RN Battleships: Nelson Class

[Brian James]

Nelson Class Battleship HMS Rodney c1941.

[Brian James]

Regunning the BL MKI 16 inch barrels in A turret of Nelson Class Battleship HMS Rodney, Cammel Laird Shipyards, Birkenhead,Merseyside in February 1942

[Brian James]

Tot time..Nelson Class Battleship HMS Rodney c1939.

[Brian James]

Nelson Class Battleship HMS Rodney....She began the war in need of an overhaul. In November 1939, defects in her rudder required repairs in Liverpool. In early 1940 as a result of panting, leaking developed between watertight bulkheads 9 and 16. The crew effected temporary repairs by welding on a support beam. However, Rodney continued to suffer leaking due to defective riveting.No permanent repairs were carried out even after the leaking increased following two near misses from German bombs in April 1940.
During a gale in December 1940 she experienced heavy panting, and the beam added by the crew broke off. The two watertight compartments in the affected area flooded. The situation worsened as a result of a hole previously drilled into the watertight bulkhead by an officer to provide access for a hose connected to a portable pump. As a result of this hole, the flooding expanded into the platform deck. The gale also tore the watertight covers off the navel pipes which resulted in her cable-lockers flooding. The flooding extended into the torpedo tube compartments and drain tanks. Two bulkheads on the starboard side of Rodney also flooded.She underwent repairs at Rosyth from December 1940 to January 1941. A planned refit in the United States occurred in Boston following the action against Bismarck. Yet even after this refit, she continued to suffer from leakage and hull defects.The Admiralty drew up plans for a complete modernization in 1944, but these were never executed.
During the entire war, she steamed over 156,000 nmi (289,000 km) with no engine overhaul after 1942. Because of the frequent machinery problems, hull defects, and the fact that she had not been upgraded to the extent of her sister Nelson, starting in December 1944 she became the flagship of the Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow and rarely left her mooring. She was scrapped at Thos W Ward, Inverkeithing, starting on March 26th 1948.

[timlewin]

Scrapping; if you scan back to the first page of this thread there is an advert from Thos. Ward's yard from the Janes Fighting Ships of that period showing Nelson, Rodney and Revenge all in the breakers yard. Sad picture.

[designeraccd]

Two very nice waterline pics of RODNEY at the 1937 Coronation Review. If you look closely you can just see the MARAT off her bow in the stern view....... DFO

[Brian James]

Sailors hard at work sanding the boat's boom on Nelson Class Battleship HMS Rodney,Lead Ship,Battlecruiser HMS Renown in the background...1940

[Pelican]

Rodney's Wulrus, date unknown, please remove if already posted.

[designeraccd]

Some closeup, detail views on board RODNEY......... DFO

[Brian James]

Lead Ship,Battleship HMS Nelson seen in 1937.