Ian R
Posts: 3420
Joined: 8/1/2000
From: Cammeraygal Country
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
I am puzzled by the statement about the sixth and seventh units becoming BCs Repulse and Renown (AKA Repair and Refit). The BCs had a much longer hull to accommodate their additional boilers/machinery for higher speed. Does that mean just the money for construction was diverted, or had the R class 6th and 7th keels already laid down?
Yes & No.
Greger gives (oddly) a lay down date of 30-11-14 for Repulse as a BB, and a "?" for Renown; Conway's says construction as BBs had been suspended in August '14 but the material* that had been gathered was held at the yards pending a final decision. [*including gun mountings, turntables, and 15" rifles.]
Greger says the BCs had their keels laid 25 January 1915. He also comments that Repulse was transferred from Palmers to John Brown, as the former's slipway was too short for the BC design, which was about 50 metres longer.
The really astonishing figure is that the BCs were designed to develop 120,000** SHP (3 x the BB's), seeking a design speed of 32 kts. [**Greger's figure - Conway's says 112,000 SHP] Trial speeds were:
Repulse - 31.73kts @ 119,025 SHP
Renown - 32.56kts @ 126,000 SHP.
Service speed was however limited to 29.7kts @ 100,800 SHP.
Antony Preston in Conways (1906-21 volume) notes that within weeks of the BCs joining the fleet in late 1916, Sir John Jellicoe "suggested" they go back to the yard and be up-armoured. That resulted in an additional 500 tons of plate installed on each; that band-aid was followed by the addition of internal stiffening because they were too lightly built. But they were still inadequately protected.
Repulse was rebuilt 1918-21 and acquired the 9" belt originally installed on the Almirante Cochrane (rebuilding as the CV Eagle), among other improvements. Repulse was rebuilt again 1933-36, but not as drastically as Renown.
Renown was rebuilt 1923-26, also getting a 9" belt. Renown was reconstructed a second time 1936-39, and modernised to serve as a fast carrier escort. This included a new tower superstructure, landing of all existing secondaries and installation of 20 x DP 4.5" (10 x 2) etc.
I would not be surprised if "Refit" and "Repair" have generated some doctoral theses on how NOT to go about naval procurement. To damn them with faint praise, Mr Preston says:-
"They [referring to the Courageous and Glorious in original light BC form] were even bigger white elephants than the Renown and the Repulse, for which no proper role could be imagined"
_____________________________
"I am Alfred"
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