BRITISH NAVY - KING GEORGE V class

KING GEORGE V (Feb. 21, 1939)
DUKE OF YORK (ex-Anson, Feb. 28, 1940)
ANSON (ex-Jellicoe, Feb. 24, 1940)
HOWE (ex-Beatty, April 9, 1940)
PRINCE OF WALES (1939)

Displacement: 35,000 tons
(full load averages about 44,650 tons)
Complement: Peace, 1,553 - 1,558; War, 1,900
Length: (pp.) 739 feet 8 inches, (o.a.) 745 feet
Beam: 103 feet
Draught: 27 feet 8 inches (mean)
Guns:
10 - 14 inch.
16 - 5,25 inch, D.P.
64 to 88-2 pdr. pompoms.
8-40 mm. Bofors.
25 to 38-20 mm. Oerlikon.
(No torpedo tubes).
Machinery: Parsons single reduction geared turbines. 4 shafts. S.H.P.: 110,000=27 kts. (have actually developed 125,000=28,5 kts. In emergency). Boilers: 8 Admiralty 3-drum type. Oil fuel.

Armour:
Officially stated that design incorporates enhanced defence against air attack, including an improved distribution of deck and side armour, more elaborate subdivision and an improved system of under-water protection.
Unofficial reports give weight of armour as over 14,000 tons, and water-line thickness as 16 inches.

PRINCE OF WALES (1939). 35,000 tons.
Torpedoed by Japanese naval aircraft in S. China Sea, December 10, 1941.

Est.	Name	Builder	Machinery	Laid down	Completed
1936	King George V	Vickers-Armstrongs (Tyne)	V.A. (Barrow)	Jan. 1, 1937	11/12/40
1937	Duke of York	Clydebank	Clydebank	May 5, 1937	4/11/41
1937	Anson	Swan Hunter	Clydebank	July 20, 1937	22/6/42
1937	Howe	Fairfield	Fairfield	June 1, 1937	29/8/42

General Notes. - Name of second ship was changed December, 1938, and those of third and fourth ships in February, 1940. A fifth ship (Prince of Wales, built by Cammell Laird & Co.) was lost in Dec. 1941. Superstructure, abaft bridge, designed as hangar, is now used as a cinema.
Engineering Notes. - Improvements in boiler design have reduced boiler weights by about 15 per cent as compared with Nelson and Rodney. On trials these ships exceeded 28 kts. Easily with about 112,000 S.H.P.
Gunnery Notes. - 14 inch guns are a new model, with an effective range greater than the 15 inch mounted in earlier ships, as measured by the perforation of any given thickness of armour. From photographs, elevation of 14 inch guns would appear to be at least 40°. Inclusive cost of armament (including fire control installation costing GBP 213,000) has been officially stated as GBP 2,900,000.
Armour Notes. - Turret weights are 1,500 tons for quadruple 14 inch; 900 tons twin 14 inch; 80 tons 5,25 inch.

DUKE OF YORK	DUKE OF YORK	DUKE OF YORK
HOWE	HOWE	HOWE
HOWE Auckland - New Zealand
KING GEORGE V	KING GEORGE V	KING GEORGE V On the way as flagship in western pacific March 30, 1945.
KING GEORGE V
PRINCE OF WALES	PRINCE OF WALES leaving battle with Bismarck and CA Prinz Eugen	PRINCE OF WALES 2.12.1941 Singapore
VIDEO (2.8 MB *.avi) HOWE