King George V class battleship (1911)
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| King George V-class battleship |
| King George V | Centurion | Audacious | Ajax |
| List of battleships of the Royal Navy |
The KGV class battleship immediately followed the Orion_class_battleship, were of slightly bigger displacement with which small enhancements were incorporated into the design. They were very difficult to distinguish from the Orions.
The same 13.5-inch Mark V gun was fitted, but a slightly heavier (1400lbs vs 1250lbs) projectile was used. (It is probable that this projectile upgrade was also applied to the Orion class). Secondary armament was re-arranged to improve fire distribution ahead, which tactical modeling indicated was the most dangerous for torpedo boat attacks.
Armor was slightly redistributed and, it was thought, improved. Underwater protection was also improved, although these changes did not save the Audacious when she stumbled into a single German mine late in 1914.
Superstructure and masting was slightly revised.
They received plant for a design speed of 1 knot more than the Orions. This gave them slightly easier speed, but in practice they steamed mostly in the company of slower ships anyway.
Overall, they were successful design, although received without particular enthusiasm by the public and press, as they had as a class been substantially promoted as a great advance over the Orions.
The lack of a strong secondary armament, now necessary to defend against ever-larger torpedo boats and destroyers, was addressed in the subsequent Iron_Duke_class_battleship.
See also: King George V class battleship (1939)zh:英王乔治五世级战列舰 (1911年)