Bjørgvin-class coastal defence ship

The Bjørgvin-class coastal battleships were ordered by Norway in 1912 to supplement the older Eidsvold and Tordenskjold-class coastal defence ships. The two ships laid down were compulsorily purchased by the Royal Navy when World War I broke out, and classified as monitors. The British government paid Norway £370,000 as compensation for each ship.

Bjørgvin as HMS Glatton
Class overview
Operators:  Royal Navy
Preceded by: Eidsvold class
Succeeded by: None
Built: 1912–1914
In commission: 1914–1928
Completed: 2
Lost: 1
General characteristics
Type: Coastal defence ship
Displacement: 4,900 long tons (4,979 t)
Length: 94 m (308 ft 5 in)
Beam: 16.8 m (55 ft 1 in)
Draught: 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
Propulsion: Coal-fired reciprocating steam engines, 4,000 shp (2,983 kW)
Speed: 15 knots (17 mph; 28 km/h)
Complement: 305
Armament:
  • 2 × 24 cm (9.4 in) guns
  • 4 × 15 cm (5.9 in) guns
  • 6 × 10 cm (3.9 in) guns
  • 2 × submerged torpedo tubes
Armour:

Ships in class
  • Bjørgvin (1912) - Compulsorily purchased by the British Navy and renamed HMS Glatton, blew up in September 1918.
  • Nidaros (1912) - Compulsorily purchased by the British Navy and renamed HMS Gorgon.

Description

The Bjørgvin class would be significantly more heavily armed than the previous Eidsvold class:

  • Two 24 cm/50 guns, which in British service were relined to use standard British ammunition and became 9.2"/51.[1] These were considered among the longest-ranged guns in the world in 1918. As designed, they would have fired a 190 kg (419 lb) projectile with a muzzle velocity of 884 m/s (2,900 ft/s), capable of penetrating 22.2 cm (8.75 in) of face-hardened armour at a range of 7,000 m (7,650 yards).
  • Four 15 cm/50 in single turrets - one aft, one fore, two midships (one on either side). In British service they were relined to take standard 6 inch (15.2 cm) ammunition.[2]
  • Six 10 cm (3.94 in) guns.
  • Two submerged torpedo tubes.

In addition to the heavier armament, the two ships of the Bjørgvin class were also significantly better armoured, with her armour better distributed:

  • 7 inch (17.78 cm) thick armour in the belt
  • 8 inch (20.32 cm) thick armour on the turrets
  • 8 inch (20.32 cm) thick armour in the barbettes
  • 2.5 inch (6.35 cm) thick armoured deck
  • 8 inch (20.32 cm) thick armour on the conning tower
  • 4 inch (10,16 cm) thick armoured bulkheads

Notes
  1. British 9.2"/51 (23.4 cm) Mark XII, updated 8 April 2005, retrieved 9 December 2005
  2. British 6"/49 (15.2 cm) BL Mark XVIII, updated 1 April 2005, retrieved 9 December 2005

References


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