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Sunday 7 February 2016

German pocket battleships real threat for British and French navies according to the Dutch magazine Marineblad dated 1932 no. 4

Drawing made by G.J. Frans Naerebout and published in Op de Lange Deining written by G.A.J. Bovens

An item referred to the magazine Naval&Military Record dated 23 March 1932 which compared the new Deutschland pocket battleships class (1) an their potential British and French opponents. The conclusion was that the French navy possessed none ships which successfully could stop the Deutschlands. The Duguay-Trouins (2) and Duquesne (3) ware insufficient armoured and in normal conditions was a battleship not fast enough. The last ordered 6.000-7.000 ton cruisers were although armoured and able to stop a so-called tin-class but without any chance against a Deutschland. The French projectiles weighed 123 kilo and of the Deutschland 360 kilo. The British navy with her battle cruisers HMS Hood (4), Renown (5) and Repulse (5) were with their larger calibre able to beat the Deutschland although not easy.

Notes
1. Deutschland-class heavy cruisers nicknamed pocket battle ships including the famous Admiral Graf Spee were armed with 2x3-28cm/11” guns.
2. Duguay-Trouin-class light cruisers armed with 4x2-15,5cm/6.1” guns.
3. Duquesne-class heavy cruisers armed with 4x2-20,3cm/50 Modèle 1924 guns.
4. HMS Hood battle cruisers armed in 1939 with 4x2-38,1cm/15”guns.
5. Sister ships battle cruisers Renown and Repulse, armed with 3x2-38,1cm/15”guns.