A 1944 fleet photograph places HMS Renown between the carriers Unicorn and Illustrious. Renown is singled out as an undervalued warship. On paper, a battlecruiser looked vulnerable against German battleships. In the fighting off Norway, however, Renown confronted Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and compelled them to break away. The encounter shows why a ship's operational effect cannot be read from type labels alone.
Notable Point · 17:39-18:08
HMS Renown confronts German battleships off Norway
Renown's encounter with Scharnhorst and Gneisenau shows why operational results could outweigh an unfavourable battlecruiser-versus-battleship comparison.