Iron Duke Class Battleships Class Overview

Dimensions, Machinery and Performance

Length:
622' 7"
Engines:
4 Parsons steam turbines
Beam:
89' 8"
Boilers:
18 (coal fired) see notes
Draft:
32' 9" (max)
Shafts:
4
Displacement:
25,820 std. / 30,380 full
SHP:
29,000
Speed:
21 knots
Crew:
1,000+
Range:
4,840 NM @ 19 knots / 7,780 NM @ 10 knots


Armament
Number Carried
Type
Arrangement
Maximum Range / Ceiling
10
13.5"/45 (343mm)
5 twin turrets
23,820 yards @ 20° (13.5 miles)
with a 567 lb. armor piercing shell

12
6"/45 (152mm) Mk VII
single mounts
15,800 yards @ 20° (8.9 miles)
with a 100 lb. HE shell

2
3"/45 (76mm) QF
single mounts
12,950 yards @ 40° (7.3 miles)
AA ceiling 15,700'
with a 17.5 lb. HE shell

4
21" (533mm)
torpedo tubes
all submerged
broadside
4,500 yards @ 45 knots (2.5 miles)
10,750 yards @ 31 knots (6.1 miles)
515 lb. TNT warhead

Armament notes:
The original design placed two of the 6" guns in casemates at the stern however, it was
found that the guns were ineffective in that position and that the open casemates
allowed flooding to occur. These guns were reinstalled on the forecastle deck.

Iron Duke was disarmed due to the London Naval Treaty in 1931-32 and used as a
gunnery training ship. In addition to loosing both B and Y turrets the torpedo tubes
were removed and two 4" AA guns were mounted aft in single mounts.
Another AA gun was mounted in place of B turret (unknown type).
In 1939 a twin 4.5" turret was mounted just aft of X turret.


Name
Builder
Launched
Commissioned
Portsmouth Dockyard
Portsmouth, England

Oct. 12, 1912
Mar. 10, 1914
Fate
Sold Mar. 1946 and scrapped in Glasgow, Scotland.
Name
Builder
Launched
Commissioned
Devonport Dockyard
Plymouth, England

Oct. 24, 1912
June 2, 1914
Fate
Sold May 1931 and scrapped.
Name
Builder
Launched
Commissioned
William Beardmore & Co. Ltd.
Dalmuir, Scotland

Nov. 12, 1913
Oct. 7, 1914
Fate
Sold Jan. 1931 and scrapped.
Name
Builder
Launched
Commissioned
Emperor of India
(ex-Delhi)*
Vickers Ltd.
Barrow-in-Furness, England

Nov. 27, 1913
Oct. 12, 1914
Fate
Sold Dec. 1931 and scrapped.


Class Notes:
*Laid down as Delhi but renamed in 1913.
Boilers notes:
Iron Duke & Benbow by Babcock & Wilcox, Marlborough & Emperor of India by Yarrow.
Est. cost each:
£1,891,600


Page revised Mar. 10, 2007