Editing Formidable-class battleship

{{Short description|Pre-dreadnought battleship class of the British Royal Navy}}
{{good article}}
{{Use shortened footnotes|date=October 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin |infobox caption=''Formidable''-class battleship}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Implacable Spithead 1909 Flickr 4793355702 4792e59389 o.jpg
|Ship caption=HMS ''Implacable'' at [[Spithead]] in 1909.
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Formidable''-class battleship
|Builders=
|Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}}
|Class before={{sclass|Canopus|battleship|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|London|battleship|4}}
|Built range=1898–1901
|In commission range=1901–1919
|Total ships completed=3
|Total ships lost=2
|Total ships retired=1
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[Pre-dreadnought battleship]]
|Ship displacement=
*[[Normal displacement|Normal]]: {{convert|14480|to|14720|LT|abbr=on|lk=on}}
*[[Full load]]: {{convert|15805|to|15930|LT|abbr=on}}
|Ship length={{convert|431|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on|1}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|75|ft|m|abbr=on|1}}
|Ship draught=
*{{convert|26|ft|abbr=on|0}} (normal)
*{{convert|28|ft|8|in|abbr=on|0}} (loaded)
|Ship power=
*20 × [[water-tube boiler]]s
*{{convert|15000|ihp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=
* 2 × [[triple-expansion steam engine]]s
* 2 × [[screw propeller]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|18|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5100|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}}
|Ship capacity=
|Ship complement=788
|Ship armament=
*4 × [[BL 12 inch Mk IX naval gun|BL 12-inch (305-mm) Mk IX gun]]s
*12 × [[BL 6 inch Mk VII naval gun|BL {{convert|6|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} Mk VII gun]]s
*10 × [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|QF 12-pounder gun]]s
*6 × [[QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss|QF 3-pounder gun]]s
*4 × [[British 18 inch torpedo|{{cvt|18|in|0}}]] submerged [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armour=
*[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{convert|9|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
*[[Bulkhead (partition)|Bulkhead]]s: {{convert|9|-|12|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
*[[Barbette]]s: {{convert|12|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
*[[Gun turret|Turret]]s: {{convert|10|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
*[[Casemate]]s: {{convert|6|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
*[[Conning tower]]: {{convert|14|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{convert|1|-|3|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''''Formidable'' class''' of [[battleship]]s were a three-ship class of [[pre-dreadnought]]s designed by [[William Henry White|Sir William White]] and built for the [[Royal Navy]] in the late 1890s. The class comprised {{HMS|Formidable|1898|2}}, {{HMS|Irresistible|1898|2}}, and {{HMS|Implacable|1899|2}}. They were armed with a battery of four {{convert|12|in|adj=on|0}} guns, they had top speed of {{convert|18|kn}}, and they marked the adoption of [[Krupp armour]] in British battleship designs. The class formed the basis for the nearly identical {{sclass|London|battleship|4}} of five ships, and those ships are sometimes included in the ''Formidable'' class. ''Formidable'', ''Irresistible'', and ''Implacable'' were built between 1898 and 1901 at the [[Portsmouth Dockyard|Portsmouth]], [[Chatham Dockyard|Chatham]], and [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport Dockyards]], respectively.

All three ships served in the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] early in their careers, before returning to British waters in the late 1900s for duty in the [[Home Fleet]], [[Channel Fleet]], and the [[Atlantic Fleet (United Kingdom)|Atlantic Fleet]]. By 1912, all three ships had been assigned to the [[5th Battle Squadron]], Home Fleet, where they remained until the outbreak of the [[First World War]] in August 1914. They patrolled the [[English Channel]] in the early months of the war and escorted troopships carrying elements of the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War I)|British Expeditionary Force]] and other [[British Army]] units across the Channel to France. On the night of 31 December 1914 – 1 January 1915 while on patrol in the Channel, the 5th Squadron encountered a German [[U-boat]] that torpedoed and sank ''Formidable''. ''Irresistible'' was sent to the [[Dardanelles Campaign]] in February 1915, and after engaging in a series of attacks on the Ottoman coastal fortifications, she struck a [[naval mine]] and sank.

''Implacable'', the sole surviving member of the class, joined the Dardanelles operations in March 1915 and saw action during the [[Landing at Cape Helles|landings at Cape Helles]] in April. She was later withdrawn, first in May 1915 to reinforce the Italian fleet guarding the [[Adriatic Sea]] and then to [[Salonika]] in November that year. After being recalled to Britain in July 1917, she was converted into a [[depot ship]] and used to support the [[Northern Patrol]]. After the war, she was sold for [[scrap]] in 1921 and was [[broken up]] in 1922.

==Design==
[[File:Formidable class battleship diagrams Brasseys 1906.jpg|thumb|left|Right elevation and deck plan as depicted in ''Brassey's Naval Annual 1906'']]

Design work on what became the ''Formidable'' class began with a meeting of the [[Board of Admiralty]] on 3 May 1897, where the general parameters of the new class was discussed. The Board concluded that repeating the {{sclass|Canopus|battleship|4}} would not be a workable solution, since the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] had begun building larger, {{convert|15000|t|adj=on}} battleships and the ''Canopus'' design was too small to carry the new [[Armstrong Whitworth 12 inch /40 naval gun|40-calibre {{convert|12|in|mm|adj=on|0}} Mk IX guns]], which were significantly heavier than the shorter [[BL 12-inch Mk VIII naval gun|35-calibre BL 12-inch Mk VIII guns]]. The design staff determined that it was possible to construct a new ship that incorporated the advances of the ''Canopus'' class—namely, [[Krupp armour]] and improved engines and [[water-tube boiler]]s—on a larger [[hull (watercraft)|hull]] like the earlier {{sclass|Majestic|battleship|1}}s without increasing displacement and keeping the same speed as the ''Canopus'' class.{{sfn|Burt|p=190}}

The [[Director of Naval Construction]], [[William Henry White]], provided two design options, both modified versions of the basic ''Majestic'' form. Both variants had a main battery of four 12-inch guns, [[belt armour]] that was {{convert|8|in|0}} thick, and a top speed of {{convert|18|kn|lk=in}}. The main difference between the designs was the number of secondary guns; the first had twelve {{convert|6|in|abbr=on|0}} guns and the second had fourteen of the guns. [[Displacement (ship)|Displacement]] differed by just 200&nbsp;tons, at {{convert|14700|t|abbr=on}} for the 12-gun variant and {{convert|14900|t|abbr=on}} for the other one. White preferred the 14-gun version, though the consensus of the Board was that twelve guns were sufficient, on the basis that the two additional guns would overcrowd the upper deck, where they would have been placed, and would have increased the size of the crew too much. Additionally, a secondary battery of twelve guns was deemed to be sufficient in comparison to most other foreign battleships. And while an increase in offensive power would have been welcome, members of the Board decided that the weight savings gained by omitting the two guns could be used to strengthen the ships' armour, which they preferred at a time where naval guns were becoming increasingly powerful.{{sfn|Burt|pp=190, 192}}

The board adopted the 12-gun version, along with a request to increase the belt to {{convert|9|in|0}}. The thicker armour increased displacement to {{cvt|15000|t|LT|lk=on}}. The board requested that White prepare drawings for this new design on 19 June. A model was created by 17 August, which allowed the design staff to refine the hull shape. The staff cut away the [[Deadwood (shipbuilding)|deadwood]] forward and aft, which made the vessels more handy.{{sfn|Burt|p=190}}

Due to their similarity, some like historian Tony Gibbons consider the five {{sclass|London|battleship|1}}s to be part of the ''Formidable'' class,{{sfn|Gibbons|p=151}} though most historians view them as a distinct class. The five ''London''-class ships differed from the ''Formidable''s in their protection layout, which abandoned the forward armoured [[bulkhead (partition)|bulkhead]] in favour of an armoured belt that extended all the way to the [[Stem (ship)|stem]].{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=37}}{{sfn|Pears|p=30}}{{sfn|Willmott|p=15}}{{sfn|Burt|p=206}} Regardless, the ''Formidable'' design provided the basis for the five ''London''s that were ordered under the 1898 programme.{{sfn|Burt|p=206}} The only extant British built pre-dreadnought remaining, the Japanese battleship {{ship|Japanese battleship|Mikasa||2}} was also built to a slightly modified design, the chief difference being the addition of another pair of 6-inch guns.{{sfn|Preston|p=189}}

===General characteristics and machinery===
The ships of the ''Formidable'' class were {{convert|400|ft|0}} [[length between perpendiculars|long between perpendiculars]], {{convert|411|ft|abbr=on|0}} [[length at the waterline|long at the waterline]], and {{convert|431|ft|9|in|0}} [[length overall|long overall]]. They had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|75|ft|abbr=on|0}} and a [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|26|ft|abbr=on|0}} normally and {{convert|28|ft|8|in|abbr=on|0}} fully loaded. The three ships displaced between {{convert|14480|to|14720|LT}} normally and up to {{convert|15805|to|15930|LT}} fully loaded. [[Freeboard (nautical)|Freeboard]] was {{convert|23|ft|abbr=on}} forward, {{convert|16|ft|9|in|abbr=on}} [[amidships]], and {{convert|18|ft|abbr=on}} aft.{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}{{sfn|Burt|p=191}}

They had two pole masts fitted with [[fighting top]]s; each top carried a [[searchlight]], and four additional searchlights were mounted on the forward and aft [[Bridge (nautical)|bridges]]. Their crew size varied over the course of their careers; ''Irresistible'' had a crew of 788&nbsp;officers and [[Naval rating|ratings]] in 1901, and in 1910, ''Formidable'' had a crew of 711. After having been withdrawn from active service in 1917, ''Implacable'' had a crew of just 361. The ships carried a number of small boats that varied over the course of their careers, including a variety of steam and sail [[Pinnace (ship's boat)|pinnaces]], sail [[Launch (boat)|launches]], [[Cutter (boat)|cutters]], [[galley]]s, [[whaler]]s, three [[Captain's gig|gigs]], [[dinghy|dinghies]], and [[raft]]s.{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}{{sfn|Burt|p=191}}

The ''Formidable''-class ships were powered by a pair of 3-cylinder [[triple-expansion engine]]s that drove two inward-turning [[propeller|screws]], with steam provided by twenty [[Belleville boiler]]s. The boilers were divided into three [[fire room|boiler rooms]] and were trunked into two [[funnel (ship)|funnels]] located amidships. The boilers proved to be troublesome in service, with all three members of the class experiencing problems with them, particularly as the ships aged, between 1909 and 1914. The ''Formidable''-class ships were rated for a top speed of {{convert|18|kn}} from {{convert|15000|ihp|lk=in}}. The ships' normally carried {{convert|900|t|abbr=on}} of coal for the boilers, but had a total capacity of {{convert|1920|to|2000|t|abbr=on}}, which provided a cruising range of {{convert|5100|nmi|abbr=on}} at a cruising speed of {{convert|10|kn}}.{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}{{sfn|Burt|pp=191, 196}}

===Armament and armour===
[[File:Formidable class 12 inch gun turret right elevation.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Right elevation of 12 inch gun turret & ammunition hoists]]

''Formidable'' and her sisters had four {{convert|12|in|mm|adj=on|0}} 40-calibre Mk IX guns mounted in twin-[[gun turret]]s fore and aft; these guns were mounted in circular barbettes that allowed all-around loading or elevation. Shell allowance was 80&nbsp;rounds per gun. The ''Formidable'' class were the first to carry these guns, which featured several improvements over the earlier Mk VIII guns used in older battleships, including a stronger barrel design and higher [[muzzle velocity]]. ''Formidable'' and ''Implacable'' had BVI type mountings for their guns, while ''Irresistible'' received newer BVII mounts, the primary difference between the two types being the arrangement of the shell hoists and other equipment.{{sfn|Burt|pp=190–192}} Both types of mountings had a range of elevation from -5&nbsp;degrees to of 13.5&nbsp;degrees. The BVI mounts required the guns to return to 4.5&nbsp;degrees to be loaded, while the BVII mounts allowed for loading at any angle. The guns had a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2562|to|2573|ft/s}}, and they were capable of penetrating 12 inches of Krupp armour at a range of {{convert|4800|yd}}. At their maximum elevation, the guns had a range of {{convert|15300|yd}}.{{sfn|Friedman|pp=57–58}} The guns had a [[rate of fire]] of one shot every eighty seconds.{{sfn|Fraser|p=44}}

The ships also mounted a [[secondary armament|secondary battery]] of twelve [[BL 6 inch Mk VII naval gun|{{convert|6|in|mm|adj=on|0}} 45-calibre guns]] mounted in [[casemate]]s, which were supplied with 200&nbsp;rounds per gun. The guns had a muzzle velocity of {{convert|2536|ft/s|abbr=on}}. These guns could penetrate 6&nbsp;inches of Krupp armour at {{convert|2500|yd}}. Maximum elevation was 14&nbsp;degrees, which allowed the guns to engage targets out to {{convert|12000|yd}}.{{sfn|Friedman|pp=79–81}} For close-range defence against [[torpedo boat]]s, they carried ten [[QF 12 pounder 12 cwt naval gun|12-pounder guns]] with 300&nbsp;rounds per gun and six [[QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss|3-pounder guns]] with 500&nbsp;shells per gun. As was customary for battleships of the period, they were also equipped with four [[British 18 inch torpedo|{{convert|18|in|0|adj=on}} torpedo]] tubes submerged in the hull.{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}{{sfn|Burt|p=191}}

The ''Formidable''-class ships made more extensive use of Krupp steel than the preceding ''Canopus'' class, with most of their side armour consisting of the stronger steel. They had an armoured belt that was {{convert|9|in|0}} thick and extended from the forward main battery barbette to the aft barbette; the transverse bulkheads on either end of the belt were 9&nbsp;in thick forward and {{convert|9|to|10|in|abbr=on|0}} thick aft. The belt extended from main deck level ({{convert|9|ft|6|in|0|abbr=on}} above the [[waterline]]) to {{convert|5|ft|6|in|abbr=on|0}} below the waterline. The ships' side plating forward of the belt was {{convert|3|in|abbr=on|0}} thick, while it was only {{convert|1.5|in|abbr=on|0}} aft of the belt. The ships were fitted with two armoured decks; the first was a flat deck that was {{convert|1|in|abbr=on|0}} thick, above the main deck, which was 2&nbsp;in on the flat portion and increased slightly to 3&nbsp;in on the sloped sides, where it connected to the belt armour.{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}{{sfn|Burt|p=191, 193–195}}

The ships' main battery turrets sides and faces were {{convert|8|in|0|abbr=on}} thick—reduced slightly compared to earlier ships to account for the heavier belt armour—with {{convert|10|in|abbr=on|0}} thick rears. The turret roofs were 3&nbsp;in thick. The turrets sat atop 12&nbsp;in thick [[barbette]]s, though ''Irresistible''{{'}}s barbette armour was reduced in thickness to 10&nbsp;in behind the belt. Above the main belt was a [[strake]] of armour that protected the casemate guns, which was 6&nbsp;inches thick; behind the casemates, an interior bulkhead that was {{convert|2|in|abbr=on}} thick protected the interior of the ship. Their forward [[conning tower]] had {{convert|10|to|14|in|0|abbr=on}} thick sides, with a communication tube below the tower that had armour protection that was {{convert|8|in|abbr=on|0}} thick. The aft conning tower had 3&nbsp;in thick sides with a 3&nbsp;in tube below.{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}{{sfn|Burt|p=191, 194–195}}

==Ships in class==
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Construction data
!scope="col"|Name
!scope="col"|Builder{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}
!scope="col"|[[Laid down]]{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}
!scope="col"|[[Ceremonial ship launching|Launched]]{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}
!scope="col"|Completed{{sfn|Lyon & Roberts|p=36}}
|-
|scope="row"|{{HMS|Formidable|1898|2}}
| [[Portsmouth Dockyard]]
| 21 March 1898
| 17 November 1898
| September 1901
|-
|scope="row"|{{HMS|Irresistible|1898|2}}
| [[Chatham Dockyard]]
| 11 April 1898
| 15 December 1898
| October 1901
|-
|scope="row"|{{HMS|Implacable|1899|2}}
| [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport Dockyard]]
| 13 July 1898
| 11 March 1899
| July 1901
|}

==Service history==
[[File:HMS Irresistible abandoned 18 March 1915.jpg|thumb|''Irresistible'' listing and sinking in the Dardanelles, 18 March 1915. Photograph taken from the battleship {{HMS|Lord Nelson|1906|2}}]]

The ships of the ''Formidable'' class had uneventful peacetime careers. All three ships of the class served with the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] as their first station; in 1908, ''Formidable'' and ''Irresistible'' were recalled to the [[Channel Fleet]], though the former remained there for just a year, transferring to the [[Home Fleet]] and then shortly thereafter to the [[Atlantic Fleet (United Kingdom)|Atlantic Fleet]] in 1909. That year, ''Implacable'' joined her [[sister ship]] in the Atlantic Fleet. Between 1911 and 1912, all three ships were assigned to the [[5th Battle Squadron]] of the Home fleet, where they remained for the rest of their peacetime careers. Throughout their peacetime careers, the ships were repeatedly overhauled and had minor modifications carried out, including alterations to their light armament, addition of searchlights, and installation of improved fire-control and wireless systems.{{sfn|Burt|pp=197–205}}

All three ships were mobilized as part of the 5th Battle Squadron at Britain's entry into the [[First World War]] in August 1914. They were initially based in the [[English Channel]], and they helped to escort the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War I)|British Expeditionary Force]] and later the Portsmouth Marine Battalion across the Channel in August. In October ''Implacable'' was temporarily detached to guard against a rumoured German cruiser attack.{{sfn|Burt|pp=201–205}}{{sfn|Corbett 1920|pp=76, 98, 227–229, 259–262}} Shortly after midnight on 1 January 1915, ''Formidable'' was torpedoed and sunk by the German [[U-boat]] {{SMU|U-24||2}} off [[Portland Bill]] while on patrol in the Channel. Most of the ship's crew—35&nbsp;officers and 512&nbsp;men—were killed in the sinking.{{sfn|Burt|p=203}}{{sfn|Corbett 1921|pp=57–59}} The following month, ''Irresistible'' was sent to the eastern [[Mediterranean Sea]] to join the [[Dardanelles Campaign]] against the [[Ottoman Empire]]. She took part in repeated, failed attacks on the Ottoman defences guarding the entrance to the [[Dardanelles]] over the course of February and March. During a major Anglo-French attack on the coastal fortifications on 18 March, ''Irresistible'' struck a [[naval mine]] and sank, though most of her crew was evacuated; around 150&nbsp;men were killed in her final battle.{{sfn|Corbett 1921|pp=142–145, 157–168, 193–195, 205–206, 213–222}}

''Implacable'' was ordered to join the Dardanelles campaign in March 1915, and she arrived shortly after the loss of ''Irresistible''. She supported the [[Landing at Cape Helles|landings at Cape Helles]] and [[Landing at Anzac Cove|at Anzac Cove]], the beginning of the land portion of the [[Gallipoli Campaign]]. On the day of the attack, 25 April, the ship steamed off [[X Beach]] at Cape Helles, bombarding Ottoman defences as men went ashore. In recognition of the critical support she had provided the troops as they attacked Ottoman positions, they named the landing site "Implacable Beach". She continued to support the ground forces into May, including during the [[First Battle of Krithia|First]] and [[Second Battle of Krithia|Second Battles of Krithia]].{{sfn|Corbett 1921|pp=208, 227, 310–318, 326–327, 354, 362, 372}} In May, she was reassigned to the 2nd Detached Squadron, which was tasked with supporting the Italian ''[[Regia Marina]]'' (Royal Navy) in the [[Adriatic Sea]], where it contained the [[Austro-Hungarian Navy]]. In November, she was again transferred, this time to the 3rd Detached Squadron, based in [[Salonika]], Greece. The ship was recalled to Britain in July 1917, later being converted into a [[depot ship]] for the [[Northern Patrol]]. ''Implacable'' was ultimately sold for [[scrap]] in 1921 and was [[broken up]] the following year in Germany.{{sfn|Burt|pp=203–204}}

==Notes==

{{Reflist|20em}}

==References==
* {{cite book
  |last=Burt
  |first=R. A.
  |title=British Battleships 1889–1904
  |year=2013
  |orig-year=1988
  |location=Barnsley
  |publisher=Seaforth Publishing
  |isbn=978-1-84832-173-1
  |ref={{sfnRef|Burt}}
  }}
* {{cite book 
  |last=Corbett
  |first=Julian Stafford
  |author-link=Julian Corbett
  |title=Naval Operations: To The Battle of the Falklands, December 1914
  | url = https://archive.org/details/navaloperations04corb
  |volume=I
  |year=1920
  |publisher=Longmans, Green & Co.
  |location=London
  |oclc=174823980
  |ref={{sfnRef|Corbett 1920}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Corbett
  |first=Julian Stafford
  |title=Naval Operations: From The Battle of the Falklands to the Entry of Italy Into the War in May 1915
  |volume=II
  |year=1921
  |publisher=Longmans, Green & Co.
  |location=London
  |oclc=924170059
  |ref={{sfnRef|Corbett 1921}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Fraser
  |first=Edward
  |title=Famous Fighters of the Fleet
  |year=1904
  |location=London and New York
  |publisher=Macmillan and Co.
  |oclc=58817734
  |ref={{sfnRef|Fraser}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | year = 2011
  | title = Naval Weapons of World War One: Guns, Torpedoes, Mines and ASW Weapons of All Nations; An Illustrated Directory
  | publisher = Naval Institute Press
  | location = Annapolis
  | isbn = 978-1-84832-100-7
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Friedman}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Gibbons
  |first=Tony
  |title=The Complete Encyclopedia of Battleships and Battlecruisers: A Technical Directory of All the World's Capital Ships From 1860 to the Present Day
  |location=London
  |publisher=Salamander Books Ltd.
  |year=1983
  |isbn=978-0-86101-142-1
  |ref={{sfnRef|Gibbons}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1 = Lyon
  | first1 = David
  | last2 = Roberts
  | first2 = John
  | chapter = Great Britain and Empire Forces
  | pages = 1–113
  | editor1-last = Chesneau
  | editor1-first = Roger
  | editor2-last = Kolesnik
  | editor2-first = Eugene M.
  | year = 1979
  | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905
  | publisher = Conway Maritime Press
  | location = Greenwich
  | isbn = 978-0-85177-133-5
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Lyon & Roberts}}
  | url-access = registration
  | url = https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2
  | name-list-style=amp
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Pears
  |first=Randolph
  |title=British Battleships, 1892–1957: The Great Days of the Fleets
  |location=London
  |publisher=Putnam
  |year=1979
  |oclc=464390068
  |ref={{sfnRef|Pears}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Preston
  |first=Antony
  |title=Battleships of World War I: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Battleships of All Nations 1914–1918
  |publisher=Galahad Books
  |location=New York
  |year=1972
  |isbn=978-0-88365-300-5
  |ref={{sfnref|Preston}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last = Willmott
  | first = H. P.
  | year = 2009
  | title = The Last Century of Sea Power (Volume 1, From Port Arthur to Chanak, 1894–1922)
  | publisher = Indiana University Press
  | location = Bloomington
  | isbn = 978-0-253-35214-9
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Willmott}}
  }}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last1=Dittmar|first1=F. J.|last2=Colledge|first2=J. J.|title=British Warships 1914–1919|location=London|publisher=Ian Allan|year=1972|isbn=978-0-7110-0380-4  |name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last=Parkes|first=Oscar|title=British Battleships|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis|year=1990|orig-year=1957|isbn=978-1-55750-075-5}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

* [http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Formidable_Class_Battleship_(1898) The Dreadnought Project] (Formidable, Implacable, Irresistible)

{{Formidable class battleship}}
{{WWI British ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Formidable Class Battleship}}
[[Category:Battleship classes]]
[[Category:Formidable-class battleships| ]]
[[Category:Ship classes of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:World War I battleships of the United Kingdom]]