AcePilots Home World War Two Ships Home Royal Navy Page Battleships Page

HMS Royal Sovereign (BB-1)

UK Battleship of World War Two

HMS Royal Sovereign was launched 29th May 1915 and commissioned in May 1916, but missed the Battle of Jutland During World War Two, Royal Sovereign did convoy duty in 1940-1941. In poor condition she spent most of1943 in refit in the United States. She went into reserve, but was loaned to the USSR (becoming the Archangelsk) in 1944. and returned to Rosyth in 1949 and was scrapped at Inverkeithing.

Displacement: 27,500 tons standard
Length:     624 ft
Beam:     88 ft
Draught:     28 ft
Propulsion: Steam turbines, eighteen boilers, four shafts, 40,000 hp
Speed:     23 knots
Complement: 997

Armament:

Eight 15 inch guns in twin turrets
Fourteen 6 inch guns in single casemates
Two 3 inch guns in single mountings
Four 47 mm guns in single mountings
Four 21 inch submerged torpedo tubes

Armour:

belt: 13 inches maximum, barbettes: 4-10 inches, turrets: 13 inch maximum

HMS

Part of her gun turret mechanism was later reused in the 250 foot "Mark I" radio telescope at Jodrell Bank.

AcePilots Home World War Two Ships Home Royal Navy Page Battleships Page

Sources: Public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

and pictures from my father's 1943 Naval Recognition Manual

Continue the discussion at the Ships Forum or email me (photos of WW2 ships welcome).