The design for Vanguard began to emerge in early 1939 when it was realised that if additional 16" gunned developments of the 1938 Programme Lion class were ordered under the 1940-41 Programme, they would not be able to enter service until late 1944 (due mainly to delays in manufacturing new gun mountings).
To try and circumvent this problem, it was decided to build a new fast capital ship using four existing 15" mountings that were being held in storage. The 'fully armoured battlecruiser' envisaged was intended for service in the Far East where it was thought that she would be needed to counter rumoured Japanese 12' gunned super-cruisers. While her construction was given a high priority it proved beyond the capacity of the exhausted British shipbuilding industry to finish her in time to see any war service.
As the war unfolded numerous alterations were made to the design. Eventually, the space required for additional anti-aircraft weapons and improved fire control systems led to the deletion of the aircraft handing facilities that had been included in the original design. In terms of her protection and machinery Vanguard repeated the basic arrangements introduced for the 1936 Programme King George V class. However, some effort was made to increase speed and bunker capacity so that the ship would be more suitable for service in the Far East.
Type Battleship
Builder John Brown, Clydebank
Laid down 2 October 1941
Launched 30 November 1944
Commisioned 9 August 1946
Arrived breakersyard 9 August 1960
Displacement
Standard 46155(std)
Full Load 48500
Maximum 51440(dpl)
Dimensions
Length(OA) 814' 6" (249.0m)
Length(W/L) 785' 0" (239.0m)
Beam 107' 7" (32.8m)
Draft 30' 6" (9.3m)
Armament 8 x 15"(381mm)/42 cal Mk1 mountings
2 foreward 2 aft (4 x 2)
16 x 5.25"( (DP)(133mm)/50 cal Mk1 in 8 twin turrets
4 port 4 aft(8 x 2)
73 x 40mm AA/56 cal Bofors (10 x 6, 1 x 2, 11 x 1)
Protection 14.00 - 13.00" belt, 12.00 - 4.00" bulkheads,
6.00 - 5.00"deck
1.50" magazines box protection, 13.00 - 6.00" turrets,
13.00 - 11.00" barbettes, 1.75" anti-torpedo bulkhead,
12.00" citadel bulkheads.
Propulsion
Boilers 8 Admiralty 3 Drum small tube type with superheaters.
Turbines 4 Parsons single reduction geared turbines.
Shafts 4 ( 2 x 5 bladed inner props; 2 x 3 bladed outer props.
Horsepower 130,000 shp.
Maximun speed 29.75 knots.
Oil bunkerage 7000 tons of oil.
Endurance 9000 nautical miles at 20 knots.
Radar Types AR 262
SW 268
SR 274
AR 275
AW 277
TI 293
GW 960
Complement 1500 peacetime
2000 plus wartime