Sverige class coastal defence ships

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HMS Drottning Victoria

The Sverige class coastal defence ships (sometimes incorrectly referred to as coastal battleships) were the largest ships to serve in the Swedish navy until that point. Their design was completely new and was influenced by the ships of the time. Their armament consisted of four 28.3 cm Bofors guns in two turrets and eight 15.2 cm guns in one double and six single turrets. During the Second World War they were the backbone of the Swedish Navy.

[edit] Specification as built

Displacement

HMS Sverige
- 6,852 tons standard;
- 7,516 tons full load,
HMS Drottning Victoria and HMS Gustav V:
- 7,125 tons standard
- 7,633 tons full load

Dimensions

Length: 393.7 ft (120 m)
Beam: 18.6 m (61 ft)
Draught: 6.5 m (21.3 ft)

Armour

Belt: 200/150-60 mm (7.9/5.9-2.4 in)
Turret: 200-100 mm (7.9-3.9 in)
Conning Tower: 175/100-60 mm (6.9 in)

Machinery

2 shaft; Curtis direct-coupled turbine (Motala Geared Turbines in Gustaf V and Drotning Victoria); 12 Yarrow type coal fired boilers; 25,400 shp

Armament

4x 283 mm (11.1 in) guns (2 twin turrets)
8x 152 mm (6in) guns ( 1x2, 6x1 turrets);
6x 75 mm Gun;
2x 57 mm Gun;
2x 533 mm (21 in) TT

Complement

[edit] Ships

Three of these ships were built:

HMS Sverige was ordered in 1912 and completed in 1917, built by Götaverken Gothenborg, she was paid for by public subscription as the Swedish peoples gift to the country
HMS Drottning Victoria (Queen Victoria) was ordered in 1915 and completed in 1921, built by Götaverken Gothenborg
HMS Gustav V was built by Kockums shipyard in Malmö ordered in 1915 and completed in 1922.

A fourth ship was considered but not built due to economic diffculties

The ships were modernised in the 1930's with oil fired boilers replacing the old coal fired boilers, new Anti-aircraft guns and fire control eqipment