Battleships type "Richelieu" became the best by the French ships of its class, built for the French Navy before World War II. Since the late twenties and early thirties, Germany led the active development of new warships, in France it was feared, that the high-speed battleships (heavy cruisers) "Dunkirk" class will not be able to fight with the German battleships, and the French engaged in the creation of these battleships.
French battleships type “Richelieu” – video
Ships "Richelieu" type developed on the basis of the battleships of the "Dunkirk", However, armed with 15-inch. (381-mm) implements the main battery and possessed a stronger armor protection. It was originally supposed to build four "Richelieu", but circumstances made it possible to lay only three, And after the water and did two. All the main artillery "Richelieu" was placed in the bow of the hull (eight guns in two towers), while the versatile 6-inch. (152-mm) artillery armament was located in the rear part. In the main towers of 15-inch. (381-mm) guns were installed in pairs, wherein one pair could change elevation angle independently of the other. Chimney and command post vehicle control were initially separate from each other.
However, by the end of construction of the ship combined, wherein the pipe is deflected back, so that the smoke does not interfere with control fire. "Richelieu" was laid 22 October 1935 city, and launched 17 January 1939 g.
In June 1940 g. Battleship was technically ready to 95 percent, but he left the dock in Brest, In order not to the Germans. At the same time, the same type of it, "Jean Bart" went to Casablanca in a state of readiness even less. "Richelieu" went to Dakar, In Senegal, which brought together the French and other naval forces and where they later came under attack by the British. After receiving damage, "Richelieu" with the team eventually moved to the side of the Allies, and went to the US for retrofitting ("Jean Bart" has remained in the hands of Vichy in November 1942 g, met fire their guns were planted in North Africa American). by retrofitting "Richelieu" battleship work completed in 1943 city, when new radar was installed on it and strengthened anti-aircraft armament. Returning from the United States, "Richelieu" became part of the British Far Eastern Fleet. AT 1946 g. Battleship officially returned France. AT 1956 g. "Richelieu" was transferred to the reserve and used as a hulk in the Brest harbor, while in 1964 g. not sent for scrap.
Performance characteristics battleships type “Richelieu”
| Displacement | standard 35 000 t; full 43 293 t |
| main dimensions | length (overall) 247,85 m; width (at the waterline) 32,99 m; draft 9,63 m |
| Power plant | six Indret boilers, four Parsons turbines with a total capacity 150 000 hp, four rotating propellers 32 with. |
| booking | the thickness of the belt from bead 343 mm 248 mm; on the main deck 171 mm 152 mm; the towers of the main tools 44 mm 171 mm; towers universal instruments on 140 mm 70 mm |
| weaponry | eight 15-inch. (381-mm) guns of the main caliber, nine 6-inch. (152-mm) universal tools, 12 – 3,9-inch. (99-mm) anti-aircraft guns, eight 37-mm anti-aircraft automatic guns (replaced 56 – 40-mm anti-aircraft guns), 16 – 13,2-mm anti-aircraft guns (replaced by 48 – 20mm anti-aircraft automatic gun), three aircraft |
| Command | 1670 |
Photos of battleships type “Richelieu”
