Revision 136783966 of "Benutzer:Doppelback/Invincible-class battlecruiser" on dewiki

{|{{Infobox Ship Begin}}
{{Infobox Ship Image
|Ship image=[[Image:HMS Invincible (1907) British Battleship.jpg|300px|HMS Invincible]]
|Ship caption=HMS ''Invincible''
}}
{{Infobox Ship Class Overview
|Name=''Invincible''-class battlecruiser
|Builders=[[Armstrong Whitworth]], [[John Brown & Company]], [[Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company|Fairfields]] 
|Operators={{navy|UK}} 
|Class before=
|Class after=[[Indefatigable class battlecruiser]]
|Subclasses=
|Cost=£1.7 m
|Built range=1906–1909
|In service range=1909–1921
|In commission range=
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=3
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=1
|Total ships retired=
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox Ship Characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=
|Ship type=
|Ship displacement=17,373&nbsp;tons average load<br />20,078&nbsp;tons average deep load
|Ship length= {{convert|567|ft|m|abbr=on}} overall
|Ship beam={{convert|78.5|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|26.16|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=[[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] turbines, four shafts, 31 Babcock & Wilcox or Yarrow boilers, {{convert|41000|ihp|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed= {{convert|25.5|kn|km/h}}
|Ship range= {{convert|3090|nmi|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn|km/h|0}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement= 784
|Ship armament= 8 × {{convert|12|in|mm|0|adj=on}} /45&nbsp;cal Mk X (4 × 2)<br /> 16 × {{convert|4|in|mm|0|adj=on}} /45&nbsp;cal Mk III QF<br /> 7 Maxim [[machine gun]]s<br /> 5 × {{convert|18|in|mm|0|adj=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s, submerged 
|Ship armour=4–6&nbsp;in (100–150&nbsp;mm) belt<br /> 2–7&nbsp;in (50–180&nbsp;mm) barbettes<br /> 6–10&nbsp;in (150–250&nbsp;mm) conning tower<br /> 7&nbsp;in (180&nbsp;mm) turret<br /> 0.75–2.5&nbsp;in (20–65&nbsp;mm) deck
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
The three '''''Invincible'' class''' [[battlecruisers]] were built for the [[Royal Navy]] and entered service in 1908 as the world's first battlecruisers. They were the brainchild of [[John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher|Admiral Sir John (Jackie) Fisher]], the man who had sponsored the construction of the world's first "all big gun" warship, {{HMS|Dreadnought|1906|6}}. He visualised a new breed of warship, somewhere between the [[armoured cruiser]] and [[battleship]]; it would have the armament of the latter, but the high speed of the former.

==Design==
In early 1906, three ships were laid down to the final specifications of Admiral Fisher's vision - {{HMS|Invincible|1908|6}}, {{HMS|Inflexible|1908|6}} and {{HMS|Indomitable|1907|6}}.

Each carried eight 12-inch guns in four twin turrets, with two mounted fore and aft and another two on the centreline port and starboard. These guns were equivalent to those mounted in the most modern [[battleships]]. However, the armour protection given to the ships was light - the armoured belt measured {{convert|6|in|mm}} amidships and {{convert|4|in|mm}} at the bow, with the deck armour in some places only ¾ of an inch thick. This compared with an armoured belt of {{convert|11|in|mm}} on ''Dreadnought''. But, it was [[John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher|Admiral Fisher's]] assertion that the ships' speed would be their protection. They were designed for {{convert|25|kn|km/h|0}}, but in the event, all three bettered {{convert|28|kn|km/h|0}}.

==Building programme==
The following table gives the build details and purchase cost of the members of the ''Invincible'' class. Whilst standard British practice at that time was for these costs to '''exclude''' armament and stores, for some reason the cost quoted in [[Brassey's Naval Annual| The Naval Annual]] for this class '''includes''' armament.
{{clear}}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-valign="bottom"
! rowspan=2 |Ship
! align=center rowspan=2 | Builder
! align=center rowspan=2 | Engine builder
! align=center rowspan=2 | Laid down
! align=center rowspan=2 | Launched
! align=center rowspan=2 | Completed
! colspan = 2 |Cost<small> according to</small>
|-valign="top"
! align = center | [[Brassey's Naval Annual| BNA]] (1914)<ref>Brassey's Naval Annual 1914, p192-199</ref>
! align = center | Parkes<ref>Parkes, Oscar, ''British Battleships'', p492-496.</ref>
|-valign=center 
| {{HMS|Invincible|1907|2}}
|align=center | [[Armstrong Whitworth]], [[Elswick, Tyne and Wear|Elswick]]
|align=center | Humphrys,<br /> Parsons turbines
|align=center | [[2 April]] [[1906]]
|align=center | [[13 April]] [[1907]]
|align=center | [[20 March]] [[1909]]<ref>Conways and [[Brassey's Naval Annual| Brassey]] say 1909, though Parkes says 1908.</ref>
|align=right | £1,768,995 *
|align=right | £1,635,739<br /><small>armament </small>£90,000
|-valign=center 
|{{HMS|Inflexible|1908|2}}
|align=center | [[John Brown and Company|John Brown & Co.]], [[Clydebank]]
|align=center | John Brown,<br />Parsons turbines
|align=center | [[5 February]] [[1906]]
|align=center | [[26 June]] [[1907]]
|align=center | [[20 October]] [[1908]]
|align=right | £1,728,229 *
|align=right | £1,677,515<br /><small>armament </small>£90,000
|-valign=center 
|{{HMS|Indomitable|1907|2}}
|align=center | [[Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company|Fairfield]], [[Govan]]
|align=center | Fairfield,<br />Parsons turbines
|align=center | [[1 March]] [[1906]]
|align=center | [[16 March]] [[1907]]
|align=center | [[25 June]] [[1908]]
|align=right | £1,761,080 *
|align=right | £1,662,337<br /><small>armament </small>£90,000
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> = estimated cost, including guns

== In service ==
All three ships entered service in the first half of 1908. Initially, ''Invincible'' and ''Inflexible'' were assigned to the [[Home Fleet]], while ''Indomitable'' took the [[George V of the United Kingdom|Prince of Wales]] (later [[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]]) to the tercentennial celebrations in [[Canada]], before also joining the [[Home Fleet]].

In 1914, ''Invincible'' was based on the east coast of England as part of [[David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty|Admiral Beatty's]] force, while ''Inflexible'' and ''Indomitable'', together with the newer {{HMS|Indefatigable|1909|6}} formed the nucleus of the [[British Mediterranean Fleet|Mediterranean Fleet]]. It was in the Mediterranean that the first significant naval action of the [[World War I|First World War]] took place, when the British pursued the German warships [[SMS Goeben|''Goeben'']] and [[SMS Breslau|''Breslau'']]. ''Invincible'' 's first action was as part of the battlecruiser force supporting the [[Battle of Heligoland Bight|Heligoland]] operation.

In November 1914, the [[Battle of Coronel]] took place and saw the cruiser squadron of [[Christopher Cradock|Rear Admiral Christopher Cradock]] destroyed by the German squadron commanded by [[Maximilian von Spee|Admiral Graf von Spee]]. In response, the [[Admiralty]] ordered that a squadron of ships be sent to destroy the Germans. This was led by [[Doveton Sturdee|Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee]] in ''Invincible'', accompanied by ''Inflexible'' and several other cruisers. The result of this was the [[Battle of the Falkland Islands]] which saw the British force sink all five German warships.

On [[24 January]] [[1915]], a force of German battlecruisers entered the [[North Sea]] in the vicinity of the [[Dogger Bank]]. Here they were met in action by a larger force of British battlecruisers, which included ''Indomitable''. This action saw the German cruiser [[SMS Blücher|''Blücher'']] sunk. In the same year, ''Inflexible'' was included in the bombardment force against the Turkish shore defences in the [[Dardanelles]], in which she sustained significant damage. Towards the end of the year, the British battlecruiser force was organised into three [[squadrons]], with the 3rd BCS consisting of the three ''Invincible'' class ships under the command of [[Rear Admiral H.L.A. Hood]] in ''Invincible''.

In May 1916, the 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron had been temporarily re-assigned to the [[Grand Fleet]] for gunnery practice, and was re-located to [[Scapa Flow]]. On [[30 May]], the entire Grand Fleet, along with Admiral Beatty's battlecruisers, had been ordered to sea to prepare for an excursion by the German [[High Seas Fleet]]. The outcome of this was the epic [[Battle of Jutland]]. In order to support Beatty, Admiral Hood took his three battlecruisers ahead of the Grand Fleet. ''Invincible'' scored at least eight hits on [[Reinhard Scheer|Admiral Scheer]]'s flagship ''[[SMS Lützow|Lützow]]'', which caused crucial damage below the waterline and led to flooding. However, Hood's ship came under fire from the German battlecruisers ''Lützow'', [[SMS Derfflinger|''Derfflinger'']] and the battleship [[SMS König|''König'']], which penetrated the flimsy deck armour and exploded in the 'Q' turret magazine which caused explosions in the adjacent 'P' turret, and led to the ship blowing up and breaking in two, with the loss of 1020 of her crew.

The loss of three battlecruisers at Jutland (the others were [[HMS Queen Mary|''Queen Mary'']] and {{HMS|Indefatigable|1909|2}}) led to the force being reorganised into two squadrons, with ''Inflexible'' and ''Indomitable'' in the 2nd BCS. However, after Jutland there was little significant naval activity, thanks to the [[Kaiser Wilhelm II|Kaiser's]] order that his ships should not be allowed to go to sea unless assured of victory. The end of the war saw the end for many of the older vessels, not least the two remaining ''Invincible'' class ships. Both were sent to the Reserve Fleet in 1919, and were [[paid off]] in March 1920, before being sold for scrap in December 1922.

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist}}
;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
* [[Thomas Brassey, 2nd Earl Brassey| Hythe, Viscount]] (ed)[[Brassey's Naval Annual| The Naval Annual 1914]]
* Gardiner, Robert and Gray, Randal (ed) ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906 - 1921'', Conway Maritime Press, London, 1982.  ISBN 0-85177-245-5.
* Parkes, Oscar   ''British Battleships'', first published Seeley Service & Co, 1957, published United States Naval Institute Press, 1990.  ISBN 1-55750-075-4
{{refend}}

==External links==
*[http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/battlecruiser/hms-invincible.html World War 1 Naval Combat]

==See also==
{{Commons|Category:Invincible class battlecruiser}}
<br clear=all>
{{Invincible class battlecruiser}}

[[Category:Battlecruiser classes]]
[[Category:Invincible class battlecruisers| Invincible class battlecruiser]]
[[Category:World War I battlecruisers of the United Kingdom| Invincible class battlecruiser]]

[[fr:Invincible (croiseur)]]
[[it:Classe Invincible (incrociatore)]]
[[ja:インヴィンシブル級巡洋戦艦]]
[[pt:Cruzador de Batalha Classe-Invincible]]