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Friday, 15 January 2016

British battleship HMS Royal Oak 1914-1939


Part of the Revenge-class although often referred to as the Royal Sovereign-class or even ‘R‘_class. There were totally 8 ships planned of which two the Renown and Repulse were built using another design as battle cruisers and the third one the Resistance was cancelled. The 5 sister ships were the Royal Oak, Royal Sovereign, Revenge, Ramillies and Resolution. Preceded by the Queen Elisabeth-class and to be succeeded by the planned but never realized N3 class and the realized Nelson-class.

Laid down at the Navy Dockyard, Devonport, England on 15 January 1914, launched on 17 November 1914, commissioned on 1 May 1916 and sunk by the German submarine U-47at Scapa Flow on 14 October 1939. Pennant number 08. Building costs 2.468.269 pound sterling. Nicknamed The Mighty Oak.

Displacement 30.450 tons/29.970 long tons(standard)-31.630/31.130 long tons (deep load) tons and as dimensions 189.2 x 27 x 10,2 1918) metres or 620.7 x 88.6) x33.7 feet. The steam turbines and 24 boilers supplied 26.500 ship allowing a speed of 22 knots and with a speed of 10 knots a range of 5.000 nautical miles. The strength of the crew varied between 997-1.150 men. The armour consisted of a 10,2/15,2-33cm or 4/4-13” thick belt, a deck with as maximum 12,7cm/5” thickness, while the turrets, barbettes and citadel were protected by respectively 12,7cm/33cm or5-13”, maximum 25,4cm/10” and 27,9cn/11”. The armament consisted of 4x2-38,1cm/15” L/42 guns, 14-15,24cm/6” breech loading Mk XII guns, 2-7,6cm/3” quick firing 20 cwt anti aircraft guns, 4-4m7cm guns and 4-53cm/21” submerged torpedo tubes.