NAVYPEDIA

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Vanguard 1913

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
St. Vincent	16, 7A, 85		Portsmouth DYd	30.12.1907	10.9.1908	5.1909	TS 1919, stricken 3.1921
Collingwood	26, 42, 03		Devonport DYd	3.2.1907	7.11.1908	4/1910	TS 1918, stricken 12.1922
Vanguard	39	374	Vickers, Barrow	2.4.1908	22.2.1909	2.1910	sunk 9.7.1917

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	19560
Displacement full, t	23030
Length, m	163.4
Breadth, m	25.6
Draught, m	8.50
No of shafts	4
Machinery	St. Vincent, Vanguard: 4 Parsons steam turbines, 18 Babcock & Wilcox boilers Collingwood: 4 Parsons steam turbines, 18 Yarrow boilers
Power, h. p.	24500
Max speed, kts	21
Fuel, t	coal 2800 + oil 940
Endurance, nm(kts)	6900(10)
Armour, mm	belt: 254 - 178, bulkheads: 203 - 102, turrets: 279 (face) - 203 (sides and rear) - 76 (roof), barbettes: 229 (over main deck) - 127 (under main deck), deck: 76 - 19, CT: 279 (face and sides) - 203 (rear) - 76 (roof)
Armament	5 x 2 - 305/50 BL Mk XI, 20 x 1 - 102/50 BL Mk VII, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 3 - 450 TT (2 beam, 1 stern)
Complement	718

Graphics

Project history

These ships were distinguished from previous class only by new 50-cal guns. Horsepower was increased slightly to offset the rise in displacement, but a slight reduction in beam and draught, as more length helped as well. 305mm Mk XI guns were not successful and had very short barrel life and reduced accuracy at long range. As in Bellerophons the aft fire control position was useless because of smoke interference.

Protection

Main belt has 254-mm (tapering to 203-mm at the lower edge) thickness between barbettes "A" and "Y", 178-mm between barbette "A" and stem (last 10-m part from the stem was 51-mm), 64-mm between barbette "Y" and stern; its height was 2.08 m. Upper belt over 254-mm main belt was 203-mm. Both belts closed by fore 203 - 127-mm and aft 203-mm bulkheads. Second fore 102-127-mm bulkhead was at the end of 178-mm belt. Main deck was 32-mm between barbettes "A" and "Y", 44-mm middle deck with 44-mm slopes closed citadel. Lower deck was 76 mm aft from barbette "Y" and 38-mm fwd from barbette "A". Outer sides of barbettes "P" and "Q" were 254-mm.

Modernizations

before 1914, all: lowering the topmasts; - 2 x 1 - 102/50 (roof of "A" turret)

1915 - 1916, all: + 2 x 1 - 76/45 20cwt QF Mk I

1916 - 1917, all: clinker screen on the fore funnel was mounted (Collingwood received clinker screen on the after funnel also), torpedo nets were removed; - 2 x 1 - 76/45, 1 - 450 TT (stern) (stern); + 1 x 1 - 102/50 BL Mk VII (AA)

1918, Collingwood: + flying-off platforms on "A" & "Y" turrets for Sopwith Pup and 11.2-strutter

1918, Collingwood, St. Vincent: bridgeworks and control tops were enlarged, superstructure was build up, searchlights were regrouped.

Naval service

Collingwood grounded on uncharted rock off Ferrol in February 1911. Vanguard blew up at anchor in Scapa Flow 9.7.1917 due to faulty ammunition exploding. 804 lost. Collingwood since 1918 served as gunnery TS. St. Vincent was paid off into reserve in 1919 and served as gunnery TS until finally paid off late 1919.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.