May 30, 2012

BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC Part 4: BATTLESHIPS BLUEPRINTS AND SPECIFICATIONS



The lore of the sea and the legend of great battles have always captivated the imagination of generations since time immemorial. The first recorded naval war dates back to 1210 B.C. when the king of the Hitites, Suppiluliuma II defeated a fleet from Cyprus, and set their ships ablaze at sea. Throughout history many other battles were waged by the Assyrians, the Greeks, Persians, Europeans, Norse Vikings, Arabs, and nations of East and South Asia. Virtually every sea-faring nation which depended on the sea, rivers and its tributaries as the means to transport goods and raw materials, were prepared to fight to the death to defend their territorial rights. The past 3,000 years has seen a gradual naval arms race where battleships were built stronger, bigger, and faster, with more powerful weapons, eventually transforming from the elements of wood and wind to that of steel and steam.


World War I and World War Two set the stage for the last era in which famous battleships ruled the waves and when old empires of Great Britain and Germany clashed in epoch sea battles waged for the supremacy of the seas. The Battleships of old had great psychological impact - much like nuclear weapons of today.

Traditional doctrine required that a battleship be accompanied by a fleet of auxiliary vessels, such as battlecruisers, cruisers, destroyers, submarines, airships and aircraft, to scout for enemy vessels. But now the mission of scouting has been taken over by radio operators, direction finding, sonar, radar and traffic analysis. The cost of constructing and maintaining a fleet of battleships was so exorbitant that it met with more than a bit of controversy. In 1879, the French politician, Etienne Lamy wrote, "The construction of battleships is so costly, their effectiveness so uncertain and of such short duration, that the enterprise of creating an armored fleet seems to leave fruitless the perseverance of a people" In due time, the battleship was replaced by faster, long-range cruisers, torpedo boats, submarines, and the queen of naval warfare - the airplane.

Of the many technological innovations made during the two world wars, none made such a drastic impact on naval warfare as the development of the German U-boat, and that of the allied naval aircraft carriers. The Battleship was no longer the embodiment of sea power. Those which have survived the war have been made into museums.

Battle of the Atlantic Part 4: Battleships Blueprints and Specifications, is a tribute to the many grand dames of the sea, once powerful and stately,  The following is the blueprint and specifications of the Bismarck, as well as those several cruisers, and one destroyer.  These were the vessels that took part in the battles that ended with the sinking of the Bismarck. Needless to say, it would be impossible to mention all the ships here, so I have limited the list to a choice few. Though the Polish vessel ORP Piorun was not a battleship per se, but rather a destroyer, their participation in the hunt for the Bismarck earns them an Honourable mention. In fact, much more so, since they engaged in battle with the Bismarck for at least half an hour - an amazing David and Goliath story of the seas.

This is a memorial not only of warships but of the men who perished in the call of duty. As time passes, we may forget the battles, but we will always remember the men who fought with every ounce of sweat, blood and sinew. Their courage will never be forgotten.




BISMARCK
WW2 Battle of the Atlantic - Famous Battleships - DKM Bismarck Blueprint and Specifications
BISMARCK






BUILDER
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg

 CLASS AND TYPE
Bismarck Class
Battleship 

LAID DOWN
1 July 1936
 
LAUNCHED
14 February 1939

COMMISSIONED
24 August 1940

CONSTRUCTION COST
RM. 196.8 million

DISPLACEMENT
  Empty ship:
40,250 metric tons 
Standard: 43,978 metric tons
  Construction: 47,870 metric tons
  Full load: 51,760 metric tons
  Maximum: 53,486 metric tons

DIMENSIONS
  Waterline length:
241.55 meters
  Overall length:  251 meters
  Beam:  36 meters
  Standard draught:  9.33 meters
  Maximum draught:  10.55 meters
  Freeboard amidships:  between 4.45 - 5.67 meters
  Height of hull sides (depth):  15 meters
  Waterplane area: 5,740 m²

ARMOURED PROTECTION
Upper belt:  145 mm
Main belt:  320 mm
  Main battery turrets:  130-360 mm
  Secondary battery turrets:  40-100 mm
  Upper deck:  50-80 mm
  Third armour deck:  80-120 mm
  Conning tower:  220-350 mm
  Torpedo bulkhead:   45 mm
 Protected length:  70% (170.7 meters)
  PC/TC:  17/22
  Armour's weight:  19,082 metric tons

ARMAMENT
 
Main:  8 x 38cm/L52
  Secondary:  12 x 15cm/L55
  Anti-aircraft: 16 x 10.5cm/L65
16 x 3.7cm/L83
18 x 2cm/L65

FIRE CONTROL
5 x 10.5-m base rangefinders
1 x 7-m base rangefinder
2 x 6.5-m base rangefinders
4 x 4-m Type SL-8 rangefinders
2 x 3-m rangefinders

RADAR EQUIPMENT
3 x FuMO 23

PROPULSION PLANT
12 Wagner boilers
Three Blohm & Voss turbine sets
150,170 hp (maximum obtained)

SPEED
30.12 knots (maximum obtained)

ENDURANCE
9,280 nautical miles at 16 knots
8,900 nautical miles at 17 knots
8,525 nautical miles at 19 knots
6,640 nautical miles at 24 knots
4,500 nautical miles at 28 knots

FUEL CAPACITY
8,294 metric tons

AIRCRAFT
4 x Arado Ar 196

CREW
2,200+


Note:
1) Protected length: Part of the ship within the citadel with the maximum amount of armour and underwater protection. 

2) PC/TC: Protected compartments / Total compartments. The protected compartments are those within the citadel.  


WW2 Battle of the Atlantic - BISMARCK in Kiel Harbour 1940
BISMARCK in Kiel Harbour 1940








HMS HOOD
WW2 Battle of Atlantic - HMS Hood Blueprint
HMS HOOD




BUILDER
John Brown & Company 

ORIGINAL COST
 £6,025,000

CLASS & TYPE
Admiral-Class Battle Cruiser

LAID DOWN
September 1, 1916
 
LAUNCHED
August 22, 1918

COMMISSIONED
May 15, 1920

DISPLACEMENT
  46,680 long tons (47,430 t) deep load

DIMENSIONS
Length:  860 ft 7 in (262.3 m)
  Beam:   104 ft 2 in (31.8 m)
Draught: 32 ft 0 in (9.8 m)
 
 ARMOURED PROTECTION
 Belt: 12–6 in (305–152 mm)
Deck: 0.75–3 in (19–76 mm)
Barbettes: 12–5 in (305–127 mm)
Turrets: 15–11 in (381–279 mm)
Conning tower: 11–9 in (279–229 mm)
Bulkheads: 4–5 in (102–127 mm)

PROTECTED LENGTH
65%

ARMAMENT (1941)
4 × 2 – 15-inch (381 mm) guns
7 × 2 – QF 4-inch Mk XVI AA guns
3 × 8 – QF 2-pdr “pom pom” AA guns
5 × 4 – 0.5-inch Vickers machine guns
5 × 20-barrel "Unrotated Projectile" mounts
2 × 2 – 21-inch above water torpedo tubes

 RADAR
1 x Type 284
1 x Type 279M
 
AIRCRAFT
1 fitted 1931–32
1 catapult
 
MACHINERY
4 shafts
Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines
24 Yarrow water-tube boilers
151,280 hp

INSTALLED POWER
144,000 shp (107,000 kW)
 
SPEED
1920: 31 knots (57 km/h; 36 mph)
1941: 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)

ENDURANCE
5,950 nm at 18 knots

RANGE
1931: 5,332 nautical miles (9,870 km; 6,140 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)

 FUEL CAPACITY
 1,200 tons / 1219.3 MT of fuel oil
 Maximum load was 4,000 tons / 4064.3 MT.

CREW
1,417
 
PENNANT NUMBER
51

MOTTO
Ventis Secundis
(Latin: "With Favourable Winds")

NICKNAME
Mighty Hood

CREW NICKNAME
 "The Seven Bs"
"Britain's Biggest Bullsh*ttingest B*stard Built By Brown"

FATE
Sunk May 24, 1941



WW2 Battle of Atlantic HMS HOOD
HMS HOOD









PRINZ EUGEN

WW2 Battle of Atlantic - DKM Prinz Eugen
USS Prinz Eugen



CLASS & TYPE
Admiral Hipper-class
 Heavy Cruiser

LAID DOWN
April 23, 1936
 
LAUNCHED
August 22, 1938

COMMISSIONED
August 1, 1940

DISPLACEMENT
Design:  16,970 t (16,700 long tons; 18,710 short tons)
Design: Full load: 18,750 long tons (19,050 t)

DIMENSIONS
Overall length: 207.7 m (681 ft 5 in)
Beam: 21.7 m (71 ft 2 in)
Draft:  Full load: 7.2 m (24 ft)
 
ARMOURED PROTECTION
Belt: 70 to 80 mm (2.8 to 3.1 in)
Armor deck: 20 to 50 mm (0.79 to 2.0 in)
Turret faces: 105 mm (4.1 in)

ARMAMENT
8 × 20.3 cm (8.0 in) guns
12 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) guns
12 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) guns
8 × 2 cm (0.79 in) guns (20×1)
6 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes

AIRCRAFT
3 aircraft
1 catapult

PROPULSION-MACHINERY
3 × Blohm & Voss steam turbines
3 × three-blade propellers
100,000 hp (75 MW)

SPEED
32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)

CREW
1,340

FATE
Towed to Kwajalein Atoll after nuclear weapons test.
Capsized December 1946



WW2 Battle of Atlantic - USS Prinz Eugen battle cruiser
USS PRINZ EUGEN









KING GEORGE V

WW2 Battle of Atlantic - King George V Blueprint
KING GEORGE V




BUILDER
Vickers-Armstrong, Newcastle upon Tyne

CLASS & TYPE
King George V Class
Battleship

LAID DOWN
January 1, 1937

LAUNCHED
February 21, 1939

COMMISSIONED
December 11, 1940

DISPLACEMENT
42,200 tons (1941)
 
DIMENSIONS
Length: 745 ft (227 m)
Beam: 103 ft (31 m)
Draught: 32.6 ft (9.9 m)

ARMOURED PROTECTION
Main belt: 14.7 in (374 mm)
lower belt: 5.4 in (137 mm)
deck: up to 5.38 in (136 mm)
main turrets: 12.75 in (324 mm)
barbettes: 12.75 in (324 mm)

ARMAMENT
10 × BL 14-inch (360 mm) Mk VII guns
16 × QF 5.25-inch (133 mm) Mk I guns
64 × 2 pounder "pom-pom" (40 mm)

AIRCRAFT
4 Supermarine Walrus planes
 1 double-ended catapult

MACHINERY
8 Admiralty three-drum small-tube boilers with superheaters
4 Parsons single-reduction geared turbines
4 three-bladed propellers, 14 ft 6 in diameter (4.42 m)
125,000 shp

SPEED
28.0 knots (1941 trials)

RANGE
5400+ nm at 18 knots (11.9 tons/hour fuel bur
  
CREW
1,314 to 1,631
PENNANT NUMBER
41
 
FATE
Struck in 1957
Sold for scrap



HMS KING GEORGE V








DKM SCHNARNHORST
WW2 Battle of Atlantic - Blueprint of DKM Scharnhorst
DKM Scharnhorst



BUILDER
Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven

TYPE
Battleship – Battle Cruiser

LAID DOWN
June 15, 1935

LAUNCHED
October 3, 1936

COMMISSIONED
January 7, 1939

DISPLACEMENT
32,100 long tons (standard)
38,100 LT (full load)
 
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length: 235 m (772 ft)
Waterline Length: 226 m (741.5 ft)
Beam: 30 m (98.4 ft)
Draught: 9.69 m (31 ft 9 in.) at 37,303 tons

ARMOURED PROTECTION
Belt: 350 mm (14 in)
Deck: 50 mm (2.0 in)
Turrets:200 to 360 mm (7.9 to 14 in)
Conning tower: 350 mm

ARMAMENT
9 × 28 cm/54.5 (11 inch) SK C/34
12 × 15 cm/55 (5.9") SK C/28
14 × 10.5 cm/65 (4.1 inch) SK C/33
16 × 3.7 cm/L83 (1.5") SK C/30
10 (later 16) × 2 cm/65 (0.79")  C/30 or C/38
6 × 533 mm torpedo tubes

AIRCRAFT
3 Arado AR 196A
1 catapult

PROPULSION – MACHINERY
3 Germania/Brown, Boveri & Co geared turbines
3 three-bladed propellers, 4.8 m (15 ft 9 inch) diameter
151,893 shp

SPEED
31 knots (57 km/h)
  
RANGE
7,100 nmi (13,100 km) at 19 kn (35 km/h)

CREW
1,613

FATE
Sunk at the Battle of North Cape
December 26, 1943



WW2  Battle of Atlantic - DKM Scharnhorst
DKM SCHARNHORST









HMS PRINCE OF WALES
WW2 Battle of Atlantic - Blueprint of HMS Prince of Wales
HMS PRINCE OF WALES





BUILDER
Cammell Laird and Company, Ltd., Birkenhead

CLASS & TYPE
King George V class
Battleship

LAID DOWN
January 1, 1937

LAUNCHED
May 3, 1939

COMMISSIONED
January 19, 1941

DISPLACEMENT
43,786 tons (deep)
 
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length: 745 ft 1 in (227.1 m)
Waterline Length: 740 ft 1 in (225.6 m)
Beam: 103 ft 2 in (31.4 m)
Draught: 34 ft 4 in (10.5 m)

  ARMOURED PROTECTION
Main Belt: 14.7 inches (370 mm)
Lower belt: 5.4 inches (140 mm)
Deck: 5–6 inches (127–152 mm)
Main turrets: 12.75 inches (324 mm)
Barbettes: 12.75 inches (324 mm)
Bulkheads: 10–12 inches (254–305 mm)
Conning tower: 3–4 inches (76–102 mm)

ARMAMENT
10 × BL 14-inch (360 mm) Mark VII
16 × QF 5.25-inch (133 mm) Mk. I
32 × QF 2 pdr 1.575-inch (40.0 mm) Mk.VIII
80x UP projectors

RADAR
Type 279 radar added
Type 284 radar added.
Radars added in May 1941.
4 x Type 282 and Type 285 radars added.
Radar added between June–July 1941.
Type 271 radar added.

AIRCRAFT
4 Supermarine Walrus seaplanes,
1 double-ended catapult
  
PROPULSION –MACHINERY
8 Admiralty 3-drum small-tube boilers
4 sets Parsons geared turbines

INSTALLED POWER
110,000 shp (82,000 kW)

SPEED
28.3 knots (52.4 km/h; 32.6 mph)

RANGE
15,600 nmi (28,900 km; 18,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)

CREW
1621-1941

PENNANT NUMBER
53

MOTTO
"Ich Dien" – German: "I serve"

FATE
Sunk on 10 December 1941
 by Japanese air attack off Kuantan, South China Sea



HMS PRINCE OF WALES








DKM GNEISENAU
WW2 Battle of Atlantic - DKM Gneisenau Blueprint
DKM GNEISENAU


BUILDER
Deutsche Werke

TYPE
Battleship - Battlecruiser

LAID DOWN
May 6, 1935
  
LAUNCHED
December 8, 1936

COMMISSIONED
May 21, 1938
 
DISPLACEMENT
32,100 long tons (standard)
38,100 LT (full load)
  
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length: 235 m (772 ft)
Waterline Length: 226 m (741.5 ft)
Beam: 30 m (98.4 ft)
 Draft: 9.69 m (31 ft 9 in.) at 37,303 tons
 
ARMOURED PROTECTION
Belt: 350 mm (14 in)
Deck: 50 mm (2.0 in)
Turrets:200 to 360 mm (7.9 to 14 in)
Conning tower: 350 mm

ARMAMENT
9 × 28 cm/54.5 (11 inch) SK C/34
12 × 15 cm/55 (5.9") SK C/28
14 × 10.5 cm/65 (4.1 inch) SK C/33
16 × 3.7 cm/L83 (1.5") SK C/30
10 (later 16) × 2 cm/65 (0.79") C/30 or C/38
6 × 533 mm torpedo tubes

AIRCRAFT
3 Arado Ar 196A
1 catapult

PROPULSTION – MACHINERY
3 Germania/Brown, Boveri & Co geared turbines
3 three-bladed propellers, 4.8 m (15 ft 9 inch) diameter
151,893 shp

SPEED
31 kt

RANGE
6,200 nmi at 19 kn

CREW
1613 - 1669

FATE
Heavily damaged in an air raid 26–27 February 1942.
 Decommissioned. Sunk as a blockship 23 March 1945.
 Scrapped after the war.


WW2 Battle of Atlantic - DKM Gneisenau
DKM GNEISENAU









HMS RODNEY
WW2 Battle of Atlantic - Blueprint of HMS Rodney
HMS RODNEY



BUILDER
Cammell, Laird, Birkenhead

ORIGINAL COST
£7,617,799

CLASS & TYPE
Nelson class Battleship

LAID DOWN
December 28, 1922

LAUNCHED
December 17, 1925

COMMISSIONED
November 10, 1927

DISPLACEMENT
33,730 long tons (34,270 t) standard
37,430 long tons (38,030 t) standard full load
 
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length: 710 ft 2 in (216.5 m)
Beam: 106 ft (32.3 m)
Draught: 31 ft (9.44880000 m)

  ARMOURED PROTECTION
Belt: 13–14 in (330–356 mm)
Deck: 4.375–6.375 in (111–162 mm)
Barbettes: 12–15 in (305–381 mm)
Gun turrets: 9–16 in (229–406 mm)
Conning tower: 10–14 in (254–356 mm)
Bulkheads: 4–12 in (102–305 mm)

ARMAMENT
3 × 3 - 16-inch Mk I guns
6 × 2 - 6-inch Mk XXII guns
6 × 1 - QF 4.7-inch Mk VIII anti-aircraft guns
8 × 1 - 2-pounder anti-aircraft guns
2 × 1 - 24.5-inch (620 mm) torpedo tubes

PROPULSION –MACHINERY
2 shafts
2 Brown-Curtis geared turbine sets
8 Admiralty 3-drum oil-fired boilers
 
INSTALLED POWER
45,000 shp (34,000 kW)

SPEED
23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)

RANGE
14,500 nmi (26,900 km; 16,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)

CREW
1,314 -1,361

PENNANT NUMBER
29

MOTTO
Non Generant Aquilae Columbas
 "Eagles do not breed doves"

NICKNAME
Rodnol

FATE
Sold for scrap, 26 March 1948


HMS RODNEY WW2
HMS RODNEY










HMS DORSETSHIRE

WW2 Battle of Atlantic - HMS Dorsetshire blueprint
HMS DORSETSHIRE


  BUILDER
Portsmouth Dockyard

CLASS & TYPE
County-class heavy cruiser

LAID DOWN
September 21, 1927

LAUNCHED
January 29, 1929

COMMISSIONED
September 30, 1930

DISPLACEMENT
10,035 long tons (10,196 t) (standard)
13,420 long tons (13,640 t) (full load)
 
DIMENSIONS
Length: 632 ft 9 in (192.86 m)
Beam: 66 ft (20 m)
Draught: 18 ft (5.5 m)

ARMAMENT
8 × 8 in (200 mm) Mk VIII guns
8 × 4 in (100 mm) dual purpose guns
24 × 2-pounder pom-pom anti-aircraft guns
8 × 24 in (610 mm) torpedo tubes
numerous light anti-aircraft guns

AIRCRAFT
2 × Supermarine Walrus floatplanes
(operated by 700 Naval Air Squadron)
1 catapult

PROPULSION – MACHINERY
4 × Parsons geared or Brown Curtis steam turbines
8 × boilers
4 × shafts

INSTALLED POWER
80,000 shp (60,000 kW)

SPEED
31.5 kn (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph)

RANGE
12,000 nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
  
CREW
653

FATE
Sunk by IJN aircraft, 5 April 1942

  
WW2 Battle of Atlantic  HMS Doresetshire heavy cruiser
HMS DORSETSHIRE









 ORP PIORUN
ORP PIORUN BLUEPRINT - FORMERLY HMS NERISSA - WW2 BATTLE OF ATLANTIC
ORP PIORUN

BUILDER
John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd.
(Clydebank, Scotland) 

ORIGINAL COST
£400,963.16s
(excluding the cost of ammunition and equipment)

CLASS & TYPE
Class N
Destroyer

LAID DOWN
July 26, 1939

LAUNCHED
May 7, 1940

COMMISSIONED
November 4, 1940

FORMER NAME
HMS NERISSA
PENNANT NUMBER
G65

FATE
While under Polish command she had steamed 218,000 miles and given noble service to the allied cause. After two years laid-up at Harwich she was transferred to the Reserve Fleet Division at Sheerness and  later in 1953 joined the Reserve Fleet at Chatham. Although selected for conversion to a Type 16 Anti-Submarine Frigate, this was never undertaken and in 1954 she was moved to Hartlepool to be laid-up. Placed on the Disposal List in May 1955 she was sold to BISCO for demolition in September, and towed to Dunston on Tyne where she arrived at the Clayton & Davie Ltd for breaking-up on 2nd December that year. (source: www.naval-history.net)

WW2 Battle of Atlantifc and Hunt for Bismarck --photo ORP Piorun - Polish Navy
ORP PIORUN (Polish Navy)

ALLIED LOSSES 
BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC


1939
 222 ships sunk (114 by submarine)

1940

1059 ships sunk (471 by submarine)

1941
1328 ships sunk (432 by submarine)

1942

1661 ships sunk (1159 by submarine)

1943
597 ships sunk (463 by submarine)