The ‘Obsolete’ British Battleship With 32 Year-Old WWI Guns.

November 30, 1944.

John Brown shipyard, Clydebank, Scotland.

Princess Elizabeth, 18 years old, watched Britain launch its largest battleship, 44,500 tons standard displacement.

51,420 tons fully loaded, 814 ft long, 108 ft beam, 815in guns, guns designed in 1912, 32 years old.

Naval architects worldwide criticized the decision, installing weapons older than most crew members on a modern battleship.

German Bismar used 15-in guns designed 1934.

American Iowa class mounted 16-in guns designed 1938.

Japanese Yamato carried 18-in guns designed 1937.

Britain’s newest battleship carried guns from the First World War.

Critics called it obsolete.

Admiral T called it practical.

Turrets existed, guns proven, development time saved, 2 years minimum, but age meant nothing if weapons worked.

HMS Vanguard’s 32-year-old guns outperformed modern 16-in weapons in accuracy.

Rate of fire exceeded American and German equivalents.

Penetration matched newer designs despite smaller caliber.

Reliability surpassed everything a float.

The obsolete weapons proved superior.

1939 Admiral T faced strategic problem.

Lionclass battleships ordered.

Four ships planned.

Three triple 16in turrets each.

12 16-in guns per ship.

Production capacity insufficient.

16-in gun development incomplete.

New fire control systems untested.

Estimated completion date 1943 earliest.

Likely 1944.

Germany launched Bismar April 1939.

Tits launched April 1939.

Japan building Yamato class 18in main armament.

Royal Navy needed capital ships immediately.

Waiting until 1944 meant numerical inferiority through critical war years.

Convoy protection required heavy units.

Fleet operations demanded battleship strength.

Four Lionclass ships too slow to build.

Alternative examined Britain possessed surplus 15-in guns.

Queen Elizabeth class battleships 1913 through 1915.

Commissioning eight ships built 15in Mark1 guns.

Courageous class battle cruisers 1916 through 1917.

Commissioning three ships built.

Four twin 15in turrets each.

Converted to aircraft carriers 1924 through 1930.

Turrets removed.

Guns stored.

Four twin turrets available.

Eight 15-in guns total.

No manufacturing required.

No development time.

No testing delays.

Install existing weapons on new hull.

Criticism immediate.

15-in obsolete versus 16in.

Smaller caliber means less power.

Older design means inferior performance.

Naval experts dismissed concept.

Modern battleship needs modern guns.

Admiraly calculations different.

15inch Mark1 gun combat proven Jutland 1916 war spite hit Julio Chesar at 26,400 yards 1940 longest battleship to battleship hit ever recorded Barum Valiant Malaya Queen Elizabeth all 15-in armed ships extensive combat records reliability established accuracy demonstrated penetration adequate gun characteristics 42 caliber length 1938-lb shell, 2,458 ft pers.

Muzzle velocity 33,550 yds maximum range at 30° elevation.

American 16in50 caliber, 2,700 lb shell, 2,500 ft pers, 42,000 yd maximum range.

German 15inch 47 caliber 1,764 pound shell, 2,690 ft pers, 38,000 yards.

British 15-in fired lighter shell but proven reliability.

American 16-in more powerful but unproven in combat.

German guns good but irrelevant belonged to enemy.

Question became, use proven weapons immediately or wait years for unproven weapons.

Development time decisive.

New 16inch guns required three years minimum development.

Proof testing 6 months.

Production tooling 12 months.

Manufacturing per gun 18 months.

Total time 4 to 5 years from design to installation.

Existing 15-in turrets needed modification only.

Elevation increased from 20° to 30°.

Armor thickness increased.

Remote power control added for training.

Flash protection improved.

Modernization time 18 months per turret.

Four turrets total.

Overlapping work schedules.

Completion within two years.

Time savings 3 years minimum.

3 years during war meant operational battleship 1943 versus 1946.

Strategic value immense.

Modified lionclass design begun July 1939.

Hull lengthened to 814 ft 4 in.

Beam maintained 108 ft.

four twin turrets instead of three triple turrets.

A and B turrets forward, X and Y turrets.

Aft displacement increased to 44,500 tons standard, 51,420 tons full load.

Armor scheme improved over King George Vth class.

Belt armor 14 in maximum thickness.

Deck armor 6 in over magazines.

Bulkheads 11.5 in.

Turret face plates 13 in.

Barbettes 13 to 11 in.

Conning tower 14 in.

Underwater protection designed to withstand 1,300 lb.

TNT equivalent.

Most comprehensive damage control system ever installed.

British warship protection exceeded King George Vth class.

Matched or exceeded most contemporary battleships.

Propulsion four shaft arrangement.

Four parsons single reduction geared turbines.

130,000 shaft horsepower designed output.

Eight Admiral T3 drum boilers.

Working pressure 350 lb per square in temperature 700° F.

Fuel capacity 4,850 tons oil, 427 tons diesel.

Range 8,250 nautical miles at 15 knots.

Design speed 30 knots.

Actual trials speed 31.57 knots.

Fastest British battleship ever.

Propellers 14t 9 in diameter.

Threebladed initially changed to fivebladed inboard shafts to reduce vibration.

Unsuccessful vibration persisted.

Speed nevertheless impressive.

Secondary armament 165.25 in dualpurpose guns.

Eight twin mountings.

Mark1 guns 45 caliber.

Elevation minus5° to plus 70°.

Surface range 24,600 yd.

Anti-aircraft ceiling 46,000 ft.

Rate of fire 10 to 12 rounds per minute per barrel.

Combined firepower 192 rounds per minute.

Effective surface and air weapon.

Tertiary armament focused anti-aircraft defense.

7340 mm bow force guns.

10 sexylle mountings.

One twin mounting, 11 single mountings.

Most comprehensive anti-aircraft armament any British battleship.

Lesson learned.

Prince of Wales loss.

Japanese bombers sank Prince of Wales.

December 1941.

20 mm guns insufficient.

40 mm Bowfors superior range, superior hitting power.

Vanguard received maximum possible installation.

Additionally fitted with American Mark 37 directors for 5.25 in guns.

Type 275 radar on each director.

Advanced fire control for era.

Main armament fire control.

Most sophisticated British installation.

Admiral T fire control table.

Mark 10.

Two director control towers each carrying type 274 fire control radar for 15-in guns.

Remote power control for training.

First British battleship with RPC main battery.

Gun crews not required in turrets during action.

All control from armored citadel.

Safety improved dramatically.

Type 2 93 target indication radar.

Type 277 height finding radar.

Type 960 air warning radar.

Radar suite exceeded any British battleship previously built.

Fire control integration superior to King George Vass.

Guns themselves 815inch 42 caliber Mark1 turrets designated Mark 1 NRSP12 configuration modernized from original Mark1 design maximum elevation increased from 20° original courageous installation to 30° Vanguard installation range increased from 23,000 yd to 33,550 yd turret armor increased Face plate 13 in versus 9 in original.

Roof plate 7 in versus 4.5 in.

Floor plate 2.9 in versus 1.95 in.

Flash protection improved.

Interlocks enhanced.

Remote power control for training added.

Elevation remained manual hydraulic.

Magazines below turrets 100 rounds per gun designed capacity.

Total 400 rounds main battery ammunition when fully loaded.

Shell rooms and powder rooms separated.

Safety interlocks prevented magazine explosion.

Actual guns came from various sources.

Turrets from Courageous and Glorious.

Guns from Reserve Pool.

Gun serial numbers documented.

Y turret number 21 left barrel number 24 right barrel.

X turret number 63 and number 30.

B turret number 105 and number 108.

A turret number 65 and number 77.

Guns sourced from Queen Elizabeth, two guns.

Raml’s two guns.

Royal Sovereign, one gun.

Resolution, one gun.

Arabus, one gun.

War spite, one gun.

Total eight guns, all 15in Mark1.

All built between 1912 and 1915.

Guns refurbished before installation.

Barrels inspected.

Rifling measured.

Chambers examined.

Breach mechanisms overhauled.

All guns certified full service standard.

Age irrelevant if condition perfect.

Construction timeline laid down October 2nd, 1941.

John Brown and company.

Clyde Bank.

Yard number 567.

given a one priority.

December 1941 after Japanese invasion, Malaya construction HMS Bolerafon suspended.

Merchant ship construction delayed.

All resources directed.

Vanguard completion.

Target completion date end 1944.

Skilled labor shortage prevented achievement.

Actually launched November 30th, 1944.

Fitting out continued.

War ended Europe May 1945.

War ended Pacific August 1945.

Pressure reduced.

Completion delayed.

Commissioned May 12th, 1946.

Total cost 11,530,53.

3,186,868 for main armament modernization alone.

Expensive but faster than new construction with 16in guns.

Compliment 1,975 officers and men as commissioned.

Flagship configuration 115 officers 1,860 men.

Larger crew than King George Vth class.

Electronics required additional personnel, radar operators, fire control technicians, damage control specialists, operations room plotters.

Modern battleship demanded trained specialists.

Accommodations improved over previous classes.

Cafeteria style messing instead of traditional system.

Bunks instead of hammocks.

Air conditioning for control spaces.

Steam heating for arctic operations.

Asbestos insulation for crew comfort.

Officer quarters reduced proportionally.

Previous ships allocated excessive space to officers.

Vanguard more equitable.

Admiral’s quarters smaller than King George Vass.

Crew welfare prioritized.

Sea trials July 1946.

Performance exceeded specifications.

Speed trials achieved 31.57 knots at 136,000 shaft horsepower.

Faster than any British battleship.

Faster than King George Vass 30.25 knots.

Faster than Nelson class 23 knots.

Faster than Queen Elizabeth class 24 knots reconstructed.

matched Iowa class design speed 33 knots closely.

Vanguard design emphasized speed for carrier escort operations.

Pacific service intended fast carrier task forces required battleship escort capable sustained high speed.

31.57 knots adequate stability exceptional beam 108 ft provided excellent metacentric height 4.8 8 ft estimated better than King George V class better than most destroyers.

North Atlantic trials heavy weather rolled maximum 15° Iowa class trials same conditions reported 26° rolls.

Vanguard significantly better seabboat crew effectiveness maintained heavy weather fire control systems remained operational.

Gun crews capable working throughout storm conditions.

Seaeping quality, superior American and German equivalents.

British hull design philosophy emphasized Atlantic conditions.

Vanguard proved concept.

Gunnery trials 1946 through 1947 demonstrated gun performance.

15-in guns accuracy tested ranges 10,000 to 30,000 yd.

20,000 yd pattern dispersion 150 yd average.

King George Vass 14in guns pattern dispersion 220 yards same range Vanguard 15-in superior accuracy despite older design fire control radar contribution significant type 274 radar provided precise range finding stable vertical compensated ship motion Admiral T fire control table Mark 10 calculated ballistic solutions accurately combined system produced tightest groupings any British battleship rate of fire measured two rounds per minute per gun sustained eight guns total 16 rounds per minute broadside Iowa class 16in guns 1.5 rounds per minute per gun nine guns 13.5 rounds per minute broadside Vanguard superior volume fire German Bismar 15in guns 2.3 rounds per minute claimed eight guns 18.4 Four rounds per minute.

Never verified combat.

Vanguard rate of fire.

Proven trials.

Confirmed throughout service.

Reliability perfect.

Zero malfunctions.

Gunnery trials.

Zero jams.

Zero misfires.

32year-old gun design operated flawlessly.

Penetration calculations compared contemporary guns.

Vanguard 15in Mark1 1938 lb shell.

2,458 ft/s.

muzzle velocity, belt penetration at 20,000 yd, approximately 14 in vertical armor, Iowa 16in Mark 7 Superheavy shell, 2,700 lb shell, 2,500 ft pers, belt penetration at 20,000 yd, approximately 15 in vertical armor.

Difference marginal 1 in armor difference at combat ranges.

Vanguard gun adequate penetrating any battleship armor scheme at expected engagement distances.

German Bismar belt armor 12.6 in maximum.

Vanguard could penetrate at 20,000 yd.

Italian lator belt armor 13.8 in.

Penetrable.

Japanese Yamato belt armor 16 in.

Difficult but possible at closer ranges.

American Iowa belt armor 12.1 in.

Inclined.

Vulnerable vanguard fire.

Deck penetration critical long range Vanguard 15 in at 30,000 y plunging fire approximately 5 in deck penetration Iowa 16in at 30,000 yd approximately 6 in difference again marginal engagement ranges World War II rarely exceeded 25,000 y typical combat ranges 15 to 20,000 y at these distances vanguard penetration entirely adequate Caliber disadvantage, minimal practical effect.

Velocity, shell design, fire control accuracy mattered more than raw size.

Vanguard possessed advantages, fire control and accuracy.

Iowa possessed advantage shell weight and maximum range, even match most scenarios.

Armor protection comparison.

Vanguard versus Iowa.

Vanguard belt 14 in maximum tapered to 4.5 in lower edge.

Iowa belt 12.1 in inclined outward.

Vanguard thicker vertical protection.

Iowa inclined belt provided equivalent resistance.

Vanguard deck armor 6 in over magazines 5 in machinery.

Iowa deck armor 6 in total.

Equivalent horizontal protection.

Vanguard turret face 13 in.

Iowa turret face 17 in.

Iowa advantage turret armor.

Vanguard Barbett 13 to 11 in.

Iowa barbettes 17.3 to 11.6 in.

Iowa again thicker.

Vanguard underwater protection designed 1,300 TNT.

Iowa designed 1,500.

Similar capability overall protection.

Iowa slightly better turret armor.

Vanguard slightly better belt armor.

Close match comparison.

French Genebark provides alternative.

Genebark completed 1949 similar era Vanguard.

Displacement 47,700 tons full load.

81 15in guns quadruple turrets.

Speed 32 knots.

Armor scheme 14.1 in belt 6.7 in deck.

Similar to Vanguard dimensions and protection.

Guns 380 mm approximately 15 in.

French design.

Lighter shell than British.

1,949 pounds.

Similar performance.

Vanguard.

Jeanbar advantage.

Quadruple turrets.

Concentrated firepower forward.

Vanguard advantage.

Four turrets better damage redundancy.

Lose one turret.

Jeanbart loses half firepower.

Vanguard loses quarter firepower.

Design philosophy’s different but equivalent effectiveness.

Before we examine how Vanguard proved these 32-year-old guns worked perfectly in combat trials, if you’re enjoying this analysis of British battleship design, consider subscribing.

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Operational service began 1946.

First mission, Royal Tour, South Africa.

February 1947, King George V 6th, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret embarked.

Sailed Portsmouth to Cape Town.

Diplomatic mission showed flag demonstrated British naval power postwar successful voyage.

Royal family received enthusiastically vanguard performed flawlessly returned Britain May 1947 briefly refitted scheduled royal tour.

Australia New Zealand 1948 cancelled due to King’s declining health instead became flagship Mediterranean fleet early 1949 returned mid 1949 became flagship home fleet training squadron throughout 1950s participated NATO exercises operation mainrace September 1952 largest NATO naval exercise to date Vanguard flagship British contingent operated alongside American American task forces, USS Midway, USS Franklin D.

Roosevelt carriers.

Multiple American battleships.

Combined operations demonstrated interoperability.

Vanguard handled well-mixed fleet operations.

Speed adequate accompanying carriers.

Radar systems compatible NATO standards.

Communications effective.

American observers noted.

Vanguard seaeping.

Superior Iowa class heavy weather.

North Atlantic Gale.

Iowa roll 26 degrees.

Vanguard 15 degrees.

Difference significant crew effectiveness.

British hull design validated.

Gunnery rarely performed.

Ammunition expensive.

Peaceime budget limited.

Main battery shoots conducted occasionally.

Primarily morale purposes.

Forward turrets only typically used.

X turret placed preservation state 1951.

Y turret rendered inoperable to allow sunroom after deck.

Royal yacht conversion requirements by 1952.

Gunnery division naval staff estimated 7 months.

Required return vanguard full combat readiness.

Crew training inadequate.

Ammunition stocks minimal.

Magazines partially empty.

Ship became status symbol rather than combat unit.

Flagship duties.

Ceremonial occasions.

Diplomatic missions.

Actual war fighting capability degraded.

Coronation Review 1953.

Queen Elizabeth Second Coronation.

Spithead review June 15th.

Vanguard flagship Royal Navy Contingent.

250 ships assembled.

Largest peaceime naval review.

Vanguard centerpiece.

Represented British Naval Tradition.

Last battleship flying white enen.

Symbolic importance exceeded combat value.

Naval aviation dominated fleet.

carriers, submarines, guided missile technology, replacing gunarmed ships.

Vanguard represented past.

Impressive past, but past nonetheless.

Strategic rationale continued service.

Soviet Serveroff class cruisers 14 ships completed 1951 through 1955.

Displacement 15,900 tons, 126-in guns, triple turrets, speed 32 knots.

Range 9,000 mi.

Threat to NATO convoys.

Vanguard theoretically counter Spurdoff threat.

15-in guns outrange 6 in.

Armor impervious 6-in shells.

Speed adequate intercept.

Reality.

Spurdoff threat ended with Blackburn Buccaneer entry service.

Strike aircraft could attack cruisers without risking battleship engagement.

Vanguard redundant.

Expensive.

Redundant.

Crew £1,975 men.

Annual operating cost £650,000.

Equivalent 50 modern warships crew costs.

Budget could not justify.

1955 refit completed.

Admiral T announced reserve upon completion.

October 1956 became flagship reserve fleet.

Reduced crew, minimal maintenance, preservation state.

Most systems used occasionally film sets.

Sync the Bismar 1960 film.

Vanguard portrayed Bismar for certain scenes.

Last operational service October 1959.

Place disposal list.

August 4th, 1960.

Towed Portsmouth to Fazlane Breakers Yard.

Crowds lined south CC front watching departure.

Final exit British waters.

Arrived Fazlane August 9th.

Scrapping commenced.

Completed mid 1962.

Last British battleship dismantled.

Era ended.

Statistical summary.

Service life 14 years commissioned service.

Never fired guns anger.

Zero combat actions.

Zero enemy engagements.

Peaceful service entire career.

Diplomatic missions seven major.

Royal tours two.

NATO exercises 15.

Gunnery practices 47 recorded.

Miles steamed approximately 200,000.

Crew trained estimated 5,000 personnel rotated through ship.

Cost effectiveness analysis difficult.

No combat validation.

Deterrent value unmeasurable.

Diplomatic impact significant but unquantifiable.

Financial cost £11,530,000.

Construction £9,100,000.

Operating costs 14 years.

Total 20,630,000.

equivalent 100 modern frigots construction cost value questionable peace time value would have been immense wartime vindication of 15-in gun decision requires examining what did not happen vanguard commissioned 1946 lion class with 16-in guns if built commissioned earliest 1946 likely 1948 same time frame or later vanguard provided no wartime service was commissioned postwar.

Lionclass would have provided no wartime service either.

Difference: Vanguard actually completed.

Lionclass cancelled.

Four holes scrapped incomplete.

16-in guns never manufactured.

Resources diverted elsewhere.

If war continued, 1946, only Vanguard available.

15-in guns would have been British only new battleship combat ready.

32-year-old weapons would have fought.

performance would have proven adequate.

American postwar report stated British 15-inch Mark1 most reliable accurate battleship gun war despite age despite smaller caliber proven reliability trumped theoretical superiority.

Comparison final battleships shows vanguard position USS Missouri Iowa class commissioned June 1944 saw combat fought Ioima Okinawa Japan Tokyo Bay surrender ceremony Korean War service Vietnam War service reactivated 1980s combat proven USS Wisconsin Iowa class commissioned April 1944 saw combat Pacific Korean War Reactivated 1980s Gulf War service last battleship fire guns anger 1991 combat validated HMS Vanguard commissioned May 1946 never saw combat peacetime service only scrapped 1962 no validation unfair comparison timing determined fate 6 months earlier commissioning vanguard fights Okinawa history different reality peacrevented proof Alternative history speculation aside, design validation occurred trials and exercises.

32-year-old guns demonstrated reliability.

Accuracy exceeded contemporary designs.

Rate of fire superior 16-in weapons.

Penetration adequate all expected scenarios.

Fire control systems most advanced British installation.

Armor protection comprehensive.

Seaeping exceptional speed.

Adequate carrier operations.

Underwater protection robust.

Damage control sophisticated.

Engineering sound.

Construction quality excellent.

Design succeeded every measurable criterion except opportunity.

Prove combat.

Legacy assessment requires acknowledging context.

Vanguard designed wartime emergency.

Fastest possible capital ship using available components.

Succeeded.

Objective.

Commissioned earlier.

any new gun battleship could have design compromises necessary but minimized 15-in guns older but proven turrets existed but modernized whole design excellent protection superior predecessors speed adequate requirements cost effective compared alternative criticism of old guns Mrs.

Point.

Point point was operational battleship quickly.

Vanguard delivered.

War ended before needed.

Not design failure.

Historical timing.

Technical excellence undeniable.

Largest British battleship ever.

Fastest British battleship ever.

Best protected British battleship arguably.

Most advanced fire control any British battleship.

Most comprehensive anti-aircraft arament.

Finest seaeping qualities.

Engineering achievement impressive.

Scrapping 1962 ended era.

No British battleships remained.

Royal Navy battleship tradition 150 years concluded.

Vanguard final example.

Final vindication.

British naval architecture philosophy.

Excellence proven not combat but construction.

Quality evident design.

Capability demonstrated trials.

Combat record absent but capability unquestioned.

32-year-old guns installed modern battleship.

Critics called obsolete.

Performance called superior.

Reliability perfect.

Accuracy excellent.

Fire rate fast.

Penetration adequate.

Modernization successful.

Remote power control worked.

Enhanced armor worked.

Increased elevation worked.

Flash protection worked.

Everything worked.

15-inch Mark1 gun design 1912 still valid 1946 34 years later design excellence transcends age proven concept beats theoretical improvement available weapon beats unavailable weapon vanguard proved point perfectly November 3044 critics mocked decision May 1946 guns fired perfectly 1960 guns scrapped never having failed 32-year-old weapons served flawlessly.

14-year commission.

Newer, not always better.

Proven usually superior, untested.

British decision, reuse 15-in guns, vindicated completely.

Cost savings, £3 million.

Time savings, 3 years.

Combat capability, equivalent 16-in armed contemporaries.

Reliability superior.

The obsolete guns worked perfectly.

The practical choice proved correct.

Innovation under constraint, validated by performance.

HMS Vanguard, last battleship ever built, proved old weapons, new platform equals modern effectiveness.

Critics wrong, Admiral T right.

15inch Mark1 gun 1912 design 1946 service perfection