Defender class
In the late 20's The Admiralty wanted a Dreadnought/Battleship type of ship, for shore protection. It's operation radius would be in Caledonia waters, protecting all it's major islands. After much debate and design process over the next 10 years, the order went in for an Smaller than usual battleship, after Caledonia standards. It was to carry around 15" guns that are capable to fire extreme long range, and would be used as an artillery weapon.
Design:
After many suggestion from several shipyard's, The Admiralty went for an modified Dreadnought design from "Mangusa Heavy shipyard". The design was based on the old "Admiral De Rigel class" Heavy dreadnought's. The modified design was wider then the old dreadnought design, it was better armored and was divided up better in compartments for better survivability. The 200 meter long, 28 meter wide battleship, was armed with: 3 twin 15 in main guns, 8 twin 5,5 in DP guns, 8 quad 40 mm AA guns and 20 twin 12,7 mm guns. The class was also the only battleship in the Navy build to not hold fleet speed. It's 77000 hp turbines could only give it a top speed of 24 knots.
HMoCS Defender (Moto: Always holding the line)
HMoCS Protector (Moto: To serve and protect)
HMoCS Guardian (Moto: Always a guards man)
build: 1934-1938
Displacement: 36000 to 40000 tons
Length: 200,4 meters
Beam: 28,2 meters
Draft: 10,4 meters
Propulsion: 10 drum boilers of various sizes (high and low pressure), 4 variable pressure turbines (experimental) rated to 77000 hp
Speed: 24 knots max, 20 knots cruise speed
Range: 8500 at 20 knots
Crew: 1300
Armarment:
- 3 X twin 380mm/52 Befer model X super heavy main guns
- 8 X twin 135mm/61 Befer XJ61DP Dual purpose guns
- 8 X twin 40mm/60 Bofors (modified)
- 20 X twin standard 12,7 mm guns
Aircraft:
1 float plane (spotter)
In Northern fleet colors:
The entire class had an quiet carrier, until 1941. When they was ordered to the Machan Islands, Southwest of Caledonia border, there was spotted Japanese ships in that area. The task of the squadron was to enforce the neutrality, but the main mission was to protect the main airfield in that area. But that order was later changed to attack and fight of the Japanese fleet. Early in the morning spotter airplane from HMoCS Guardian spotted the Japanese fleet, and at a Range of 39km and closing all three battleship of the Defender class opened fire. After a long and prolonged battle, HMoCS Defender was severely damaged and burning, listing to one side, HMoCS Guardian ad HMoCS Protector was light damaged but the entire escort ships, of destroyers was lost, just one Heavy cruiser was still in action. The Japanese had lost one of their battleship, two of their cruisers, several destroyers and their aircraft carrier, when two Caledonia destroyer did a suicide run on it.
After the battles at the Machan Islands, and the server damage these three ships got during the battle. It was decided by the Admiralty to improve the class armament and command and firing systems, making the entire class to an first class battleship. They received radars, improved gunnery directors, improved gun control systems, new gun barrels for the main guns, upgrade on the AA armament, layout changes was also done, but the biggest improvement on the class was the 11 meter lengthening of the bow, improving the sea-quality of the class. HMoCS Defender that was severe damaged was the only ship in the class that received new and improved boilers, and had here turbines upgraded and improved for better performance. The entire class also received an upgrade to the armor, from what they had learned from recent battles.
The entire class was often described as the "odd triple" or as "the triple disaster"