Bellerophon Class Battleship (1907)

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The Bellerophon class of three dreadnoughts was designed as a follow-up to the revolutionary HMS Dreadnought.

Dreadnought's secondary armament was deemed insufficient to fight close quarter battle with enemy Torpedo Boat Destroyers, and the three ships were given heavier guns. Their internal sub-division was improved to decrease the possibility of sinking from mine or torpedo attack. Unlike Dreadnought the Bellerophon class were given two tripod masts, with two control tops. This was ostensibly to improve sea-keeping capability, but with the main mast just forward of the second funnel, it was frequently inundated with smoke and proved nearly useless in bad weather.

The three ships of the class performed service with the Grand Fleet for much of the First World War, and in 1918 HMS Superb and HMS Temeraire were dispatched to the Eastern Mediterranean for service against the Ottoman Empire. Due to their inferior main armament, all three ships were immediately relegated to non-active duties following the Armistice, and were scrapped during the course of the 1920s.


Name Built at. Machinery by. Laid down Launched Completed Boilers Cost
Bellerophon HM Dockyard, Portsmouth Fairfield 06 December, 1906 27 July, 1907 20 February, 1909 Babcock £1,763,491
Temeraire HM Dockyard, Devonport Hawthorn Leslie 01 January, 1907 24 August, 1907 01 May, 1909 Yarrow £1,641,114
Superb Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Wallsend Company. 06 February, 1907 07 November, 1907 29 May, 1909 Babcock £1,744,287

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