RPN Revenge (BB-1912)



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The previous three classes had been a very good set of upgrades from one to the next. They followed the building practices of the time. With the Revenge class the Panagaean Navy decided that this would be the maximum that they could take the 12" battleship. While the Revenge was under construction the Royal Navy started the Super Dreadnoughts with 13.5" guns, while the US and Japan went to 14". With the speed of advances in armament being fuelled by the Dreadnought race between Germany and Britain, the next jump could go to 15" or even 16 sized weapons.



The Revenge class made a fine sight in the van of the fleet. All power and brute strength. Compared to its contemporaries it was a far better laid out ship. None of the awkward wing turrets or 'Q' turrets with their limited usefulness. World War One was easy for the two ships. Hunting for the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Once those ships were put down at the Falklands Islands, the Revenge and Vengeance could be released to the Grand Fleet to be based at Scapa Flow. Months and then years of misery with bursts of excitement when the Fleet would sail, hopefully to be in contact with the High Seas Fleet. Not until May 1916 did the two fleets collide in the North Sea off the coast of Jutland. The Battle of Jutland was inconclusive. The Germans won the tactical battle, sinking more capital ships than they lost. But the Allied forces won the strategic battle, the one that counted. As it was put - the High Seas Fleet has assaulted its jailer but has returned to its jail cell. Admiral Jellicoe kept the Grand Fleet together and was described as the one person on either side of the Battle who could have lost the war. Admiral Beatty roared off to find glory, but got his arse kicked instead.



1930-31 and the Japanese were being obnoxious about how they felt they had been treated under the latest Naval Treaty. They refused to sign. Game on. That one act saved a lot of old battleships that were in the zone for the scrap heap. To get the two Revenge class ships to look like the drawing above, required one major and several minor refits. This was because of the different times the various bits of armament and electronic aids became available.
 

Displacement 23,750 tons standard, 27,000 tons full load
Length 584 ft
Breadth 90 ft
Draught 28 ft
Machinery 3 shaft, steam turbines, 36,000shp
Speed 22 knots
Range 5000 miles at 12 knots
Armour 13" side, 3" deck, 10" turrets
Armament As completed to 1918

12 x 12" (4x3)
10 x 6" (10x1)
8 x 4" LA (10x1)
4 x 3" AA (4x1) added 1916/17
4 x 2pd (4x1)
to 1941

12 x 12" (4x3)
20 x 4.5" (10x2)
32 x 2pd (4x8)
24 x 0.5 mg (6x4)
 
Torpedoes 4 x 18" (4x1) submerged nil
Complement 1250-1290 as Flagship
Notes Revenge -
Vengeance -





 

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