sharlin
Banned
Cutting through the swells of the North Atlantic the warship rumbled as her engines pushed her through the grey/green waves at 26 knots, not her full speed but after her recent refit it was not advisable to push the engines too much, and in the sea conditions it was a safe speed. The ship had a troubled birth, nearly falling victim to economic troubles and treaties, almost remaining a twinkle in her designers eye but politicians and national pride won through.
Of course there were overseas ‘rivals’ to the ship and her sister, but none quite in the same league. The two ships had become the pride of the Royal Navy, the most desired posting a young Tar could get. Both ships had been taken in hand for a refit before the war, the younger sister sailing from the outfitters yards on the day the war was declared, whilst she was off in the Meditteranian her older sister had finished her refit only six months before.
Gone were the dual six inch turrets, in their place was a bevy of 4.5 inch guns like those on the newest carriers, the new 20mm Okirlon cannons dotted the ships superstructure and the ‘black box’ of radar now rested on her masts, extending her eyes further. Two hundred yards astern the newest battleship laid down by the United Kingdom kept pace astern of the flagship, armed with older guns but they still had a fearsome punch.
Smaller, lighter but more modern the flagships consort was fresh out from the fitters yards, some civilians were onboard fixing issues deep in her hull and her two forward turrets could be seen training left and right slowly, the paired 15 inch guns elevating and depressing as they were tested.
Both ships were at action stations, with their targets in the area it was only a matter of time before they were detected on Radar and the battle could begin. The Saint George’s three turrets were already elevated and trained, the 16 inch rifles loaded and ready. The turrets had given issues when they were built as had their projectiles but the DNC had pressed for a heavier shell and this had solved the barrel wear problems whilst time and effort was needed to fix the faults in the safety interlocks in the then revolutionary triple turrets, the first built for a British battleship.
At 45000 tons standard, 54000 tons fully loaded the designed G3 Class Battlecruiser was easily the biggest ship built in the United Kingdom and had caused a stir in naval circles, almost a victim of the Washington naval treaty the two ships were without a doubt the most powerful vessels in European waters, possibly the world. The new German Bismark class might be more modern but both the Saints had been refitted before the war along with the older battlecruisers Renown, Repulse and Hood. The Saint Andrew had already had a busy time in the Meditteranian and now it was the Saint George’s turn. The Bismark along with the battlecruiser Lutzow had broke out into the Atlantic and were a threat to the convoys, but the cruisers Suffolk and Norfolk had been doggedly following the two germans as they headed past Iceland and towards the Saint George and Nelson.
The Nelson, armed with the 15 inch guns from the now scrapped Revenge as were here three sisters were a compromise, treaty enforced to limit warship size after the perceived ‘failure’ of the Washington treaty, laid down in the 30s as the Empire rearmed in the face of a militant Germany the 35000 ton Nelsons were capable and modern ships for their size and had replaced the old Revenge class that were woefully outdated and obsolete.
On board the Saint George the radar reported two contacts right where they were suppose to be. The great 16 inch rifles turned, and elevated, ready to fire in anger for the first time in their construction lives. A mere 15 minutes later the first salvo roared out as the Battle of Iceland began.
written during a moment of wimsy after seeing this picture
http://helgezone.deviantart.com/art/G3-Battlecruiser-138269799
Of course there were overseas ‘rivals’ to the ship and her sister, but none quite in the same league. The two ships had become the pride of the Royal Navy, the most desired posting a young Tar could get. Both ships had been taken in hand for a refit before the war, the younger sister sailing from the outfitters yards on the day the war was declared, whilst she was off in the Meditteranian her older sister had finished her refit only six months before.
Gone were the dual six inch turrets, in their place was a bevy of 4.5 inch guns like those on the newest carriers, the new 20mm Okirlon cannons dotted the ships superstructure and the ‘black box’ of radar now rested on her masts, extending her eyes further. Two hundred yards astern the newest battleship laid down by the United Kingdom kept pace astern of the flagship, armed with older guns but they still had a fearsome punch.
Smaller, lighter but more modern the flagships consort was fresh out from the fitters yards, some civilians were onboard fixing issues deep in her hull and her two forward turrets could be seen training left and right slowly, the paired 15 inch guns elevating and depressing as they were tested.
Both ships were at action stations, with their targets in the area it was only a matter of time before they were detected on Radar and the battle could begin. The Saint George’s three turrets were already elevated and trained, the 16 inch rifles loaded and ready. The turrets had given issues when they were built as had their projectiles but the DNC had pressed for a heavier shell and this had solved the barrel wear problems whilst time and effort was needed to fix the faults in the safety interlocks in the then revolutionary triple turrets, the first built for a British battleship.
At 45000 tons standard, 54000 tons fully loaded the designed G3 Class Battlecruiser was easily the biggest ship built in the United Kingdom and had caused a stir in naval circles, almost a victim of the Washington naval treaty the two ships were without a doubt the most powerful vessels in European waters, possibly the world. The new German Bismark class might be more modern but both the Saints had been refitted before the war along with the older battlecruisers Renown, Repulse and Hood. The Saint Andrew had already had a busy time in the Meditteranian and now it was the Saint George’s turn. The Bismark along with the battlecruiser Lutzow had broke out into the Atlantic and were a threat to the convoys, but the cruisers Suffolk and Norfolk had been doggedly following the two germans as they headed past Iceland and towards the Saint George and Nelson.
The Nelson, armed with the 15 inch guns from the now scrapped Revenge as were here three sisters were a compromise, treaty enforced to limit warship size after the perceived ‘failure’ of the Washington treaty, laid down in the 30s as the Empire rearmed in the face of a militant Germany the 35000 ton Nelsons were capable and modern ships for their size and had replaced the old Revenge class that were woefully outdated and obsolete.
On board the Saint George the radar reported two contacts right where they were suppose to be. The great 16 inch rifles turned, and elevated, ready to fire in anger for the first time in their construction lives. A mere 15 minutes later the first salvo roared out as the Battle of Iceland began.
written during a moment of wimsy after seeing this picture
http://helgezone.deviantart.com/art/G3-Battlecruiser-138269799