NationMaster - Encyclopedia: French battleship Richelieu (1939)

Career	-

Ordered:
Laid down:	October 1935
Launched:	January 1939
Commissioned:	Spring 1940
Decommissioned:	1967
Fate:	scrapped
Struck:	1968
General Characteristics
Displacement:	48,000 t
Length:	247.90 m
Beam:	35 m
Draught:	9.70 m
Propulsion:	four Parsons geared turbines, 150 000 HP
Speed:	30 knots
Range:	8,500 nautical miles
Complement:	70 officers, 1,550 men
Armament:	2 x 4 380 mm (15 inch) main guns (bow) 3 x 3 152 mm (6 inch) secondary (aft) 6 x 2 100 mm (3.9 inch) Anti-Aircraft guns 14 x 4 40 mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft 48 x 20 mm Oerlikon AA cannons This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Image File history File links French-Ensign. ... Image File history File links Free-French-Ensign. ... Bofors 40mm/L60. ... The design of the Oerlikon 20mm cannon, by Reinhold Becker dates back to 1914, and is still in use today, after having been used extensively during the Second World War. ...
Armour	Hull: 343 mm Decks: 50 to 170 mm Turrets: 445 mm
Aircraft	Three flying boats, two catapults.
Motto:

Richelieu was the name-ship of a class of French battleships of World War II. She was named after the seventeenth century statesman Cardinal Richelieu. HMS Victory in 1884. ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead:17 million Civilian dead:33 million Total dead:50 million Military dead:8 million Civilian dead:4 million Total dead:12 million World War II... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Cardinal Richelieu was the French chief minister from 1624 until his death. ...

Derived from the Dunkerque class, Richelieu and Jean Bart as well as the unfinished Clemenceau and Gascogne were designed to counter the threat of the Italian Navy. Their speed, armour, armament and overall technology were state of the art. The turret arrangement for the main battery of eight 380 mm guns was somewhat unusual, with two 4-gun turrets located forward, enabling all the main armament to fire at the bow. The Dunkerque was the first of a new type of warship of the French Navy, labeled as fast battleship. Not quite the size of a full battleship, they were designed to counter the threat of the German pocket battleships of the Deutschland class. ... The Jean Bart was a French battleship of World War II named for the seventeenth century seaman and corsair Jean Bart. ...

The keel was laid in October 1935 in Brest. Richelieu was launched in January 1939, and sea trials began in the spring of 1940. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1953x894, 194 KB) Model of the quadruple 380 mm turrets, main armament of the Richelieu and the Jean Bart Photograph by Rama File links The following pages link to this file: FS Richelieu (1935-1967) Jean Bart (1949-1961) ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1953x894, 194 KB) Model of the quadruple 380 mm turrets, main armament of the Richelieu and the Jean Bart Photograph by Rama File links The following pages link to this file: FS Richelieu (1935-1967) Jean Bart (1949-1961) ... Location within France Brest, at the tip of Brittany Brest is a city in the Bretagne rÃ©gion, north-west France, sous-prÃ©fecture of the FinistÃ¨re dÃ©partement. ...

After the French defeat in June of 1940 she hastily left Brest to escape the advancing German forces and went to Dakar in the summer of 1940. The creation of the Vichy state led to her being attacked by Swordfish torpedo bombers from the British carrier HMS Hermes on July 8 1940. The Allies were anxious to prevent the Vichy Navy from joining the Axis war effort. As a result of a torpedo hit, the starboard propulsion shaft on Richelieu was disabled and the ship was immobilised for repairs. Soon afterwards Richelieu fought against Allied naval forces at the Battle of Dakar. There was a gunnery duel between Richelieu and the British battleships HMS Barham and HMS Resolution, which had to retire. Although the Vichy Richelieu was further damaged in the battle when a defective 380 mm shell put her Number 2 main gun out of order. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Presidential flag of Vichy France For other uses of Vichy, see Vichy (disambiguation). ... The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during World War II. Affectionately known as the Stringbag by its crews, it was outdated by 1939, but achieved some spectacular successes during the war. ... HMS Hermes (95) was the first purpose built aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy, and the second in the world after the Imperial Japanese Navys Hosho. ... July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II came together, to fight the Axis Powers, as World War II unfolded and progressed. ... Combatants United Kingdom, Free France, Australia, Netherlands Vichy France Commanders Andrew Cunningham Pierre FranÃ§ois Boisson Strength 2 battleships, 1 aircraft carrier, 4 cruisers, 10 destroyers 1 battleships, 2 cruisers, destroyers, coastal emplacements Casualties 2 battleships and 2 cruisers damaged >2 destroyers damaged, 2 submarines sunk {{{notes}}} The Battle of... HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy named after Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, built at the John Brown shipyards in Clydebank, and launched in 1914. ... HMS Resolution was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy. ...

When French forces in Africa joined the Allies, Richelieu sailed to New York for refitting. Notable modifications were done to the anti-aircraft armament. A special factory had to be assembled to provide ammunition of the appropriate caliber for her main artillery. Afterward, Richelieu fought in the Pacific War on the Allies' side, and she was present in the Bay of Tokyo during the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender. Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 kmÂ² 455 km 530 km 13. ... US landings in the Pacific, 1942â€“1945 The Pacific War occurred in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in Asia. ... Representatives of Japan stand aboard the USS Missouri prior to signing of the Instrument of Surrender. ...

After the War, Richelieu served in the Indochina War and in the Suez Crisis. She was decommissioned in 1967 and scrapped in 1968. The Indochina War was an almost thirty year war in Vietnam between 1946 and 1975, affecting the three Indochinese nations, namely Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. ... Combatants Israel, France, United Kingdom Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan (CoS of the IDF) General Sir Charles Keightley (C-in-C), Vice-Admiral Pierre Barjot (Deputy) Gamal Abdel Nasser Strength 45,000 British, 34,000 French, 175,000 Israeli 300,000 Egyptians Casualties 189 Israelis KIA, unknown number WIA, 16 British...

The Richelieu type, with their 380 mm main artillery, was the most powerful battleship class ever built in France.

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