lion class battlecruiser lion class class battlecruisers built british_royal_navy world war nicknamed splendid cats ships significant improvement predecessors class terms speed armament armour lion class battlecruisers knots mph faster exchanged inch guns older ships inch guns waterline armour belt inches thick versus inches improvements response german class german battlecruisers larger powerful british battlecruisers invincible class lion served flagship grand_fleet battlecruisers world war refitted repair sank german light cruiser served vice admiral flagship battles jutland badly damaged battles towed port battlecruiser repair months suffered fire destroyed ship action major turret commander posthumously received victoria_cross ordering magazine flooded fire destroyed harvey turret removed rebuilt ship underwent repairs months princess royal participated bight month war began sent south caribbean prevent german east asia squadron panama canal sunk battle islands december invincible princess royal rejoined 1st scored hits crippled german armoured cruiser allowed enemy vessel caught sunk concentrated fire british battlecruisers shortly flagship 1st command rear admiral moderately damaged battle jutland required month half repairs ships spent rest war uneventful patrols north_sea provide distant cover second battle bight reserve sold scrap years later accordance terms design description acceleration german naval building programme forced government yield public pressure authorize ships construction programme single battleship battlecruiser authorized construction programme battleships battlecruiser authorized programme battleships battlecruiser planned ships public admiralty continuing pressure forced government announce july ships built pressure allowed admiralty gain approval improve size power new ships maintain superiority new german dreadnoughts construction lion class battlecruisers designed superior new german battlecruisers class german ships invincible class increase speed armour gun size forced increase size class largest warships world layout adapted design super dreadnought inch class class battleships ships battlecruisers armed new model inch gun vickers design lions shortcomings preceding battlecruisers suffered inability amidships turrets safely fire deck limited turret broadside greater size weight new guns rendered beam turrets turrets lions arranged turret located amidships unable fire directly aft director naval construction sir suggested fifth turret superfiring rear turret added ship lengthened frames feet total add little cost additional turret add firepower ship approved possibly doubts feasibility general characteristics lions significantly larger predecessors class overall length feet beam feet inches draught feet inches deep load displaced long tons load long tons deep load long tons earlier ships metacentric height feet deep load propulsion lion class ships paired sets parsons direct drive steam turbines housed separate engine room wing shafts coupled high pressure turbines exhausted low pressure turbines drove inner shafts cruising stage built high pressure ahead turbine bladed propellers feet inches diameter inner shafts outer propellers feet inches diameter turbines powered yarrow water tube boilers seven boiler rooms designed produce total shaft horsepower achieved shp trials lion exceed designed speed knots mph princess royal reached knots carried long tons coal additional long tons fuel oil sprayed coal increase burn rate capacity steam nautical miles speed knots mph armament lion class ships mounted inch mark guns twin powered turrets designated unlike previous classes battlecruiser royal_navy turrets fore aft wing ship lion class ships main armament mounted single line rear turret superimposed turret turret mounted amidships turret aft guns depressed elevated controlling turrets limited installed battle jutland allow elevation fired pound projectiles muzzle velocity provided maximum range armour piercing shells elevation range extended rate fire guns rounds minute ships carried total rounds wartime shells gun secondary armament consisted sixteen inch mark vii guns mounted casemates guns mounts maximum elevation fired pound projectiles muzzle velocity gave maximum range rate fire rounds minute provided rounds gun lion class ships built anti aircraft guns variety guns fitted course war included pounder hotchkiss gun mounting maximum depression maximum elevation fired pound shell muzzle velocity rate fire rounds minute maximum ceiling effective range yards inch cwt guns high angle mounts maximum depression maximum elevation fired pound shell muzzle velocity rate rounds minute maximum effective ceiling princess royal received inch mark vii guns mounts capable elevation april pair single added april fired millimetre shells weighing pounds muzzle velocity maximum effective range yards practical rate fire rounds minute inch submerged torpedo tubes fitted beam fourteen torpedoes carried pounds tnt speed settings governed range knots mph reach yards yards knots mph fire control main guns lion class ships controlled conning tower data foot rangefinder located conning tower input located station conning tower converted range data use guns target data recorded plotting table assist gunnery officer predicting movement target turrets provided foot fitted secondary control positions fire control technology advanced quickly years immediately preceding world war development director firing system major advance consisted fire control director mounted high ship electrically provided gun data turrets turret crewmen follow director officer fired guns simultaneously aided spotting shell effects roll shells lion received system early undergoing repairs princess royal got early second director added ship armour armour protection given lions heavier waterline belt measured inches thick amidships contrast inch belt predecessors inches ships ends reach bow stern addition given upper armour belt maximum thickness inches length waterline armour inches abreast end turrets inch transverse bulkheads closed ends armoured citadel steel plating protective decks lower armoured deck generally inch thick outside citadel inches upper armoured deck situated upper armour belt inch thick forecastle deck ranged inches gun turrets inch sides roofs inches thick barbettes protected inches armour deck inches upper armour deck inches conning tower sides inches thick inch roof communication tube steel torpedo bulkheads inches thick fitted abreast magazines shell rooms funnel protected steel splinter armour inches thick sides inch ends upper forecastle decks battle jutland revealed vulnerability inch additional armour weighing approximately long tons added magazine crowns turret roofs construction lion completed original design foremost funnel placed forward superstructure foremast meant hot gases boilers spotting foremast completely ships steaming high speed upper bridge easily rendered depending wind signal flags risk burning ships altered correct problem lion commissioned fitting total cost fore funnel replaced moved aft original fore exchanged position foremast pole mast spotting tower rear conning tower removed conning tower enlarged foot rangefinder moved foremast spotting roof conning tower funnels raised height inch guns mounted forward group casemates enclosed casemates protect gun crews weather enemy action modifications standard british practice quote cost armament data available lions includes guns estimated cost including guns including guns wartime modifications pole foremast modified increased weight fire control equipment associated director firing lion princess royal received towers funnel mainmast losing inch gun battery early ships received flying platforms turrets aircraft lion fitted torpedo control station aft end aft superstructure service pre war career commissioning lion princess royal assigned 1st cruiser squadron january renamed 1st lion flagship rear admiral assumed command 1st march lion rest 1st port visit brest february squadron visited russia june lion entertained aboard world war battle bight lion action flagship battlecruiser force command admiral battle bight august ships originally intended distant support british cruisers destroyers closer german coast case large ships high_seas_fleet sortied response british attacks turned south speed british light forces failed schedule rising tide meant german capital ships able clear bar mouth jade estuary brand new light cruiser crippled earlier battle fire german light cruisers battlecruisers mist able duck evade fire remained visible quickly crippled fire squadron distracted task finishing sudden appearance elderly light cruiser directly turned pursuit reduced hulk close range yards turned north general signal retire main body encountered crippled shortly turning north sunk lion princess royal detached 1st sailed september rendezvous canadian troop convoy escort united_kingdom rejoined 1st october shortly afterward detached reinforce north_atlantic caribbean squadrons search admiral german destroyed rear admiral november arrived halifax november cruising new_york_city period caribbean guard possibility panama canal departed kingston jamaica december sunk battle islands december raid german_navy decided strategy bombarding british towns north_sea coast attempt draw royal_navy destroy elements detail earlier raid november partially successful larger scale operation devised admiral fast battlecruisers actually conduct bombardment entire high seas fleet station east provide cover return destroy elements royal_navy responded raid germans know british reading german naval codes planning catch raiding force return journey aware high_seas_fleet sea admiral 1st reduced ships including lion 2nd battle squadron dreadnoughts detached grand_fleet attempt intercept germans near admiral hipper set sail december raid successfully bombarded english towns british destroyers escorting 1st encountered german destroyers high_seas_fleet fought inconclusive action vice admiral sir commanding 2nd received signal destroyer engaging enemy destroyers destroyer shark spotted german armoured cruiser escorts transmit message admiral received signal battlecruiser new_zealand despite fact new_zealand specifically tasked relay messages destroyers attempted pass shark message manage contact reversed course got message dispatched new_zealand search overhauled new_zealand received messages shelled ordered new_zealand rejoin squadron turned west british forces split going shallow southwest patch ships passed north passed south headed west block main route minefields defending english coast left nautical miles gap german light forces began light cruisers began pass british forces searching hipper spotted light cruiser signalled report turned battlecruisers german ships presumed german cruisers advance screen hipper ships 2nd screening ships detached pursue german cruisers signal british battlecruisers sent screening positions confusion allowed german light cruisers escape alerted hipper location british battlecruisers german battlecruisers wheeled northeast british forces good escape january force german battlecruisers command admiral sortied clear british fishing boats small craft collect intelligence german movements british reading coded messages sailed intercept larger force british battlecruisers command admiral contact initiated 24th british light cruiser spotted german light cruiser sms germans spotted force hipper ordered turn south knots mph believing ships saw northwest british battleships increase speed maximum speed knots mph british battlecruisers ordered battlecruisers speed catch germans escape leading ships lion princess royal tiger knots mph pursuit lion opened fire range yards ships followed minutes later hampered extreme range decreasing visibility score hit german battlecruisers opened fire minutes later range yards concentrated fire lion hit waterline shell flooded coal bunker shortly shell hit roof turret knocking left gun hours signalled engage corresponding ships enemy line tiger captain believing engaging fired lion left able continue engage lion risk combined fire lion hour engaged period meantime heavily damaged fire battlecruisers speed dropped knots mph steering gear jammed ordered attack minutes later spotted thought submarine starboard bow ordered immediate turn port avoid submarine failed submarine warning flag lion signal shot away immediately afterward lion lost remaining rising water knocked remaining light power ordered course northeast bring ships pursuit hipper hoisted attack rear enemy connection signals caused rear admiral sir temporarily commanding new_zealand think signals meant attack yards northeast turned away pursuit hipper main body engaged tried correct mistake far leading battlecruisers signals read amidst smoke transferred flag destroyer attack set pursuit battlecruisers caught shortly sank boarded princess royal ordered pursuit resumed german battlecruisers rescinded order clear time wasted sinking hipper ships able reach german waters british catch lion headed home knots mph rest battlecruisers caught lion starboard engine temporarily shut contaminated feed water restarted lion headed home knots mph rest battlecruisers caught starboard engine began fail speed reduced knots mph ordered tow lion port took hours tries start tow lion day half reach port speeds knots mph lion starboard engine temporarily repaired lion temporarily repaired timber concrete sailing newcastle repaired admiralty wish known damaged badly require repair portsmouth seen sign defeat starboard place february march repair square feet plating replace armour plates supporting structure rejoined flagship april fired rounds main guns hits return hit germans sixteen times man killed wounded princess royal hit forced pair armour plates flooded coal bunker hit twice including hit crippled having fired total inch shells battle gave princess royal hit rate fired inch shells german attempted bomb sinking thinking british ship despite fact maximum elevation guns princess royal damaged battle battle jutland flagship 1st command rear admiral sea rest led vice admiral lion intercept sortie high_seas_fleet north_sea british able german radio messages left bases germans sea hipper battlecruisers spotted west ships spot germans east immediately afterward ordered course change east south east position german line retreat called ships crews action stations hipper ordered ships turn starboard away british assume south easterly course reduced speed knots mph allow light cruisers 2nd catch turn hipper falling high_seas_fleet miles time altered course east quickly apparent far north cut hipper began called run south changed course steer east south east paralleling hipper course range closed yards germans opened fire followed immediately afterward british british ships process making turn leading ships lion princess royal course germans opened fire german fire accurate beginning british range german ships blended lion leading british ships engaged leading ship german formation second ship german formation engaged opposite number fire german ships accurate lion princess royal hit twice minutes germans opening fire range yards ordered course change points starboard open range lion scored hit minutes later returned favour shells hit turret range yards shell penetrated joint inch turret face plate inch roof detonated center left hand gun blew roof plate center face plate turret killed wounded turret started fire despite efforts thought successful accounts subsequent events differ magazine doors closed magazine flooded fire ignited charges turret working room burnt violently flames reaching high killed magazine shell room crews lower mounting gas pressure severely magazine doors probable magazine exploded flooded major mortally wounded turret commander posthumously awarded victoria_cross having ordered magazine flooded princess royal observed track torpedo fired pass underneath thought torpedo fired boat confirmed destroyer reported having spotted torpedo tracks seen range grown far accurate shooting altered course points port close range maneuver exposed lion fire german battlecruisers hit times smoke hits caused lose sight switched fire queen mary range yards turned points starboard open range late queen mary hit multiple times quick succession time forward magazines exploded light cruiser southampton scouting ships spotted lead elements high seas fleet charging north speed minutes later sighted vice admiral battleships transmit message minutes continued south minutes confirm sighting ordering sixteen point turn starboard succession run south princess royal hit total times lion hit twice came called run north german battlecruisers turn north ships maintained speed try separation high_seas_fleet gradually moved range turned north northeast try rendezvous main body grand_fleet opened fire german battlecruisers setting sun blinded german gunners british ships turned away northeast gradually turned east allow cover deployment grand fleet battle formation ahead manoeuvre forced leading division fall east away germans following 3rd steering east southeast leading grand_fleet continuing engage hipper battlecruisers southwest minutes earlier ordered simultaneous starboard turn lost sight turned ships southeast south southeast minutes later searching hipper ships took opportunity recall surviving ships 3rd position astern new_zealand slowed eighteen knots altered course south prevent getting separated grand_fleet moment lion failed complete circle steering brought control ordered turn course grand_fleet altered course south allowed grand_fleet cross badly damaged leading ships ordered turn attempt high seas fleet trap sent manoeuvre successful british lost sight germans spotted smoke bearing west northwest minutes later closed range identify german torpedo boats engaged turned west hearing sounds gunfire spotted german battlecruisers yards away opened fire followed immediately rest battlecruisers shortly pre dreadnought battleships spotted fire switched germans able fire rounds poor visibility turned away west british battlecruisers hit german ships times blended changed course south southeast maintained course ahead grand_fleet high_seas_fleet morning order given reverse course lion princess royal rest battlecruisers reached morning june lion began repairs lasted july remains turret removed period replaced later hit total fourteen times suffered dead wounded battle fired rounds main guns credited hits fired seven torpedoes german battleships light cruiser success arrival princess royal began repairs lasted june sailed later day plymouth permanent repairs july july hit times battle time twice crew killed injured fired rounds main guns visibility impaired funnel smoke fires aboard lion credited hits fired torpedo german pre dreadnoughts success career lion rejoined flagship july turret turret replaced visit armstrong lasted september meantime evening august grand fleet sea response message room indicated high_seas_fleet leaving harbour night german objective bombard 19th extensive reconnaissance provided submarines grand_fleet sailed dreadnought battleships battlecruisers 19th received conflicting intelligence result having reached rendezvous north_sea grand_fleet steered north erroneous belief entered minefield turning south steered south eastward pursuing lone british battle squadron reported fact commodore having realised mistake germans shaped course home contact came evening sighted high_seas_fleet unable achieve attack position dark broke contact british german fleets returned home british having lost cruisers submarine attacks germans having dreadnought battleship damaged torpedo lion flagship vice admiral december assumed command promotion command grand_fleet lion uneventful time rest war conducting patrols north_sea high_seas_fleet forbidden risk losses provided support british light forces involved second battle bight november came range german forces lion rest grand_fleet sortied afternoon march radio revealed high_seas_fleet sea failed attempt intercept regular british convoy norway germans far ahead british escaped firing shot high_seas_fleet sailed scapa_flow november interned lion escorting ships rest 1st lion princess royal guarded interned ships ships assigned april lion placed reserve march paid march sold scrap january princess royal placed reserve attempt sell chile unsuccessful flagship commander chief scottish coast february sold scrap december ships scrapped meet limitations
Lion-class battlecruiser