RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
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RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
Hard to believe the only "modern" class of WW2 RN BBs has not been covered! Is it due to the much maligned 14" main guns??
While, IMO, they might be the "weakest" 3rd gen BB design they were far superior, overall, to any of the RN's modernized BBs/CBs. Based upon reading, their 14" guns were a good weapon ballistically even if inferior to USN 16"45s and 50s on WW2 BBs. The 5.25" dp mount was, I think, a weak point. The 4.5" as mounted in RENOWN, carriers etc would probably have been a more effective choice. Also, lumping them in 4 2 mount batteries....hhmmm? One bad hit and 1/4 of heavy AA could have been eliminated.
The 5 were the only 3rd gen BBs the RN would get during the war and they made good use of them.... Well, maybe not of PoW in late '41...
Specs:
"Class and type: King George V-class battleship
Displacement: 42,245 long tons (42,923 t) deep load
Length: 745 ft 1 in (227.1 m) (overall)
700 ft 1 in (213.4 m) (waterline)
Beam: 103 ft 2.5 in (31.5 m)
Draught: 33 ft 7.5 in (10.2 m)
Installed power: 110,000 shp (82,000 kW)
Propulsion: 8 Admiralty 3-drum small-tube boilers
4 sets Parsons geared turbines
Speed: 28.3 knots (52.4 km/h; 32.6 mph)
Range: 15,600 nmi (28,900 km; 18,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement: 1422 (1941)
Sensors and
processing systems: Type 281 air warning radar
Type 273 surface warning radar
Type 284 radar.
4 × Type 285 gunnery radar.
6 × Type 282 radar for "pom-pom" direction.
Armament: 10 × BL 14 in (360 mm) Mark VII guns
16 × QF 5.25 in (133 mm) Mk. I DP guns
64 × QF 2 pdr 40 mm (1.6 in) Mk.VIII AA guns
10 × 40-mm Bofors
36 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon AA guns (1945)
Armour: Main Belt: 14.7 inches (373 mm)
Lower belt: 5.4 inches (137 mm)
Deck: 4.88–5.88 inches (124–149 mm)
Main turrets: 12.75 inches (324 mm)
Barbettes: 12.75 inches (324 mm)
Bulkheads: 10–12 inches (254–305 mm)
Conning tower: 3–4 inches (76–102 mm).[2]
Aircraft carried: 4 × Supermarine Walrus seaplanes
Aviation facilities: 1 × double-ended catapult (removed early 1944)"
All scrapped 1957-58. Two units grace my little fleet: KGV and DUKE OF YORK.............DFO
While, IMO, they might be the "weakest" 3rd gen BB design they were far superior, overall, to any of the RN's modernized BBs/CBs. Based upon reading, their 14" guns were a good weapon ballistically even if inferior to USN 16"45s and 50s on WW2 BBs. The 5.25" dp mount was, I think, a weak point. The 4.5" as mounted in RENOWN, carriers etc would probably have been a more effective choice. Also, lumping them in 4 2 mount batteries....hhmmm? One bad hit and 1/4 of heavy AA could have been eliminated.
The 5 were the only 3rd gen BBs the RN would get during the war and they made good use of them.... Well, maybe not of PoW in late '41...
Specs:
"Class and type: King George V-class battleship
Displacement: 42,245 long tons (42,923 t) deep load
Length: 745 ft 1 in (227.1 m) (overall)
700 ft 1 in (213.4 m) (waterline)
Beam: 103 ft 2.5 in (31.5 m)
Draught: 33 ft 7.5 in (10.2 m)
Installed power: 110,000 shp (82,000 kW)
Propulsion: 8 Admiralty 3-drum small-tube boilers
4 sets Parsons geared turbines
Speed: 28.3 knots (52.4 km/h; 32.6 mph)
Range: 15,600 nmi (28,900 km; 18,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement: 1422 (1941)
Sensors and
processing systems: Type 281 air warning radar
Type 273 surface warning radar
Type 284 radar.
4 × Type 285 gunnery radar.
6 × Type 282 radar for "pom-pom" direction.
Armament: 10 × BL 14 in (360 mm) Mark VII guns
16 × QF 5.25 in (133 mm) Mk. I DP guns
64 × QF 2 pdr 40 mm (1.6 in) Mk.VIII AA guns
10 × 40-mm Bofors
36 × 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon AA guns (1945)
Armour: Main Belt: 14.7 inches (373 mm)
Lower belt: 5.4 inches (137 mm)
Deck: 4.88–5.88 inches (124–149 mm)
Main turrets: 12.75 inches (324 mm)
Barbettes: 12.75 inches (324 mm)
Bulkheads: 10–12 inches (254–305 mm)
Conning tower: 3–4 inches (76–102 mm).[2]
Aircraft carried: 4 × Supermarine Walrus seaplanes
Aviation facilities: 1 × double-ended catapult (removed early 1944)"
All scrapped 1957-58. Two units grace my little fleet: KGV and DUKE OF YORK.............DFO
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Re: RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
excellent pictures; I think that by the time the War had progressed BBs had moved from being a weapon of long range slugging to a material threat to avoid engaging but this era passed finally with the despatch of the Tirpitz and then the Japanese BBs. Tirpitz and Scharnhorst, not strictly a BB, kept half the Home Fleet tied up on a JIC basis without upping anchor. When Scharnhorst did get out it was the destroyers that slowed her enough for the DofY to come close enough to shoot.
At the beginning of Feb 1944 WSC was in Morocco recuperating from pneumonia after the Tehran conference. He became impatient and called for a BB to be sent to fetch him. KG5 duly went with 2 destroyers as escort, Ashanti (with my dad as No.1), and the Canadian Tribal Athabascan. coming back they ran head on into a force 10 NE gale. WSC demanded full speed so the poor destroyers beating out ahead took a terrible hammering. When they arrived back to Plymouth both required drydocking. Ashanti needed 60 feet of forward bottom-plating replaced and the stanchions supporting the focsle replacing. This gave 2 weeks leave to the ships company which is how my parents found time to be married on Valentines Day 1944!
Very Sadly AthaB was lost in the Channel a few months later.
Here is a painting by John Hamilton of this dash home.
if you watch this home made film by a junior Lt in Ashanti you will see KG5 and AthaB setting off on this journey (you can also see all my films if you fiddle aboutr with the link)
https://vimeo.com/154011412
At the beginning of Feb 1944 WSC was in Morocco recuperating from pneumonia after the Tehran conference. He became impatient and called for a BB to be sent to fetch him. KG5 duly went with 2 destroyers as escort, Ashanti (with my dad as No.1), and the Canadian Tribal Athabascan. coming back they ran head on into a force 10 NE gale. WSC demanded full speed so the poor destroyers beating out ahead took a terrible hammering. When they arrived back to Plymouth both required drydocking. Ashanti needed 60 feet of forward bottom-plating replaced and the stanchions supporting the focsle replacing. This gave 2 weeks leave to the ships company which is how my parents found time to be married on Valentines Day 1944!
Very Sadly AthaB was lost in the Channel a few months later.
Here is a painting by John Hamilton of this dash home.
if you watch this home made film by a junior Lt in Ashanti you will see KG5 and AthaB setting off on this journey (you can also see all my films if you fiddle aboutr with the link)
https://vimeo.com/154011412
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Re: RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
The 4 survivors served in the Pacific towards war's end in 1945. Australia became the main base that they staged out of and were maintained at.
At 28 knots they, like USNs' first 2 3rd gen BB classes, could not keep up with fast Fleet carriers when they ran full out. They did escort the RN CVs tho like the USN 3rd gen BBs did. Unlike the USN's fast BBs the KGVs did engage several times with their BIG GUNNZ!!! The BISMARCK chase and Battle of North Cape (SCHARNHORST) were the 2 most famous battles where their 14" were used with very good effect. Both the German BBs had somewhat heavier armor, but the 14" still proved effective with the few hits they did make.
Fairly handsome battle wagons and interesting due to the quad 14". Early on they were designed with 3 quad 14s, but tradeoffs had to be made due to the 35,000 ton Treaty limit. Therefore B turret became a twin 14". May, 1936 saw Admiralty Board approval of Design 14P which became the KGV class. The previous design, 14 O of March '36 still had 12-14". Apparently the new turrets, in particular the quad, had a fair amount of teething trouble, as brand new PRINCE OF WALES had during battle with BISMARCK. DFO
At 28 knots they, like USNs' first 2 3rd gen BB classes, could not keep up with fast Fleet carriers when they ran full out. They did escort the RN CVs tho like the USN 3rd gen BBs did. Unlike the USN's fast BBs the KGVs did engage several times with their BIG GUNNZ!!! The BISMARCK chase and Battle of North Cape (SCHARNHORST) were the 2 most famous battles where their 14" were used with very good effect. Both the German BBs had somewhat heavier armor, but the 14" still proved effective with the few hits they did make.
Fairly handsome battle wagons and interesting due to the quad 14". Early on they were designed with 3 quad 14s, but tradeoffs had to be made due to the 35,000 ton Treaty limit. Therefore B turret became a twin 14". May, 1936 saw Admiralty Board approval of Design 14P which became the KGV class. The previous design, 14 O of March '36 still had 12-14". Apparently the new turrets, in particular the quad, had a fair amount of teething trouble, as brand new PRINCE OF WALES had during battle with BISMARCK. DFO
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- jbryce1437
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Re: RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
The King George V class battleships were the most modern British battleships in commission during World War II.
Five ships of this class were built: HMS King George V (1940), HMS Prince of Wales (1941), HMS Duke of York (1941), HMS Howe (1942) and HMS Anson (1942).
Some photos (apologies for any duplications):
Anson
Duke of York
Howe
King George V
Prince of Wales
Five ships of this class were built: HMS King George V (1940), HMS Prince of Wales (1941), HMS Duke of York (1941), HMS Howe (1942) and HMS Anson (1942).
Some photos (apologies for any duplications):
Anson
Duke of York
Howe
King George V
Prince of Wales
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HMS Raleigh 1963 , HMS Collingwood 1963 & 67 , HMS Ark Royal 1964-7, HMS Undaunted 1968-71, HMS Victory (Fleet Maintenance Group) 1971-72, HMS Exmouth 1972-74
JEM, EM, OEM, LOEM, POOEL
Then 28 years in the Fire Brigade
Retired since 2002
JEM, EM, OEM, LOEM, POOEL
Then 28 years in the Fire Brigade
Retired since 2002
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Re: RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
Well, I guess we all should be able to spot a KGV on the darkest of nights, now!!! DFO
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Re: RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
brilliant collection, thanks VM
tim
tim
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Re: RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
King George V Class Battleship HMS Anson pictured at Sydney in 1945.
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Re: RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
King George V Class Battleship HMS Duke of York pictured as she departs Portland Harbour in 1946.
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Re: RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
King George V Class Battleship HMS Duke of York.
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Re: RN Battleships: King George V Class 1940
Divisions aboard King George V Class Battleship HMS Anson,June 28th 1942.
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