Description Renown-class battlecruiser

1 description

1.1 general characteristics
1.2 propulsion
1.3 armament
1.4 fire control
1.5 armour

description
general characteristics

the renown-class ships had overall length of 794 feet 1.5 inches (242.0 m), beam of 90 feet 1.75 inches (27.5 m), , draught of 30 feet 2 inches (9.2 m) @ deep load. displaced 27,320 long tons (27,760 t) @ standard load , 32,220 long tons (32,740 t) @ deep load. while 90 feet (27.4 m) longer predecessor, tiger, displaced 2,780 long tons (2,820 t) less older ship @ deep load.

the ships proved sea boats, had reinforced while under construction additional stiffening , pillars under forecastle deck cure minor structural problems forward. had metacentric height of 6.2 feet (1.9 m) @ deep load built complete double bottom.

propulsion

the original plan these ships use lightweight machinery producing total of 110,000 shaft horsepower (82,000 kw), have required considerable amount of time complete design. rather risk delaying completion of ships machinery hms tiger duplicated addition of 3 boilers provide required power needed additional speed. each ship had 2 paired sets of brown-curtis direct-drive steam turbines, housed in separate engine-rooms. each set comprised high-pressure ahead , astern turbines driving outboard shaft , low-pressure ahead , astern turbines, housed in same casing, driving inner shaft. three-bladed propellers 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 m) in diameter. turbines powered 42 babcock & wilcox water-tube boilers in 6 boiler rooms @ working pressure of 235 psi (1,620 kpa; 17 kgf/cm). designed produce total of 112,000 shaft horsepower (84,000 kw), achieved more 126,000 shp (93,958 kw) during renown s trials, when reached speed of 32.58 knots (60.34 km/h; 37.49 mph). fastest capital ships in existence until arrival of hood in 1920.

they designed carry 1,000 long tons (1,016 t) of fuel oil, had maximum capacity of 4,289 long tons (4,358 t). @ full capacity, renown-class ships steam @ speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) 4,000 nautical miles (7,410 km; 4,600 mi). ships had 2 reciprocating steam-driven 200-kilowatt (270 hp) dynamos, 1 oil-driven 150-kilowatt (200 hp) dynamo, , 1 turbine-driven 200-kilowatt (270 hp) dynamo supplied common ring main @ 220 volts.

armament

aerial view of repulse in 1918.

1 : twin 15-inch turrets

2 : triple 4-inch mountings

3 : starboard single 4-inch mounting

4: starboard single 3-inch aa mounting

the renown-class ships mounted 6 42-calibre bl 15-inch mk guns in 3 twin hydraulically powered gun turrets, designated , b , , y front rear. guns depressed −3° , elevated 20°; loaded @ angle 20°, although loading @ high angles tended slow gun s return battery (firing position). ships carried 120 shells per gun. fired 1,910-pound (866 kg) projectiles @ muzzle velocity of 2,575 ft/s (785 m/s); provided maximum range of 23,734 yd (21,702 m) armour-piercing shells.

the ships designed seventeen 45-calibre bl 4-inch mark ix guns, fitted in 5 triple , 2 single mounts. these manually powered , quite cumbersome in use required crew of thirty-two men load , train triple gun mounts. gun s rate of fire 10 12 rounds per minute loaders kept getting in each other s way. had maximum depression of −10° , maximum elevation of 30°. fired 31-pound (14 kg) high-explosive shell @ muzzle velocity of 2,625 ft/s (800 m/s). @ maximum elevation guns had maximum range of 13,500 yards (12,344 m). ships carried 200 rounds each gun.

each ship mounted pair of qf 3 inch 20 cwt anti-aircraft guns on single high-angle mountings. these mounted on shelter deck abreast rear funnel. gun had maximum depression of 10° , maximum elevation of 90°. fired 12.5-pound (5.7 kg) shell @ muzzle velocity of 2,500 ft/s (760 m/s) @ rate of fire of 12–14 rounds per minute. had maximum effective ceiling of 23,500 ft (7,200 m). both ships carried ten torpedoes , mounted 2 21-inch (533 mm) submerged torpedo tubes fitted forward of barbette.

fire control

repulse firing in 1929

the main guns of renown-class ships controlled either of 2 fire-control directors. primary director mounted above conning tower in armoured hood , other in fore-top on foremast. data rangefinder in armoured hood input mk iv* dreyer fire control table located in transmitting station (ts) converted range , deflection data use guns. target s data graphically recorded on plotting table assist gunnery officer in predicting movement of target. secondary armament controlled directors mounted on platforms on each mast. each turret provided 15-foot (4.6 m) rangefinder in armoured housing on turret roof.

during war number , size of rangefinders increased. 1918 renown carried 2 30-foot (9.1 m) rangefinders, 1 on y turret , other in armoured hood above conning tower. fifteen-foot rangefinders mounted on , b turrets, torpedo control tower abaft mainmast, , armoured hood. fore-top equipped 12-foot (3.7 m) rangefinder , anti-aircraft guns controlled simple 6-foot-6-inch (1.98 m) rangefinder mounted on aft superstructure. 2 9-foot (2.7 m) rangefinders mounted on bridge.

armour

the armour protection of renown-class ships similar of indefatigable; waterline belt of krupp cemented armour measured 6 inches (152 mm) thick amidships. ran midpoint of barbette midpoint of y barbette, length of 462 feet (140.8 m), , 9 feet (2.7 m) high. strakes of three-inch armour aft , four-inch armour forward continued belt towards ends of ship, although neither reached bow or stern. strakes enclosed transverse bulkheads of same thickness. of length of main belt there upper belt of high-tensile steel, 1.5 inches (38 mm) thick, intended splinter protection.

the gun turrets 9 inches (229 mm) thick on face , front sides, 7 inches (178 mm) thick on rear side plates while roofs 4.25 inches (108 mm) thick. barbettes protected 7 inches (178 mm) of armour above upper deck, thinned 4–5 inches (102–127 mm) below deck. conning tower sides 10 inches (254 mm) thick , had three-inch roof. walls of communication tube three inches thick. torpedo control tower had 3-inch walls , 1.5-inch cast steel roof.

as designed high-tensile-steel decks ranged 0.75 1.5 inches (19 38 mm) in thickness. after battle of jutland in 1916, while ships still completing, inch of high-tensile steel added on main deck on magazines. despite these additions, ships still felt vulnerable plunging fire , each ship refitted in rosyth in 1916–17 additional horizontal armour, weighing approximately 504 long tons (512 t), added decks on magazines , on steering mechanism.

the renown-class ships fitted shallow anti-torpedo bulge integral hull intended explode torpedo before hit hull proper , vent underwater explosion surface rather ship. however, later testing proved not deep enough accomplish task lacked layers of empty , full compartments necessary absorb force of explosion.

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