure would at last have these 9 CLs MORE, but no CVL.
Or maybe even more CL?
It seems to me the USN build a lot CLs with 12x6" as the main armament....

Well i based the ships on what was planned ore where under construction before November 1940, this would mean only Cleveland and Columbia would be under construction, i do not know if there where the 27 cruisers to be build under the Two-Ocean Navy Act where all Clevelands.

 

Apr 16, 2018 14:21:55 GMT steffen said:

Also, with the german "Z-Plan" there should be at last 200 german submarines... so the 150 russian ones couldn´t be the "largest submarine force of the world in 1945"... 

Thanks for replaying to my most favorite timeline i have ever created, second to the A History of the American-Japanese Campaign of 1931-1933 thread.

It is mention in the book that the Soviet Union has more than 150, more than any other country, but then again it is what the Americans now of.

Well, i can´t see the USN not building as many CLs as OTL, propably even more.. because with no carrier battles and lots of Essex-Class_Carriers been build, they will build lots and lots of CLs to give adequate AA fire but also enough 6"-barrels to protect em.


So remove all these (usefull) CVE and use the money to build even more CLs (27 Clevelands, 10-20 Fargos, but again i think the lessons learned the hard way in WW2 cannot be replaced, so more mistakes and failures will not be cleared out... 

The weakness of that scenario is how the war is avoided till 1945?

[lordroel]

Apr 16, 2018 15:34:55 GMT steffen said:

So remove all these (usefull) CVE and use the money to build even more CLs (27 Clevelands, 10-20 Fargos, but again i think the lessons learned the hard way in WW2 cannot be replaced, so more mistakes and failures will not be

The weakness of that scenario is how the war is avoided till 1945?

I might see the 27 light cruisers being build as part of the Two-Ocean Navy Act being Clevelands, but about the 10-20 Fargos being build i have to think about.

[lordroel]

Found some nice YouTube clips regarding the Louisiana Maneuvers mention in the timeline.

[lordroel]

Republic of Australian-New Zeeland tanks

It’s never mention in the Lightning in the night book what kind of tanks are in service with the Republic of Australian-New Zeeland Army. This is my attempt in what the Republic of Australian-New Zeeland Army Tanks could look like on the eve of war on Augusts 1st 1945, what was in service at the time of the writing of the book and my own assumption.

Cruiser tank Mark I (AC1) "Sentinel I"(1942)

Manufactured by the New South Wales Railway Company, the Sentinel I entered into service with the Australian-New Zeeland Armoured Corps from February 26th 1942 onwards where it became the first tank to be designed and build in the Republic of Australian-New Zeeland. Armed with a 2-pounder anti-tank gun, a crew of four and a top speed of 48 km per hour, the Sentinel I remained the first locally produced tank to enter into service with the Australian-New Zeeland Armoured Corps until the arrival of the Cruiser tank Mark II (AC2) "Sentinel II" in 1943.

Cruiser tank Mark II (AC2) "Sentinel II" (1943)

The Sentinel Cruiser tank Mark II (AC2) "Sentinel II", armed with a 6 pounder anti-tank gun instead of the 2 pounder anti-tank gun used by the Sentinel Mk I was after only a development time of a year handed over to the Australian-New Zeeland Armoured Corps replacing the Cruiser tank Mark I (AC1) "Sentinel I" in production.

Cruiser tank Mark III (AC3) "Centurion I"(1944)

The Cruiser tank Mark III (AC3) "Centurion I" equipped with a 17 pounder anti-tank gun instead of the 6 pounder anti-tank gun previous used by the Sentinel Cruiser tank Mark II (AC2) "Sentinel II" went into production on September 12th 1944.

[lordroel]

Using my right as Admin here, it seems Lightning in the Night finally has a Wikipedia article: Lightning in the Night