FAN Clemencau (BB-1944)

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The Clemencau and Gascogne were laid down in 1939, with little work taking place on the ships once war broke out. Clemencau was far enough advanced that the hull was able to be launched to clear the slip. Eventually the hull was sunk by US bombers in 1944. The design was an upgraded Dunkerque with the armament of four twin 16" being replaced with an armament of three triple 16". Only a one gun increase but a ten thousand ton increase in size. Better armour took up most of the increase in size and dimensions.

The 16" gun was an uprated weapon than those fitted to the earlier Dunkerque Class. It would fire its 2500lb shell 45,000 yards. While not as big as the German 16.5" armed ships, they would have given the German ships a run for their money. The light AA weaponry was the twin armoured turret of 37mm guns. The quad and twin 130mm dual purpose guns had taken a long time to get past the teething troubles with the original mountings. These were up to the Mk.IV mounting and were much advanced.

 

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