Image courtesy of Meretmarine
Richelieu-class, French Battleship laid down 1931, refitted 1945
As rebuilt in 1945-1946.
Displacement:
34,312 t light; 36,163 t standard; 41,190 t normal; 45,212 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
780.83 ft / 764.76 ft x 104.99 ft (Bulges 114.17 ft) x 30.02 ft (normal load)
238.00 m / 233.10 m x 32.00 m (Bulges 34.80 m) x 9.15 m
Armament:
8 - 15.00" / 381 mm guns (2x4 guns), 2,039.28lbs / 925.00kg shells, 1931 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline, all forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
6 - 5.98" / 152 mm guns (2x3 guns), 110.23lbs / 50.00kg shells, 1931 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline, all aft, 1 raised mount - superfiring
12 - 3.94" / 100 mm guns (6x2 guns), 35.27lbs / 16.00kg shells, 1945 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts
16 - 2.24" / 57.0 mm guns (8x2 guns), 6.61lbs / 3.00kg shells, 1945 Model
Automatic rapid fire guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 17,505 lbs / 7,940 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 104
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 13.4" / 340 mm 383.86 ft / 117.00 m 12.14 ft / 3.70 m
Ends: 1.18" / 30 mm 229.66 ft / 70.00 m 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
151.25 ft / 46.10 m Unarmoured ends
Main Belt covers 77 % of normal length
- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
1.77" / 45 mm 383.86 ft / 117.00 m 26.90 ft / 8.20 m
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 17.7" / 450 mm 7.87" / 200 mm 13.8" / 350 mm
2nd: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.98" / 25 mm 1.57" / 40 mm
3rd: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm 0.20" / 5 mm
4th: 0.59" / 15 mm 0.20" / 5 mm 0.20" / 5 mm
- Armour deck: 5.31" / 135 mm, Conning tower: 17.72" / 450 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 115,076 shp / 85,847 Kw = 29.00 kts
Range 12,000nm at 18.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 9,049 tons
Complement:
1,445 - 1,879
Cost:
£14.040 million / $56.161 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1,827 tons, 4.4 %
Armour: 12,018 tons, 29.2 %
- Belts: 2,937 tons, 7.1 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 677 tons, 1.6 %
- Armament: 2,212 tons, 5.4 %
- Armour Deck: 5,736 tons, 13.9 %
- Conning Tower: 455 tons, 1.1 %
Machinery: 3,441 tons, 8.4 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 16,801 tons, 40.8 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 6,878 tons, 16.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 225 tons, 0.5 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
62,964 lbs / 28,560 Kg = 37.3 x 15.0 " / 381 mm shells or 10.7 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
Metacentric height 6.9 ft / 2.1 m
Roll period: 18.2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.48
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.12
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.550
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.70 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 32.44 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 51 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 62
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 25.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 34.45 ft / 10.50 m
- Forecastle (30 %): 21.33 ft / 6.50 m
- Mid (50 %): 19.03 ft / 5.80 m
- Quarterdeck (20 %): 19.03 ft / 5.80 m
- Stern: 20.67 ft / 6.30 m
- Average freeboard: 21.69 ft / 6.61 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 76.9 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 149.9 %
Waterplane Area: 58,336 Square feet or 5,420 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 122 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 211 lbs/sq ft or 1,029 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.96
- Longitudinal: 1.38
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weights:
- 50 tons for crew comforts (air conditioning, movie theatre, and ice cream machine)
- 110 tons for Electronics Suite
- 25 tons for electronic fire-control on 381mm, 152mm, 100mm, and 57mm guns
- 40 tons for flagship suite
Electronics:
Not available at present.
*****
Richelieu-class, French Battleship laid down 1931
As completed.
Displacement:
34,291 t light; 36,163 t standard; 41,190 t normal; 45,212 t full load
Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
780.83 ft / 764.76 ft x 104.99 ft (Bulges 114.17 ft) x 30.02 ft (normal load)
238.00 m / 233.10 m x 32.00 m (Bulges 34.80 m) x 9.15 m
Armament:
8 - 15.00" / 381 mm guns (2x4 guns), 2,039.28lbs / 925.00kg shells, 1931 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline, all forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
6 - 5.98" / 152 mm guns (2x3 guns), 110.23lbs / 50.00kg shells, 1931 Model
Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
on centreline, all aft, 1 raised mount - superfiring
12 - 4.72" / 120 mm guns (6x2 guns), 61.73lbs / 28.00kg shells, 1931 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread, 2 raised mounts
48 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (12x4 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.88kg shells, 1931 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts with hoists
on side, evenly spread, 6 raised mounts
Weight of broadside 17,810 lbs / 8,078 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 104
Armour:
- Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg)
Main: 13.4" / 340 mm 383.86 ft / 117.00 m 12.14 ft / 3.70 m
Ends: 1.18" / 30 mm 229.66 ft / 70.00 m 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
151.25 ft / 46.10 m Unarmoured ends
Main Belt covers 77 % of normal length
- Torpedo Bulkhead and Bulges:
1.77" / 45 mm 383.86 ft / 117.00 m 26.90 ft / 8.20 m
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 17.7" / 450 mm 7.87" / 200 mm 13.8" / 350 mm
2nd: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.98" / 25 mm 1.57" / 40 mm
3rd: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -
4th: 0.98" / 25 mm 0.20" / 5 mm -
- Armour deck: 5.31" / 135 mm, Conning tower: 17.72" / 450 mm
Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 4 shafts, 115,076 shp / 85,847 Kw = 29.00 kts
Range 12,000nm at 18.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 9,049 tons
Complement:
1,445 - 1,879
Cost:
£14.152 million / $56.609 million
Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 1,859 tons, 4.5 %
Armour: 12,026 tons, 29.2 %
- Belts: 2,937 tons, 7.1 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 677 tons, 1.6 %
- Armament: 2,220 tons, 5.4 %
- Armour Deck: 5,736 tons, 13.9 %
- Conning Tower: 455 tons, 1.1 %
Machinery: 3,441 tons, 8.4 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 16,865 tons, 40.9 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 6,899 tons, 16.7 %
Miscellaneous weights: 100 tons, 0.2 %
Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
62,745 lbs / 28,461 Kg = 37.2 x 15.0 " / 381 mm shells or 10.6 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
Metacentric height 6.9 ft / 2.1 m
Roll period: 18.2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 70 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.49
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.12
Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
and transom stern
Block coefficient: 0.550
Length to Beam Ratio: 6.70 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 32.44 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 51 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 62
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 25.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 34.45 ft / 10.50 m
- Forecastle (30 %): 21.33 ft / 6.50 m
- Mid (50 %): 19.03 ft / 5.80 m
- Quarterdeck (20 %): 19.03 ft / 5.80 m
- Stern: 20.67 ft / 6.30 m
- Average freeboard: 21.68 ft / 6.61 m
Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 77.2 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 149.8 %
Waterplane Area: 58,336 Square feet or 5,420 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 122 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 212 lbs/sq ft or 1,033 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.96
- Longitudinal: 1.39
- Overall: 1.00
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is excellent
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
Notes:
- 60mm external decapping plate. 280mm main belt is inclined at 15 degrees.
- 30mm splinter belt protects her forecastle
Range 3,610nm @ 29.00 kts
Range 5,380nm @ 25.00 kts
Range 9.000nm @ 20.00 kts
Range 12,000@ 18.00 kts
Range 18,000nm @ 15.00 kts
Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weights:
Richelieu - Command bridge
Courbet - 3 Seaplanes, 1 catapult
Ships in Class:
-
Richelieu
-
Courbet