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HMS KING GEORGE V CLASS PLANS |
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2 Sheet RC Combat Plans. 1/144 SCALE
RC-058 PRICE: $ 27.50
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Named
for the reigning British monarch, HMS King George V was the first of a
five-ship class that was criticized because it was weaker than the most
powerful German battleships then afloat or building. Designed within the
limits established by the 1936 London Naval Limitation Treaty, their
relatively weak primary armament comprised 14-inch guns rather than the
16-inch guns mounted by HMS Nelson and Rodney, or the 15-inch guns of
Bismarck or Tirpitz. After sailing in support of the Lofoten Islands commando raids on March 4, 1941, King George V became the flagship of the Home Fleet
under Admiral Sir John Tovey. In late May she was involved in the pursuit of Bismarck, and on the morning of the 27th, she and Rodney poured endless rounds into the
doomed battleship. Earlier in the chase, lack of fuel had forced home Prince
of Wales and aircraft carrier Victorious, but destruction of the German ship
was of such paramount importance to Prime Minister Winston Churchill that he
ordered the following extraordinary—and irresponsible—message sent: "We
cannot visualize the situation from your signal. Bismarck must be sunk at all
costs and if to do this it is necessary for King George V to remain on the
scene she must do even if it subsequently means towing King George V."
As it happened, the message was not received until after Bismarck was sunk,
and Tovey later asserted that he would have ignored it anyway. |
