HMS Thunderer (1911)

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Career
Ships of the 2nd Battle Squadron, Thunderer second from left
Ordered:	1909
Laid down:	13 April 1910
Launched:	1 February 1911
Commissioned:	May 1912
Decommissioned:	1921
Fate:	Cadet ship; sold for scrap
Struck:	17 December 1926
General characteristics
Displacement:	22,200 tons standard/25,870 tons max
Length:	581 feet (177.1 m)
Beam:	88 feet (26.8 m)
Draught:	24 feet (7.3 m)
Propulsion:	4 × Parsons Steam turbines 18 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers driving 4 shafts creating 27,000 hp
Speed:	20.79 kt (trials)
Range:	6300 NM at 10 kt 4100 NM at 19 kt
Complement:	752–1100
Armament:	10 × 13.5 in (343 mm) guns 16 × 4 in (102 mm) guns 4 × 47 mm 3 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (submerged)

HMS Thunderer was the third Orion class battleship built for the Royal Navy and was the last vessel to be constructed by Thames Iron Works. She was the last and largest warship ever built on the River Thames.

By a margin of £1000 she was the most expensive battleship of the 1909 Construction programme built, and after her completion her builders declared bankruptcy. She proved to be the slowest (by a knot) of the Orion class on trials.

[edit] World War 1

During World War I Thunderer served in the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet. In December 1914 she was refitted. She was present with 2BS at the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916, firing 37 13.5" (343 mm) shells. She suffered no damage. In 1917 she was fitted with flying-off platforms on B and X turrets.

[edit] Post War

As a result of the Washington Naval Convention she was decommissioned in 1921. From 1922 she served as a cadet ship, the sole surviving ship of her class until she was sold for scrap in December 1926.

For other ships of this name see HMS Thunderer