ANS Princess Xena (BB-1941)
Final battleships designed and built for the Murovian Empire. They were huge.
Over 10,000 tons heavier than the Phillipis, longer and wider. Many of the same
parts were copied across from the earlier design. Much more cost effective to
build four of something than have to design and build four singles. These were
the first ships in the Amazonian Navy to have their hulls completely air
conditioned. The Princess Xena was the last battleship completed with aircraft
handling facilities. These were removed in the ships 1942 40mm refit. This
removed all the 2pounder and 20mm replacing them with the 40mm Bofors weapon
system. Xena's sistership, Herculea, was completed with the 40mm upgrades from
new. One innovation, the spread between turrets, was increased to try and stop
the chances of one hit putting both turrets out of action.
Neither of these ships ever fired their main guns at another battleship. Their
service was in the Pacific, tied to the Amazonian Navy Task Force. They were
required to fire their guns, as part of bombardment missions, against Japanese
held Island groups. Even firing at bits of sand beat chasing aircraft carriers
around the Pacific Island groups.
I will come back to these two ships when I get to doing missile conversions.
| Displacement | 53,500 tons std, 61,000 tons full load |
| Length | 863 ft |
| Breadth | 114 ft |
| Draught | 30 ft |
| Machinery | 4 shaft, Steam Turbines, 180,000shp |
| Speed | 30 knots |
| Range | 12,000 miles at 15 knots |
| Armour | 13" side, 6" deck, 15"/9"/6" turrets |
| Armament | As Completed 1941 12 x 16" (4x3) 24 x 4" (12x2) 84 x 2pd AA (8x8, 5x4) 30 x 20mm (8x2, 14x1) |
| Aircraft | 4 |
| Complement | 2300 (2400 as Flagship) |
| Notes | ANS Princess Xena ANS Herculea |
Many tales were told of this legendary Warrior Princess of the
Sisterhood. (reruns available on a channel near you!) (or try Youtube)
