HMS ''Vanguard''

By Crusader1307

The last British Battleship built during World War II, and indeed the last built in The World, The HMS ‘’Vanguard” was a ‘’King George V’’-Class Fast Battleship. Commissioned in 1941, various “stop and start’’ delays caused Her to not be officially launched until 1946 (after The War). She would remain in service until 1960. Displacing 44,000-tons, ‘’Vanguard’’ was 815-feet long and stood (Beam) at 108-feet. Propelled by (8) Drum Boilers for her (4) Steam Turbines, She could achieve 30-knots speed in open water. Her Crew was 1,500 Officers and Men. Her overall armor plating through her super structure was between 6 and 14-inches. Although her armament was constantly upgraded during her service, she was initially fitted with (4) 15-inch Main Guns, (8) 5.25-Inch Multipurpose Guns and (10) 40mm Bofor AA Gun Systems. ‘’Vanguard’’ also carried (8) different radar and target acquisition Radar Systems. ‘’Vanguard’’ served in several Fleet assignments including Flagship. A fixture of British ‘’Cold War’’ Power, the cost to maintain such a large Ship was prohibitive, with the decision made to scrap he in 1960. Much of her heavy armor plating (retrofitted to withstand atomic particle bombardment) – was recycled into other British War munitions.