Fellow Contributors,
It has been perceptively pointed out (by Alecsandros) that limited resources for the second ship may result in delays because efforts were concentrated on completing the first. Prince of Wales was laid down on the same day as KG V but
launched 3 months later . As a year of crisis 1940 resulted in many shortages
"Commissioning" to "Readiness for Service" (the "trip" to Rosyth is not a formal step and we speak "readiness" not "first mission"):
KGV: October 1st, 1940 - December 11th = 71 days
PoW: January 19th, 1941 - May 21st = 122 days
DoY: August 19, 1941 - November 1st = 73 days
It has already been observed that the so-called commissioning date is irrelevant for a part finished vessel. There is no evidence to say KGV's or DoY's unfinished state was precisely the same as Pow's unfinished state. Therefore such a comparison is invalid.
What relevance does the term "formal step" mean in this situation? The formal step of accepting a ship from builders on completion, when all systems have been trialled and found to work as per specification, in peacetime, is well understood. Shovelling a ship out of the yard when just about capable of moving itself with a programme of completion work including fitting of propellers and with an army of civilian workers necessary to complete that work is not compatible with such a "formal step".
Dunmunro's comparison:
Rosyth to service (first mission):
KGV: Oct 17 - Jan 15 = ~90 days
PoW: Jan 30 - May 21 = ~110 days
DoY: Sept 10 - Dec 9 = 90 days
However, both KGV and DoY were detached from the Home Fleet to carry VIPs to the USA, and thus were given extra time in service to train their crews without any likelihood of engaging in combat.
is vastly more valid. PoW's first mission was being tested by battle as a warship, not steaming about as a cruise ship.
The demonstrable failure of the guns and their loading systems during the action is clear, and once again the old shibboleth;
The unusual message sent by McMullen to him through the "boy
"
is dragged out as if meant anything. A runner was often sent in battle situations when communications had broken down. McMullen could not get a response from the Compass Platform and sent a personal message that "Guns are OK" which referred to the only bit of his system he had any knowledge of, ie the DCT and communications to the TS. He had no knowledge of which guns were firing and the problems down below, or that the CP was destroyed and most of the personnel dead, dying or wounded. As we know he rescinded his uninformed opinion when aware of the real situation.
[font style edit WJJ]
Since we have established there was no "formal step" such as a vessel running trials under a civilian flag before being accepted, what date a full power trial took place on has little relevance.
David Brown (RCNC) in The Design and Construction of British Warships 1939-1945 Vol 1 says PoW had hers on March 31st running for a 4 hour period at 42,100 tons developing 111,600 shp at 228 rpm and making 27.6-28.0 kts.
It was this running that obviously allowed the Cammell Laird workers to go home the following day, and to be replaced by the Vickers workers to complete the installation of the turrets, now that the electrics and hydraulics for the ship were complete to a point where their work was no longer needed. Tarrant lists some of many tests which were waived and calls this "a dangerous expedient". He then mentions a further period of "full power trials" on the 8th May.
R A Burt British Battleships 1919-1945 Revised edition gives no date for PoW trial but uses the "completion date " March 31st as many others do. he gives different figures to Brown 42,650 tons 111,900 shp 27.5 kts for Preliminary steam trials.
It may well be that a second machinery trial was carried out on the 8th May, we have phot evidence PoW was outside Scapa on that day.
I am now waiting for the comparative "completion work required" lists down to the last light bulb installation for KGV and PoW to prove they both needed precisely the same amount of work to be "finished" as well as details of the manpower resources to achieve this instead of unsupported accusations like
and he resisted as long as he could to declare her "ready": he was simply not confident enough in his weapon,
All the best
wadinga
