| Vanguard class
Battleship |
This page thanks to Bruce T. Swain.
| Specifications |
| Name |
Completed |
Builder |
Details |
| Vanguard |
25
April 1946 |
John
Brown |
Paid of
March 1956; scrapped at Faslane from 1960 |
 |
| 1:600 side profile
of Vanguard, © Andrew Arthur |
Early in 1939 it was suggested that a new
battleship might be built to utilize four spare twin 15"
mountings originally manufactured for Courageous and Glorious
during World War I. From this suggestion a design of a 40,000-ton
battleship was produced, in which the weight saved by
incorporating a comparatively light main armament was used to
provide a speed of 30 knots. It was intended that the new ship
should form the nucleus for a Far East Fleet, where her high
speed and armament would be a match for Japanese warships.
It was hoped that she would complete in 1944, but with the
shipbuilding industry already overloaded this proved impossible.
She was completed too late to be of any practical use, and became
known as the only British battleship never to fire her guns in
anger.
After various duties as flagship, training ship and "royal
yacht", she was decommissioned after only 10 years’
service.
| Photos of
Vanguard class Battleship |
 |
Vanguard seen in her last
commision prior to scrapping. Note sweping bow form
not known before on an RN battleship. |
| Dimensions |
| Standard
Displacement |
44,500 tons |
Length |
799’11" |
| Full Displacement |
51,420 tons |
Beam |
108’ |
| Load |
tons |
Draught |
30’3" |
| Performance
& Propulsion |
| Range |
14,000nm @ 15 knots,
10,360nm @ 20 knots |
Speed |
29.5 knots |
| Propulsion |
8 x
Admiralty 3-drum boilers; 4 x Parsons geared turbines @
130,000 hp |
| Armament,
Armour & Complement |
| Complement |
1600 peace, 2000 war |
| Armament |
- Gun
- 4 x 2 x 15"/42-cal
- 8 x 2 x 5.25" DP
- 10 x 6 x 40mm Mk.VI AA
- 1 x 2 x 40mm AA
- 11 x 1 x 40mm AA
|
Armour |
- 16"
Belt
- 15" Turrets
- 13"-11" Barbettes
- 6"-5" Decks
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| Back |
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