British battleship (ex-King Edward VIII) HMS Prince of Wales (53) 1936-1941

Nelson-class

King George V-class

Drawing made by G.J. Naerebout and originally published by G.A.J. Bovens in Van Zee tot Zee.

Laid down by the Cammell Laird and Company Ltd., Birkenhead, England on 1 January 1937, launched on 3 May 1939, completed on 31 March 1941, commissioned on 19 January 1941, involved in the battle with the German battleship Bismarck on 26-27 May 1941 and sunk during a Japanese air attack together with the British battle cruiser HMS Repulse off Kuantan, South China Sea on 10 December 1941. She was to be named King Edward VIII but when he abdicated she was renamed Prince of Wales before the building even was started.

King George V-class consisted of the King George V, Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Howe and Anson, preceded by the Nelson-class and succeeded by the Vanguard and by the never realized Lion-class. In 1928 was started designing this class regarded the limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 which allowed non building of battleships until 1931. The design-process was for a second time halted due to the London Naval Treaty of 1930 which continued the building stop until 1937/ In 1935 started the Royal British navy again the designing process based on what already was achieved. The Treaty limited the displacement to a maximum of 35.000 tons and further more was the calibre of the main armament discussed. The choice was 14-16” with a first choice for 15” guns, However in October that same year it was decided that the calibre was to be 10-14” guns instead of 15”, a decision heavily protested by First Lord of Admiralty in 1935 Winston Churchill.

General technical specifications. Displacement 42.923 (deep load) tons (the Prince of Wales) 37.000-43.786 (fully loaded)tons with as dimensions 213,4 (waterline)-227,1 (over all) x 31,5 x 8,8-10,2 metres or 700.1-745.1 x 103.2½ x 33.7½ feet. The machinery consisted of 4 sets Parsons geared turbines and 8 Admiralty 3-drum small-tube boilers supplied 110.000 ship allowing a speed of 28,3 knots and with a fuel oil capacity of 3.600 tons, a speed of 10 knots a range of 15.600 nautical miles. The crew numbered in 1941 b1.422 men. The armour consisted of a 37cm/14.7“ thick main belt, a 14cm/5.4:  thick lower belt, a 12,7-15,2cm/5-6” thick deck. 25,4-30,5cm/10-12” thick bulkheads and the main gun turrets, barbettes and conning tower protected by respectively 32,4cm/12.75”, 32,4cm/12.75” and7,6-10,2cm/3-4” thick armour. The armament consisted of 2x4 and 1x2-36cm/14”breech loading Mark VII guns, 16-13,3cm/5.25” quick firing Mk. I DP guns, 64-4cm/1.6” quick firing 2 pd Mk. VIII anti air craft guns, 10-4cm Bofors and in 1945 36-2cm/0.8” Oerlikon anti aircraft guns. Original armament Prince of Wales 10-14” guns, 16-5.25” guns, 32-51.575” guns and 80 UP projectors (unrotated projectile weapons for anti aircraft warfare). The ships could carry 4 Supermarine Walrus seaplanes with them for which purpose they were fitted out with a double- ended catapult.