hms hms renown class battlecruiser royal_navy built world war originally laid improved version revenge class battleships construction suspended outbreak war ready timely manner admiral lord fisher sea lord gained approval restart construction battlecruiser built enter service quickly director naval construction quickly produced entirely new design meet admiral lord fisher requirements builders agreed deliver ships months meet ambitious goal ship delivered months sister world fastest capital ships completion participated second battle bight combat saw war reconstructed twice wars 1920s reconstruction increased armour protection lesser improvements 1930s reconstruction thorough accompanied battlecruiser round world cruise protected international shipping spanish civil war ship spent months second world war hunting german raiders blockade runners participated april june searched german battleship escorted troop convoy cape good hope august october transferred assigned november force supposed deter japanese aggression british possessions far_east consort prince wales eventually sunk japanese aircraft december attempted intercept landings design description admiral lord fisher presented requirements new ships director naval construction december ships approved wanted long high bow like pre dreadnought higher inch guns twin turrets anti torpedo boat armament inch guns mounted high protected gun shields speed knots oil fuel armour scale battlecruiser days fisher increased number guns added torpedo tubes minor revisions initial estimate december preliminary design completed december following week department examined material delivered battleships decided new design usable material transferred builders received information department lay ships january altered contracts completed march overall length feet inches beam feet inches maximum draught feet inches displaced long tons normal load long tons deep load direct drive steam turbines designed produce shaft horsepower propel ship knots mph trials turbines provided shp allowing reach speed knots mph ship normally carried long tons fuel oil maximum capacity long tons capacity steam speed knots mph nautical miles ship mounted calibre inch guns twin powered gun turrets designated rear secondary armament consisted inch mark guns fitted triple single mounts mounted pair inch cwt anti aircraft guns mounted shelter deck abreast rear funnel mounted submerged tubes inch torpedoes forward barbette waterline belt krupp cemented armour measured inches thick amidships gun turrets inches thick roofs inches thick designed high steel decks ranged inches thickness ship completing extra inch high steel added main deck magazines fitted shallow anti torpedo integral hull intended explode torpedo hit hull proper vent underwater explosion surface ship despite additions ship felt vulnerable fire refitted november january additional horizontal armour weighing approximately long tons added decks magazines steering gear capital ship fitted flying platform experimental fitted turret autumn squadron leader took october platform built turret successfully took october fighter reconnaissance aircraft normally carried world war laid scotland january ship launched january completed august construction cost served grand_fleet north_sea remaining years world war relieved flagship 1st battlecruiser squadron duration war second battle bight course admiralty concerned german efforts north_sea sweep paths british laid minefields intended restrict actions high_seas_fleet german submarines preliminary raid german forces october light forces destroyed small ships admiralty decided larger operation destroy escorting light cruisers based intelligence reports admiralty decided november light cruiser squadrons 1st covered reinforced 1st renown battleships 1st battle squadron operation german ships light cruisers destroyers divisions filled detonate mines sinking mark swept route spotted rising sun light battlecruiser courageous light cruiser cardiff opened fire forward guns seven minutes later germans responded laying effective smoke screen british continued pursuit lost track smaller ships smoke concentrated fire light cruisers opportunity permitted detached long raced forward speed engage enemy ships opened fire scoring single hit light cruiser sms battle german battleships sms kaiser sms spotted british broke pursuit covered retreat aided heavy fog came ship fired total inch shells battle scored hit light cruiser sms temporarily reduced speed december damaged collision battlecruiser ship present surrender high_seas_fleet flow november inter war period began major refit portsmouth december intended drastically improve armour protection existing inch armour belt replaced inch armour plates surplus conversion battleship originally ordered chile purchased war began aircraft carrier old armour fitted main upper decks new armour belt additional high plating added decks magazines ship anti torpedo deepened reworked lines installed battleship hms covered hull submerged torpedo room magazine inner compartments filled crushing tubes added feet inches beam foot inches draught refit added long tons displacement raised metacentric height feet deep load foot added torpedo tubes twin mounts upper deck flying platforms removed refit cost recommissioned january joined november hood accompanied number class cruisers 1st set world cruise west east panama canal returned home months later september shortly return ship pair inch guns single inch gun mounts removed replaced inch guns visited lisbon february participate celebrations continuing mediterranean exercises court added starboard funnels tour africa south_america lasted march october return refitted november july high angle control position added fore 1930s completed refit remained commission aside brief refit july september paid june prior beginning reconstruction april existing layers high steel constituted ship horizontal armour replaced non cemented armour plates inches thickness torpedo control tower removed aft superstructure fixed catapult replaced inch triple mount hangar built rear funnel house ship aircraft additional aircraft carried deck catapult electric cranes mounted hangar handle aircraft inch guns moved pair abreast rear funnel level hangar roof pair abreast fore funnel forecastle deck prototype inch dual purpose guns added twin gun mark mounts abreast mainmast pounder mounts fitted extensions conning tower platform abreast fore funnel pair quadruple inch vickers machine gun added mounts elevate maximum machine guns fired bullet muzzle velocity gave gun maximum range effective range received high angle control system anti aircraft directors fore mark mounted pedestal rear superstructure submerged torpedo tubes removed vacant spaces sub divided turned store rooms assigned mediterranean_fleet recommissioned april transported refugees france late start spanish civil war ship present sent july maintain order selected convey king queen refitted october march role twin inch guns replaced mark guns additional quadruple calibre mounts added king queen ultimately travelled aboard liner escorting half journey second world war beginning second world war home_fleet patrolled norwegian coast north_sea search german ships enforce blockade couple months war early war aft triple inch gun mount replaced barrel pounder mount late october transferred halifax aircraft carrier protect convoys search german raiders furious sortied halifax november search german battleship sunk armed merchant cruiser damaged heavy seas storm forced return port escorted convoy bringing 1st britain december reassigned home_fleet february accompanied aircraft carrier fruitless search german blockade runners broken spain assigned support allied operations april june april bulk home_fleet ordered sea intercept thought attempt break north_atlantic ship detached following day search german ship reported destroyer destroyer sunk german cruiser admiral hipper arrived ordered rendezvous sister renown south norwegian coast april ordered return scapa_flow refuel escorted troop convoy return early june ship sent north_atlantic search german raiders played evacuation norway accompanied renown attempted intercept german battleship sailed trondheim germany july ship escorted convoys unsuccessfully searched german ships diverted escorting convoy assist search german battleship break search early running low fuel ship refitted june august received millimetre type surface gunnery radar escorted troop convoy cape good hope august october transferred force late winston_churchill decided send small group fast capital ships modern aircraft carrier singapore deter expected japanese aggression november indian_ocean ordered ceylon rendezvous new battleship hms prince wales carrier assigned join delayed ran aground caribbean prince wales escorting destroyers comprised force arrived singapore december evening december force departed attempt destroy japanese troop convoys protect army flanks japanese landings rear force spotted afternoon december japanese submarine japanese cruisers spotted british ships later afternoon dark admiral sir decided cancel operation japanese alerted force turned evening having tried japanese heading december received signal enemy landings altered course arrive shortly dawn crew spotted force reported position fired torpedoes missed based report japanese launched reconnaissance aircraft dawn locate hours later bombers 22nd air flotilla based launched carrying bombs torpedoes crew reconnaissance bomber spotted british reports pilot ordered maintain contact broadcast directional signal japanese bombers follow attack began kilograms bombs dropped altitude feet battlecruiser bombs hit penetrated hangar explode armoured deck inflicted number casualties damaged ship seaplane pushed remove fire hazard anti aircraft fire damaged japanese bombers badly immediately returned ensuing attacks handled captain managed avoid torpedoes remaining bombs caught attack torpedo bombers hit torpedoes rapid succession gunners shot planes heavily damaged torpedo damage proved fatal listed severely port quickly capsized loss officers men destroyers rescued survivors wreck site designated protected place remains act years sinking survivors described torpedo hits port starboard hits abreast rear turret near propellers starboard hit amidships diving expedition confirmed hits examination wreck hit near propellers starboard hit section wreck buried ocean floor hits confirmed area abreast rear turret accessible sign torpedo hit found october daily_telegraph reported prince wales extensively damaged explosives scrap metal dealers
HMS Repulse (1916)