Nelson Class Battleships

Comments · 438

• TH

  @TheLondonPhoto · 5 years ago

  My Grandfather was trained on HMS Rodney in 1928.  He would go on to command HMS Codrington (RN Destroyer) HMS Acasta (RN Destroyer) before WWII and was mentioned in despatches when the ship he was commanding, HMS Speedwell (RN Minesweeper) picked up 1668 men off the Dunkirk beaches in 1940!  I just found his sextant in a marine shop last week and bought it back!

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• HA

  @HarryFlashmanVC · 5 years ago (edited)

  When I was going through my Royal Navy Officer's application process in the mid 1980s, my liaison officer was Capt Evans who, during WW2, served as a gunnery lt on HMS Nelson. He said that the enclosed bridge was hugely appreciated, the rear funnels made it pleasant but the ship was slow, a nightmare to manouever at slow speeds and the length of the propeller shafts made the engineering officer's jobs a nightmare.

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• LE

  @leftnoname · 5 years ago

  I actually find Nelson class a quite good looking ship. Brutalistic superstructure and three turrets up front in a row mean all business.

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• DI

  @discombubulate2256 · 6 years ago

  the nelson class: business up front, party out back.

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• MI

  @mikebrownhill8955 · 5 years ago

  Apparently during the chase for Bismark, and with worn out boilers Rodney made 25 knots on overload power. I think they look pretty cool. A very innovative design.

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• LA

  @LarS1963 · 5 years ago (edited)

  I was never a fan of their look, but I do like the citadel tower. The QE's that got properly modernized, Queen Elizabeth herself and Warspite were, imo, after the modernization, the best looking battleships ever. I wish Warspite had been preserved, but at least she avoided the breaker's yard by taking matters into her own hands.

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• TH

  @thetorturepenguin · 3 years ago

  One thing I find incredible about the NelRods was that even though they were limited in tonnage, they managed to be extremely well-protected, with extremely powerful guns for the time, and even then- for the time, were some of the fastest battleships afloat- making 24 knots on trials.<br>They were my favourite treaty-era battleships, and clearly outshone both the Colerados and Nagatos, and giving Hood a run for her money.

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• 8M

  @8MoonsOfJupiter · 5 years ago

  I love the shape of the Nelson class battlesips - there is something really sinister, brutal and muscular about that 3 turrets forward layout and the almost futurisitc octagonal bridge. In fact, the set back superstructure and elongated forward section reminds me of a classic American muscle-car: the 69&apos; Corvette Stingray!

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• 6J

  @6jordana · 5 years ago

  Well done. It is not uncommon for American evaluation of foreign designs to be dismissive. This was very fair and the presenter was very knowledgeable.

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• AW

  @AWMJoeyjoejoe · 5 years ago

  Just think about it for a minute. The Nelson&apos;s outgunned and out armoured Bismarck on 13000 tons lower displacement despite entering service 12 years earlier. The only advantage Bismarck had was her speed. The Nelson&apos;s really were miracles of naval architecture.

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• FE

  @felipealcayaga · 5 years ago

  For me they didn&apos;t look awful at all, they were one the best looking and unique battleship design ever. They look so menace and scary to face against.

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• MA

  @mastermariner7813 · 5 years ago

  I like the lines of the Nelson and Rodney. They look mean and the superstructure has a medieval, menacing appearance - perfect for the Royal Navy.

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