1916.E2.80.931939 HMS Renown (1916)

renown in fremantle, western australia carrying duke , duchess of york england in 1927.

when grand fleet disbanded in april 1919, renown assigned battlecruiser squadron of atlantic fleet. in june refitted in preparation tour of canada, newfoundland , united states edward, prince of wales, , both flying-off platforms removed. 30-foot (9.1 m) rangefinder replaced 15-foot (4.6 m) model in y turret , 20-foot (6.1 m) rangefinder added armoured hood on conning tower. january march 1920 renown refitted more extensively royal yacht . aft 4-inch mounting , both 3-inch aa guns removed accommodation , promenade deck built. large deck house built on shelter deck between funnels. port side housed squash court while starboard side cinema. ship sailed in march australia , new zealand prince of wales , entourage aboard , made many stops en route. returned portsmouth in october , placed in reserve in november.

renown recommissioned in september 1921 tour of india , japan prince of wales , sailed portsmouth in october. ship arrived in portsmouth in june 1922 , placed in reserve following month. ship began reconstruction same month along lines of sister, although changes made based on experiences repulse. renown s main armour belt removed , new 9-inch belt installed, using remaining plates made surplus conversion of battleship almirante cochrane (originally ordered chile , purchased after war began) aircraft carrier hms eagle new armour, installed 3 feet (0.9 m) higher on repulse offset increase in draught. strake of tapered armour fitted underneath main belt deflect shell dived beneath water s surface; 9-inches thick @ top , thinned 2 inches (51 mm) @ bottom. ship s deck armour heavily reinforced adjacent machinery spaces , magazines. 2 longitudinal bulkheads added between upper , main decks ran base of conning tower end of boiler rooms. bulges reworked , based on used in queen elizabeth-class battleships although crushing tubes used abreast magazines. rear triple 4-inch gun mount replaced. flying-off platform on b turret reinstated , high-angle control position (hacp) added fore-top. pair of 3-inch aa guns , 2 single four-inch gun mounts replaced 4 qf four-inch mark v anti-aircraft guns. had maximum depression of -5° , maximum elevation of 80°. fired 31-pound (14 kg) high explosive shell @ muzzle velocity of 2,387 ft/s (728 m/s) @ rate of ten fifteen rounds per minute. guns had maximum ceiling of 31,000 ft (9,400 m), effective range of less. reconstruction added 3,500 long tons (3,600 t) ship s displacement , 3 inches draught. reconstruction cost £979,927.

renown finished reconstruction in september 1926 , assigned battlecruiser squadron until ship detached convey prince albert of york australia between january , july 1927. upon return rejoined atlantic fleet. renown became flagship of bcs when hood refitting between 1929 , 1931. hood resumed role flagship after recommissioned , renown paid off refit of own. high-angle control system mark fitted director on roof of fore-top replaced high-angle rangefinder , conning tower platform enlarged accommodate pair of mark v octuple mounts 40-millimetre (1.6 in) qf 2-pounder mark viii gun mark v mounts depress −10° , elevate maximum of 80°. mark viii 2-pounder gun fired 40-millimetre (1.6 in) 2-pound (0.91 kg) shell @ muzzle velocity of 2,040 ft/s (620 m/s) distance of 3,800 yards (3,500 m). gun s rate of fire approximately 96–98 rounds per minute. 1 mount available, however, , it, along director, fitted on starboard side. renown had midships triple 4-inch mount removed make room aircraft catapult not fitted until 1933. port mark v 2-pounder mount fitted, albeit without director, same year. ship carried fairey iii floatplane reconnaissance purposes. flying-off platform removed.

renown collided hood on 23 january 1935 while on exercises off coast of spain. damage bow temporarily repaired @ gibraltar , ship sailed portsmouth permanent repairs between february , may. captains of both ships court-martialled, squadron commander, rear admiral sidney bailey. bailey , hood s captain tower acquitted, renown s captain sawbridge relieved of command. admiralty dissented verdict, reinstated sawbridge, , criticised bailey ambiguous signals during manoeuvre.

the ship participated in king george v s silver jublilee fleet review @ spithead on 16 july. hood, renown sent gibraltar reinforce mediterranean fleet during second italo-abyssinian war of 1935–36 , transferred alexandria in january 1936 assigned 1st battle squadron. returned home in may , rejoined home fleet.

renown began more thorough reconstruction in september 1936, based on of battleship hms warspite. superstructure , funnels razed level of upper deck, masts taken out , ship s main , secondary armament removed. large splinter-proof tower superstructure built, topped director-control tower main armament , 2 hacs mark iv directors. armoured hood formerly mounted above conning tower reinstalled on rear superstructure. ship s engines , boilers replaced parsons geared turbines , 8 admiralty three-drum boilers operating @ 400 psi (2,758 kpa; 28 kgf/cm). saved 2,800 long tons (2,800 t) of weight , allowed 2 forward boiler rooms converted 4.5-inch (110 mm) magazines , other uses. renown s deck protection upgraded adding non-cemented armour had not been added earlier , protecting new 4.5-inch magazines. in repulse hangars built abreast rear funnel , catapult fitted between rear funnel , aft superstructure.

renown, reconstructed, in 1939

the ship s 15-inch gun turrets modified mark (n) standard elevation increased 30°. twenty dual-purpose qf 4.5-inch mark iii guns in twin bd mark ii mountings replaced of 4-inch guns. 6 of gun turrets, 3 on each side, abreast forward funnel while remaining 4 mounted abreast main mast. bd mark ii mounts had elevation limits of −5° +80°. mark iii gun fired 55-pound (25 kg) high explosive shell @ new gun muzzle velocity of 2,457 ft/s (749 m/s). rate of fire 12 rounds per minute. had maximum effective ceiling of 41,000 ft (12,000 m). guns controlled 4 dual-purpose mark iv directors, 2 mounted on rear of bridge structure , remaining 2 on aft superstructure. fed tracking data hacs mark iv analog computer high-angle targets , admiralty fire control clock mark vii low-angle targets. each gun provided 400 rounds of ammunition. 3 octuple mark vi 2-pounder mounts fitted, 2 on platform between funnels , third @ rear of aft superstructure. each provided mark iii* director. 4 quadruple vickers .50-calibre mark iii mounts added, 2 each on forward , rear superstructures. submerged torpedo tubes removed , 8 above-water torpedo tubes added. reconstruction, @ £3,088,008, more 3 times expensive earlier reconstruction.