HMS Valiant

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Andy H
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HMS Valiant

#1

Post by Andy H » 10 Oct 2005, 15:25

In late 1944 HMS Valiant (BB) underwent a refit in England that lasted till the end of the war.

Given that she was scrapped in 1948 and that the Allies at this time were awash with under used BB's, (given the coming of the AC as the major naval unit), what purpose did it serve and what were the specific refits she underwent?

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Michael Emrys
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#2

Post by Michael Emrys » 11 Oct 2005, 14:54

The USN did a lot of reconstruction of its older BBs too, mainly extra AA and removal of intermediate batteries, added radar and comms gear, etc. In some cases, the ships in question saw little action afterwards to justify the expense. I guess it was a case of trying to keep them up to speed in case they might have been needed. Probably it was also a case of bureaucratic inertia and the old-line battleship admirals still exerting influence.


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Andy H
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#3

Post by Andy H » 11 Oct 2005, 19:26

Thanks for that.

I've found that she recieved 10 more 20mm AA guns around this time

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Stephan
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#4

Post by Stephan » 12 Oct 2005, 13:33

If cynic, it was perhaps also a way of keeping them out of danger and or out of the way. Why let 2000 man die for nothing only because unsufficient AA or anti-submarines measures?

Escort-destroyers also more useful to other purposes than protecting those sitting ducks...

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