What a shame

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 3:26 pm

It´s sad to see how the British scrapped all her marvelous battleships and battlecruisers after WWII. They didn´t save one as a musseum or monument for all they stand for in the war. KGV would have been some incredible musseum not only for her part against Bismarck but also she was the simbol of British naval pride and war effort. A Nelson or a Queen Elizabeth Class would also been something beautifull to visit.
I believe they were all scrapped at the request of some cheap laborist goverment after the war, isn´t it? I wonder what Mr. Churchill thought about it?

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:14 pm

Hi Karl.

Sad as I am, in reality, the government made the right choice.
After WW2, Britain was almost bankrupt.
The large BC and BB's were no longer required for service, the best (and only option) was to scrap them as at least you would get some scrap value for them.
No-one in power at the time would give a damn about preserving a one for future generations.
Sentiment simply does not come into it.
If any ship was going to be saved it would have been Vanguard or one of the KGV's which I believe Britain held on in mothball to till the late 1950's.
The USA has Massachusetts, Alabama, North Carolina and all the Iowa's as WW2 musuems.
They also have the only WW1 DReadnought left - the USS Texas.
But then the USA is the richest and most powerful country in the world and they had more resources at their disposal.

I always think its a crying shame that we British didnt keep a BAC Lightning or two for air displays, there is a one still flying..................in South Africa.
Fingers crossed we will soon have a Vulcan flying again.

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:32 pm

Hi Gary!

I believe that there are some British built pre dreadnoughts still in Greece and there is the monitor Huascar in Chile.

I know that the British were in bad shape after WWII but as you stated there was one KGV in mothball for a time, maybe that could have been saved, but politicians only think in the inmediate surroundings and polls and that´s why History still repeats itself with wars and cruelty. Well, gone forever we will just have pictures of them.

Best regads!

marcelo_malara · Post by **marcelo_malara** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:21 pm

I believe that there are some British built pre dreadnoughts still in Greece

Found none in Conway`s. Have you more info?

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 8:43 pm

Hi Marcelo!

I´m quite sure about the Huascar: it´s in Chile as a floating musseum. The Greek one is the Averoff, but I´m not so sure about it. I think it was, either, or built in Great Britain and sold to the Greek or built entirely in Greece with British counselors of the sort.

Best regards!

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 10:21 pm

Hi Karl and Marcelo.

The Pre-dreadnought Georgios Averof was being built in Italy for the Brazilian government.
Due to financial reasons, the Brazilians cancelled the ship.
The Greek Government seeing a golden opportunity, stepped in and got a cut price deal with the Italians.

Greek Pre-dreadnought

marcelo_malara · Post by **marcelo_malara** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 10:42 pm

Ok, I found her. But she was not a predreadnought, she was an armoured cruiser. Built in 1909 and with an armament of 9.2" guns. She is very beautifull and seems to be in good shape.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Averof_stern.JPG

tommy303 · Post by **tommy303** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 10:52 pm

Was not Mikasa in Japan built in the UK from the plans of Sir William White?

marcelo_malara · Post by **marcelo_malara** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:34 pm

Yes, Mikasa was built in Armstrong, laid down January 1899. But White was DNC from 1885 to 1902. Do you think he would have been authorized to design a battleship for a foreign power built by a private yard?