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  • #16
    Originally posted by Dreadnought View Post
    *Teething problems acording to KGV's reports particularly the design of the flame proof scuttles. They tested her guns off the Orkneys on builders trials once before deployment. KGV never finished her official trials and gunnery trials before being deployed to take Winston Churchill and Lord Halifax to the US for an appointment via Scapa Flow.

    According to what I have read, her availability wasnt the greatest at all but they sustained gunfire with Rodney for 1-1/2 hours on Bismark until she stopped firing. Some claim the best availability came from the twin set forward instead of the quads. Some reports claim flooding on the shell decks due to heavy weather in addition to her type 284 FCR was knocked out during the fight. Other reports state her safety's (interlocks) were not functioning properly. Either way both her and Prince of Wales had descent accurate gunfire on Bismark (plenty enough to sink her) for how new and green they were. And all were moving and manuvering.

    Sources claim 80% availability of the main battery for the first 7 minutes of action, falling to 40% availablility for the following 23 minutes of action. However the twin set had 100% availability throughout.

    Prince of Wales still had yard workers aboard when dispatched with Hood to intercept Bismark. She got damaged fighting Bismark and Prince Eugan but she also managed a very critical hit on Bismarks fuel tanks, enough to slow her down somewhat allowing the Brits to catch up later.

    Bismark had sucessfull trials in the Baltic and was prepared when she sailed. KGV and POW never got a chance to conclude theirs and work the bugs out but still faired pretty well considering. Both walked away, Bismark didnt.
    Was it not PoW that took Churchill and Halifax to meet Roosevelt. Ans was it not Pow that never completed gunnery trials, one of the reasons being a report I once found, but cannot refind, of her being damaged in the builders yard in an air raid. A bomb having exploded between the hull and the dock wall.

    I suspect that had time allowed, the ships would have been built with the 16" turret design from Nelson, but the turrets had to be ordered by mid 36 if the ship completion was not to be delayed. At that time, the RN was still trying to have a 14" gun limit on battleships, hence the North Carolina having a layout with 14" guns. As the USN could afford a completion delay, they got their 16" guns after the failure to secure a 14" gun limit.

    What is really impressive is the judgement of the Admiralty board that completion could not be delayed in any way and that being correct for events 5 years later.

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    • #17
      Nelson's 16in guns were not a success. If the British had opted for a 16in battery in their new ships, the guns would have more closely resembled the 16in model actually developed for the subsequent Lion class. It's a shame the guns never made it to sea, as they appear to have had great destructive potential.

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      • #18
        Originally posted by angus View Post
        Was it not PoW that took Churchill and Halifax to meet Roosevelt. Ans was it not Pow that never completed gunnery trials, one of the reasons being a report I once found, but cannot refind, of her being damaged in the builders yard in an air raid. A bomb having exploded between the hull and the dock wall.

        I suspect that had time allowed, the ships would have been built with the 16" turret design from Nelson, but the turrets had to be ordered by mid 36 if the ship completion was not to be delayed. At that time, the RN was still trying to have a 14" gun limit on battleships, hence the North Carolina having a layout with 14" guns. As the USN could afford a completion delay, they got their 16" guns after the failure to secure a 14" gun limit.

        What is really impressive is the judgement of the Admiralty board that completion could not be delayed in any way and that being correct for events 5 years later.
        *The US invoked the "Escaltor Clause" after the collapse of the Washington Treaty.

        *King George the 5th delivered Lord Halifax and Churchill to the US for their first meeting with Roosevelt. Halifax stayed in the US as British Ambassador to the US.

        *I believe what you are refering to is when the Prince Of Wales delivered Churchill to Newfoundland to meet with Roosevelt and sign the Atlantic Charter. The Prince left for Singapore shortly there after with Repulse.

        Churchill signaled Roosevelt this when refering to the ship he just "inspected". If the POW left shortly thereafter for Singapore then it had to be in Newfoundland carrying Churchill.

        May 21st 1941 she was considered fit for service

        POW was in Newfoundland with Churchill aboard
        from Aug.4-18th 1941. Shortly afterwards she left for Singapore and was sunk by Dec 10th. 1941.

        KGV brought Halifax here in 1940.
        Last edited by Dreadnought; 27 Apr 10,, 05:43.
        Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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