Puneet Varma (Editor)

Bjørgvin class coastal defence ship

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Operators
  
Royal Navy

Built
  
1912–1914

Completed
  
2

Succeeded by
  
None

In commission
  
1914–1928

Bjørgvin-class coastal defence ship

Preceded by
  
Eidsvold-class battleship

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.

Contents

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. 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 cm) ammunition.
  • 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

    • References

    Bjørgvin-class coastal defence ship Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA