Needless to say, by her launch all other navies were reduced to zero in terms of fighting power. She was also the first battleship equipped with steam turbines which reduced her machine weight and increased her speed compared to contemporary battleships. What was new with HMS Dreadnought was that she carried a total of ten 12-inch guns - the equivalent of 2 1/2 pre dreadnoughts, but at a fraction of the cost. HMS Dreadnought - a definite game-changer. As battleships had evolved, battleships typically carried a maximum of four main guns in two turrets, one on center-line ahead of the superstructure, and one behind. HMS Dreadnought has been known as the first 'all-big-gun' battleship. Starting with the HMS Dreadnought, the new battleships did away with all middle size gun calibers to be equipped with a much larger number (8-12 typically) of the heaviest guns and a number of much smaller QF guns for defense against torpedo boats. The 'in-your-face' sea battles, at relatively short range, that were fought during the American Civil War were never to be seen again.īefore Tsushima battleships were built with up to four of the heaviest guns and an array of intermediate calibers. The Admirals of the world were baffled to hear hits were recorded at a distance of 7,000m at the battle of Tsushima. Battleships in the Russo-Japanese Warīy the outbreak of war between Japan and Russia in February 1904 and the subsequent naval encounters that ensued were to change naval strategy once again.Īnybody that still held the belief that a ram bow would be useful on battleships was shouted down once and for all after the battle of Tsushima.

Her launch in 1906 sent political tremors through-out the world and firmed up Britain's dominance on the world seas.

The word Pre Dreadnought is impossible to grasp without knowing more about the British Battleship HMS Dreadnought and her design.

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