Cruisers | Great Britain
Battlecruiser "Renown"
Battlecruiser "Repulse"
The Renown class cruiser series consisted of 2 units (Renown, Repulse) and was built at the Fairfield shipyard. The ships were commissioned in 1916. The cruiser Repulse underwent its first modernization in 1918-1920. and in 1933-1936. second. The first modernization of Renown took place in 1923-1926, the second in 1936-1939. Repulse was lost in 1941 and Renown was scrapped in 1948.
TTX "Renown": standard displacement - 30.8 thousand tons, full displacement - 36.1 thousand tons; length – 229 m, width – 31 m; draft – 9.6 m; speed - 30.8 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 8 steam boilers; power – 120 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 4.6 thousand tons of oil; cruising range - 6.6 thousand miles; crew – 1,200 people. Reservation: side – 229 mm; traverses – 102 mm; towers - 229 mm; barbettes – 102 – 178 mm, deck – 25 – 127 mm; cutting – 76 mm. Armament: 3x2 – 381 mm guns, 10x2 – 114 mm guns; 3x8 - 40 mm anti-aircraft gun, 4x4 - 12.7 mm anti-aircraft gun; 8x1 - 533 mm torpedo tubes, catapult and 2 seaplanes.
TTX “Repulse”: standard displacement - 34 thousand tons, full displacement - 38.3 thousand tons; length – 229 m, width – 31 m; draft – 9.6 m; speed - 28.3 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 42 steam boilers; power – 112 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 4.2 thousand tons of oil; cruising range - 4.7 thousand miles; crew – 1,200 people. Reservation: side – 229 mm; traverses – 102 mm; towers - 229 mm; barbettes – 102 – 178 mm, deck – 13 – 146 mm; deckhouse – 254 mm. Armament: 3x2 - 381 mm guns, 4x3 and 6x1 - 102 mm anti-aircraft guns; 2x8 - 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, 4x4 - 12.7 mm anti-aircraft guns; 8x1 - 533 mm torpedo tubes, catapult and 2 seaplanes.
Battlecruiser Hood
The cruiser was built at the John Brown shipyard and entered service in 1920 and for two decades was the largest ship in the world. During 1929-1939. During the repair process, the ship was modernized. The cruiser died in 1941. Performance characteristics of the ship: displacement - standard 43.4 thousand tons, full displacement - 48.4 thousand tons; length – 247 m, width – 32 m; draft – 10.2 m; speed - 31 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 32 steam boilers; power – 144 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 4.6 thousand tons of oil; cruising range - 4 thousand miles; crew – 1,400 people. Reservation: side – 305 mm; traverses - 127 - 152 mm, towers - 381 mm, barbettes - 305 mm, deck - 25 - 76 mm; cutting – 280 mm. Armament: 4x2 - 381 mm guns, 12x1 - 140 mm guns; 4x2 – 102 mm guns, 3x8 – 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, 4x4 – 12.7 mm anti-aircraft guns; 4x1 - 533 mm torpedo tubes.
Heavy cruiser "Hawkins"
Heavy cruiser Frobisher
Heavy cruiser Effingham
Of the series of Hawkins-class cruisers, at the beginning of the war, 3 ships, the Hawkins, Frobisher and Effingham, were in service, which were commissioned in 1919, 1924 and 1925, respectively. Cruiser "Effingham" in 1937-1939. underwent modernization, and died in 1940. Hawkins was decommissioned in 1947, Frobisher in 1949.
TTX "Hawkins"/"Frobisher": standard displacement - 9.8 thousand tons, full displacement - 12.5 thousand tons; length – 172 m, width – 17.7 m; draft – 6.2 m; speed – 29.5/30.5 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 8/10 steam boilers; power – 65/55 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 2.2/2.7 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 5.4 thousand miles; crew - 690 people. Reservation: side – 76 mm; traverses – 25 mm; gun shields - 51 mm; deck – 37 mm; cellars - 25 mm. Armament: 7/5x1 - 190 mm guns; 4/5x1 - 102 mm guns; 4x1/4x2 – 40 mm anti-aircraft gun; 7x1 – 20-mm anti-aircraft guns (“Frobisher”), 4x1 – 533-mm torpedo tubes.
TTX "Effingham": standard displacement - 9.6 thousand tons, full displacement - 12.5 thousand tons; length – 172 m, width – 17.7 m; draft – 6.2 m; speed - 29.5 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 8 steam boilers; power – 58 thousand hp; fuel reserve – 2.6 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 5.4 thousand miles; crew - 690 people. Reservation: side – 76 mm; traverses – 25 mm; gun shields - 25 mm; deck – 37 mm; cellars - 25 mm. Armament: 9x1 - 152 mm guns; 4x2 - 102 mm guns; 2x8 – 40 mm anti-aircraft guns; 3x4 - 12.7 mm machine guns, 4x1 - 533 mm torpedo tubes, catapult and seaplane.
Heavy cruiser "Kent"
Heavy cruiser Bervick
Heavy cruiser "Suffolk"
Heavy cruiser Cornwall
Heavy cruiser "Suffolk"
Heavy cruiser "Australia"
Heavy cruiser Canberra
The series of heavy cruisers of the "Kent" type consisted of 7 units ("Kent", "Bervick", "Cumberland", "Cornwall", "Suffolk", "Australia", "Canberra"). "Suffolk", "Canberra") and was built for Australia. The ships were put into operation in 1928. In 1935-1939. cruisers, except for Canberra, have undergone modernization. The cruisers Cornwall and Canberra were lost in 1942, Kent, Bervick and Suffolk were decommissioned in 1948. Australia was decommissioned in 1955, and Cumberland in 1959. Performance characteristics ship: standard displacement - 9.7 - 10.3 thousand tons, full displacement - 13.5 - 14.1 thousand tons; length – 180 m, width – 21 m; draft – 6.3 m; speed - 31.5 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 8 steam boilers; power – 80 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 3.4 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 13.3 thousand miles; crew - 685 - 710 people. Reservation: side – 127 mm; traverses – 25 mm; towers and barbettes – 25 mm; deck – 35 – 37 mm; cellar - 111 mm. Armament: 4x2 - 203 mm guns; 4x2 or 4x1 or 2x2 - 102 mm guns; 2x8 or 2x4 or 4x1 – 40 mm anti-aircraft gun; 2x4 - 12.7 mm machine guns, 2x4 - 533 mm torpedo tubes ("Kent", "Australia", "Canberra"), a catapult and 2 seaplanes (1 "Kent"). Canberra had no aircraft.
Heavy cruiser London
Heavy cruiser "Devonshire"
Heavy cruiser Shropshire
The series of heavy cruisers of the "London" type consisted of 4 units ("London", "Devonshire", "Sussex", "Shropshire") and was commissioned in 1929. The cruiser "London" in 1939-1941. underwent modernization, and Shropshire was transferred to Australia in 1942. During the period of service on ships, anti-aircraft weapons were repeatedly improved. In 1950, the cruiser "London" was decommissioned, "Devonshire" in 1954, and "Sussex", "Shropshire" - in 1955. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 9.8 - 11.5 thousand tons, total - 11.1 – 14.6 thousand tons; length – 181 m, width – 20 m; draft – 6.3 m; speed - 32.3 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 8 steam boilers; power – 80 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 3.2 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 12.5 thousand miles; crew – 700 people. Reservations: side – 25 mm (“London” – 114 mm), traverses – 25 mm, towers and barbettes – 25 mm, deck – 35 – 37 mm; cellar - 111 mm. Armament: 4x2 - 203 mm guns; 4x2 (("London") or 8x1 - 102 mm guns; 2x8 or 2x4 or 4x4 - 40 mm anti-aircraft guns; 4x4 or 2x4 - 12.7 mm machine guns, 2x4 - 533 mm torpedo tubes, catapult and seaplane ( 2 "London").
Heavy cruiser Norfolk
Heavy cruiser Dorsetshire
The series of heavy cruisers of the Norfolk type consisted of 2 units (Norfolk, Dorsetshire) and were put into operation in 1930. During the period of service on the ships, anti-aircraft weapons were improved. In 1942, the cruiser Dorsetshire was lost, and Norfolk was decommissioned in 1950. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 10.4 thousand tons, total displacement - 14.1 thousand tons; length – 181 m, width – 20 m; draft – 6.3 m; speed - 32.3 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 8 steam boilers; power – 80 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 3.2 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 12.5 thousand miles; crew - 710 people. Reservation: side – 25 mm; traverses – 25 mm; towers and barbettes – 25 mm; deck – 35 – 37 mm; cellar - 111 mm. Armament: 4x2 - 203 mm guns; 4x2 - 102 mm guns; 2x8 – 40 mm anti-aircraft guns; 2x4 - 12.7 mm machine guns, 2x4 - 533 mm torpedo tubes, catapult and seaplane.
Heavy cruiser York
Heavy cruiser Exeter
The York-class heavy cruiser series consisted of 2 units (York, Exeter) and was commissioned in 1930 and 1931. respectively. The cruiser "York" was sunk in 1941, and the "Exeter" was lost in 1942. Performance characteristics of the ship "York"/"Exeter": standard displacement - 8.2/8.4 thousand tons, total displacement - 10.4/ 10.5 thousand tons; length – 165 m, width – 17.4 m; draft – 6.2 m; speed - 32.3 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 8 steam boilers; power – 80 thousand hp; fuel reserve – 1.9 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 10 thousand miles; crew - 630 people. Reservation: side – 76 mm; traverses – 89 mm; towers and barbettes – 25 mm; deck – 35 – 37 mm; cellar - 111 mm. Armament: 3x2 - 203 mm guns; 4x1 - 102 mm guns; 2x4 - 12.7 mm machine guns, 2x3 - 533 mm torpedo tubes, catapult and seaplane.
Light cruiser Adelaide
The cruiser Adelaide was built in Australia and is a Chatham-class light cruiser. It entered service in 1922. In 1938-1939. underwent modernization during which it was transferred to oil fuel. Scrapped in 1949. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 4.6 thousand tons, full displacement - 6.2 thousand tons; length – 131 m, width – 15.2 m; draft - 4.9 m; speed - 24.3 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 10 steam boilers; power – 23.5 thousand hp; fuel reserve – 1.4 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 5.5 thousand miles; crew - 470 people. Reservation: side – 76 mm; traverses – 89 mm; towers and barbettes – 13 mm; deck – 40 – 15 mm; cutting – 102 mm. Armament: 8x1 - 152 mm guns; 3x1 - 102 mm guns; 6x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft guns, 2x1 - 533-mm torpedo tubes.
Light cruiser "Calypso"
Light cruiser "Cardiff"
Light cruiser Cairo
Light cruiser Calcutta
The series of "C" type cruisers consisted of three groups. First: "Caledon" (entered into service in 1917, expelled in 1948), "Calypso" (accepted - 1917, died - 1940), "Caradoc" (accepted - 1917, expelled - 1946 G.). Second: "Cardiff" (accepted - 1917, expelled - 1946), "Ceres" (accepted - 1917, expelled - 1946), "Coventry" (accepted - 1918, died - 1942) , "Curacoa" (adopted - 1918, died - 1942), "Curlew" (adopted - 1917, died - 1940). Third: "Carlisle" (accepted - 1918, expelled - 1946), "Colombo" (accepted - 1918, expelled - 1948), "Calcutta" (accepted - 1918, died - 1941), "Cairo" (accepted - 1918, died - 1942), "Capetown" (accepted - 1922, expelled - 1946). In 1935-1943. Some cruisers were converted into air defense ships. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 4.1 - 5.2 thousand tons, full displacement - 4.2 - 5.4 thousand tons; length – 130 – 137 m, width – 15.2 m; draft – 4.5 – 4.7 m; speed - 29.5 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 6 steam boilers; power – 40 thousand hp; fuel reserve – 0.9 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 5.9 thousand miles; crew - 400 - 440 people. Reservations: side – 32 – 76 mm, gun shields – 25 mm, deck – 25 mm. Armament: 5x1 - 152 mm guns or 4x2 or 10x1 - 102 mm guns, 2x1 - 76 mm guns, 2-8x1 - 40 mm anti-aircraft guns or 6x2 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. , 2x4 - 12.7 mm machine gun; 4x2 - 533 mm torpedo tubes.
Light cruiser "Danae"
Light cruiser Dragon
Light cruiser Delhi
The series of light cruisers of the “D” type consisted of 8 units (“Danae”, “Dauntless”, “Dragon”, “Delhi”, “Dunedin”, “Durban”, “Diomede”, “Despatch”) commissioned in 1919- 1922 During service on the ships, anti-aircraft weapons were improved, and torpedo tubes were removed in 1944. The cruiser Dunedin was lost in 1941, Durban and Dragon were sunk in 1941 and 1944, Dauntless, Diomede and Despatch were decommissioned in 1946. Ships Danae and Delhi were decommissioned in 1948. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 4.6 thousand tons, full displacement - 6 thousand tons; length – 136 m, width – 14 m; draft - 4.9 m; speed - 29 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 6 steam boilers; power – 40 thousand hp; fuel reserve – 1.1 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 5 thousand miles; crew - 450 - 470 people. Reservation: side – 25 – 76 mm; gun shields – 25 mm; deck – 25 mm; cutting – 75 mm. Armament: 6x1 - 152 mm guns; 3x1 - 102 mm guns; 2x1 – 40 mm anti-aircraft guns.
Light cruiser Emerald
Light cruiser Enterprise
The “E” type cruiser series consisted of 2 units (“Emerald”, “Enterprise”) accepted into service in 1926. The cruisers were withdrawn from service in 1948 and 1946, respectively. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 7.6 thousand tons, full displacement - 9.4 thousand tons; length – 163 m; width – 16.6 m; draft – 5.6 m; speed - 33 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 8 steam boilers; power – 80 thousand hp; fuel reserve – 1.7 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 8 thousand miles; crew - 570 people. Reservations: side – 37 – 76 mm, gun shields – 25 mm; deck – 25 mm. Armament: 7x1 (“Emerald”) or 1x2 and 5x1 (“Enterprise”) - 152 mm guns; 3x1 - 102 mm guns; 2x1 - 40 mm anti-aircraft guns, 4x4 - 12.7 machine guns (on Emerald), 4x4 - 533 mm torpedo tubes, catapult and seaplane.
Light cruiser "Leander"
Light cruiser Achilles
Light cruiser Neptune
Light cruiser "Orion"
Light cruiser "Ajax"
The series of light cruisers of the “Leander” type consisted of 5 units (“Leander”, “Achilles”, “Neptune”, “Orion”, “Ajax”) commissioned in 1933 - 1935. During the period of service on the ships, weapons were improved. The cruiser "Neptune" was lost in 1941, "Achilles" was transferred to India in 1948, the remaining ships were decommissioned in 1949. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 6.9 - 7.2 thousand tons, total displacement - 8.9 - 9.2 thousand tons; length – 169 m, width – 17 m; draft – 5.8 m; speed – 32.5 knots; power plants - 4 steam turbine units and 6 steam boilers; power – 72 thousand hp; fuel reserve – 1.7 – 1.8 thousand tons. oil; cruising range - 10.3 thousand miles; crew - 570 people. Armor: side – 102 mm, traverses – 37 mm, towers and barbettes – 25 mm, deck – 32 mm, cellars – 89 mm. Armament: 4x2 - 152 mm guns; 4x2 - 102 mm guns; 3x4 – 12.7 machine guns, 2x4 – 533 mm torpedo tubes, catapult and seaplane.
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Warships. Cruisers. Crafty British gentlemen
Yes, those British gentlemen! How the scoundrels changed the rules of the game when they started losing the game! But how great they did it!
Our history today is a history of not caring about all these treaties, Washington and London combined, which, however, gave birth to very, very good ships.
We will talk about the Southampton-class cruisers. Five light cruisers of this type were built, and they fought the war, as they say, “from bell to bell.” And four out of five ended the war. And after the war they served in full, and the last, perhaps most famous, Sheffield, was dismantled for metal in 1968. However, the career was a success...
So, the Southamptons are the first series of Town class ships that they rushed to design after learning that the insidious Japanese had built the Mogami.
15 155 mm guns - and the British realized that if they had to (and in the end they had to!) collide somewhere in the area of the colonies, then the British Linder-class light cruisers with their 8 152 mm guns simply would not have a chance . I don’t even want to remember about the Aretyuzes with their six 152 mm guns.
In general, a defender was urgently needed. Because intelligence reported that the Japanese were going to build a dozen ships of the Mogami type, therefore, the British needed to have two dozen (or even more) of the same Linders in order to somehow resist.
Britain could not afford so many cruisers, despite the fact that they had large numbers of colonies in the region where Japan was dripping saliva and would still have to defend them.
In general, no matter how much the Lords of the Admiralty wanted to build cheap Arethuses, alas, they had to strain both the budget and the designers. Because the 35 knots at which the Mogami and its 15 155-mm barrels could go was very unpleasant to understand. The lords understood, the admirals howled and demanded money for ships. Plans were revised along the way. When necessary, the British forgot about conservatism and began to tear and throw.
Actually, this is how empires were built. And in empires, cruisers and battleships were built to protect the interests of empires.
And in Great Britain in 1933 they rushed to develop a cruiser with 12 152 mm guns. Vertical armor was supposed to hold 152 mm shells at all distances, horizontal protection of the magazines - up to 105 cables, protection of the power plant - up to 80 cables.
It was also believed that a good cruiser must carry a squadron (okay, half) of seaplanes. From 3 to 5 pieces.
The cruising range had to be no less than that of the Linder, otherwise there was no point in fencing the garden, but the speed was allowed to be lower - 30 knots.
Everything looks strange at speed. If we are talking about the fact that the new cruisers were supposed to counteract the Mogami, then to do this they had to be able to do two things: - catch up with the Mogami if necessary; - if necessary, get away from the same “Mogami”. How to do this with a difference of 5 knots is, to put it mildly, not clear.
Nevertheless, work has begun. In order not to waste time on development from scratch, it was decided to take the Amphion cruiser as a basis. This was an improved version of the Linder, which could be easily expanded to accommodate three-gun turrets instead of the standard two-gun turrets.
The result of the work was a cruiser project, armed with 4 x 3 152 mm guns, 3 x 2 102 mm anti-aircraft guns, 3 x 4 12.7 mm machine guns, 2 x 3 533 mm torpedo tubes and from 3 to 5 aircraft .
The armor consisted of a 127-mm belt, a 31-mm deck above the power plant and a 51-mm above the ammunition magazines. Standard displacement varied from 7,800 to 8,835 tons, speed - from 30 to 32 knots.
A total of four projects were submitted, which did not differ much from each other. With the exception of the number of aircraft deployed on the ship and the auxiliary caliber guns, all four designs met the requirements set by the Admiralty. The heaviest option was taken as the basis.
As a result, the Admiralty came to the conclusion that 32 knots is the bare minimum that a cruiser should have. Better yet, even more.
In addition, as soon as the project was approved, alterations began. First, the number of aircraft was reduced to three. The rotating catapult was replaced with a stationary one, which was located across the deck. We decided that it would be easier to tighten the cruiser, but save weight.
It was decided to strengthen the anti-aircraft armament with two quadruple 40 mm pom-pom mounts, another twin mount of 102 mm guns and a second anti-aircraft director for control.
Displacement expectedly increased to 9,110 tons. Not exactly a light cruiser, but not a heavy one either, which started at 10,000 tons. But everything was ahead...
In 1934, construction began on the first two ships, which were given the names "Minotaur" and "Polyphemus". However, after some time, the Admiralty decided to name the entire series in honor of British cities, and these ships were renamed Southampton and Newcastle. The next three cruisers were named Sheffield, Glasgow and Birmingham.
During the construction of the ships, slight changes were made to the design, such as increasing the fuel tanks and installing a third anti-aircraft director. However, the ships entered service even with a slight underload in terms of displacement.
The actual displacement of Southampton was 9090 tons, Newcastle - 9083 tons, Sheffield - 9070 tons, Glasgow - 9020 tons, Birmingham - 9394 tons.
This provided a very good opportunity for maneuver with the weapons and equipment of the ships.
This primarily affected bookings. Compared to Amphion, it was increased. We increased the length of the armor belt and its thickness. Now the armored belt covered not only the power plant and artillery magazines, but also the anti-aircraft artillery ammunition magazines. The central post was also protected.
The belt of 114 mm cemented armor dropped below the waterline by 0.91 m, and reached the main deck in height. A 63-mm traverse closed the belt, and a 32-mm armored deck was placed on top, which ran from the cellars of turret A to the tiller compartment.
The artillery cellars had the form of a box with a wall 114 mm thick. Turrets and barbettes were a weak point, as their armor was only 25 mm thick. Otherwise, the cruisers could be considered completely protected ships. The total armor weight was 1431 tons or 15.7% of the standard displacement.
The power plant consisted of standard boilers and Admiralty-type TZA, with a total power of 78,600 hp. During testing, the Southampton reached a speed of 33 knots, and with a full load of 10,600 tons, 31.8 knots.
The volume of the fuel tanks made it possible to take 2,060 tons of oil and travel 7,700 miles on this amount at a speed of 13 knots.
The crew consisted of 748 people, the flagship ship numbered 796 people.
Armament.
Southampton became the first British cruiser to be equipped with the new three-gun Mk.XXII turrets, albeit with the old 152 mm/50 Mk.XXIII guns. They had a high degree of automation, which in theory provided a very decent rate of fire of 12 rounds per minute. In fact, the combat rate of fire was no more than 6 rounds per minute.
The maximum elevation angle of the barrels was 45 degrees, which provided a firing range of 23.2 km. The initial projectile speed is 841 m/s, armor penetration at a distance of 11 km is 76 mm of armor, at a distance of 20 km is 51 mm.
A noticeable feature of all British three-gun turrets, including those on subsequent cruiser models, was the displacement of the middle barrel by 76 cm back. This was done in order to eliminate the mutual influence of muzzle gases during a salvo and to prevent the dispersion of projectiles when fired.
Auxiliary artillery
Long-range anti-aircraft artillery was exactly the same as on the cruisers of previous series, that is, eight 102-mm Mk.XVI guns in four twin Mk.XIX mounts.
The combat rate of fire of these guns is 15-20 rounds per minute, the initial projectile speed is 811 m/s, the firing range at an elevation angle of 45 degrees is 18.15 km, at an elevation angle of 80 degrees - 11.89 km.
Close combat anti-aircraft artillery in the form of two quadruple Vicker Mk VII 40-mm machine guns mounted on the roofs of aircraft hangars on light cruisers appeared for the first time.
The 40-mm QF 2 pdr Mk VIII guns fired at a range from 347 to 4.57 km, depending on the type of ammunition.
The initial flight speed of the projectile ranged from 585 to 700 m/s, vertical aiming angles from -10 to +80 degrees.
12.7 mm Vickers machine guns in quad mounts
Mine and torpedo weapons
Two three-tube 533-mm torpedo tubes were located on the upper deck between 102-mm installations.
Aviation weapons
The cruisers were equipped with transverse deck catapults of the D-IH type and could take up to three Supermarine Walrus seaplanes (two in hangars, one per catapult), but most often only two were taken to sea.
Naturally, as soon as the ships entered service, cruiser modernization programs began.
Southampton received a Type 279 radar in May 1940.
"Newcastle". It turned out interesting. First, in May 1940, two 20-barreled UP unguided missile launchers were installed on the cruiser. In May 1941, the ship received a type 286 radar. In November 1941, rocket launchers, quad 12.7 mm machine guns, and a type 286 radar were removed from the cruiser. Instead, 5 single-barrel 20 mm Oerlikon machine guns and two radars, type 273 and type 291 were installed. .
At the end of 1942, the catapult, hangars and aircraft were removed from the cruiser, and the aviation and radar type 291 were removed. Instead, 10 single-barreled 20-mm Oerlikon machine guns and radar types 281, 282, 284 and 285 were installed. In September 1943, 6 20-mm machine guns were installed were replaced by 4 twin installations of 20-mm machine guns of the same Oerlikon.
Sheffield was already equipped with an experimental type 79Y radar in August 1938. The ability to use radar was very useful to the crew in the ensuing war.
In September 1941, instead of 12.7 mm machine guns, 6 single-barreled 20 mm Oerlikon machine guns and radar types 284 and 285 were installed. In the middle of 1942, the type 279 radar was replaced by a whole set of radars: types 281, 282, 283 and 273. In the spring of 1943 installed 8 more single-barreled 20 mm machine guns.
In January 1944, all aviation equipment was dismantled from the Sheffield and 8 more Oerlikon assault rifles were installed in its place. During a major overhaul in 1944-45, one artillery turret was removed from the cruiser and 4 quad 40mm mounts from Bofors were installed in its place, and 15 single-barrel 20mm Oerlikons were replaced with 10 twin mounts from the same company. The Type 273 radar was replaced by the newer Type 277.
"Bofors"
"Glasgow" in July 1940 received a type 286 radar and two 20-barrel NUR UP installations.
In the summer of 1941, the rocket launchers were removed. In the summer of 1942, the 12.7 mm machine guns and type 286 radar were removed, and instead, 9 single-barrel 20 mm Oerlikon machine guns and radar types 281, 282, 284, 285 and 273 were installed. In December of the same year, 5 single-barrel 20 mm machines were replaced by 8 paired installations. In October 1943, 2 more single-barrel 20-mm machine guns were added, and by the end of 1944, four more. During the overhaul in 1944-45, the main battery turret, aviation equipment, 2 twin and 4 single-barrel 20-mm machine guns, radar types 281, 284, 273 were dismantled. Instead of this equipment, 2 quad and 4 single-barrel 40-mm Bofors machine guns were installed. and radar types 281b, 294, 274.
Birmingham received one 20-barreled UP rocket launcher in June 1940, which was dismantled in July 1941. In March 1942, instead of 12.7-mm machine guns, 7 single-barreled 20-mm Oerlikons and radars of types 291 and 284 were installed. In the summer of 1943, aviation equipment was dismantled, 5 single-barreled machine guns were replaced with 8 twin 20-mm installations, and a radar of type 291 replaced by radar types 281b and 273.
At the end of 1944, the turret was removed, 4 quad 40-mm Bofors mounts, 2 twin and 7 single-barreled 20-mm machine guns were installed.
It is logical that the total displacement of the cruisers by the end of the war increased to 12,190 - 12,330 tons. For comparison, the Hawkins-class heavy cruiser had a displacement of 12,100 tons. Yes, the difference between the old heavy cruiser and the new light cruiser was not very significant, despite all the restrictions.
Combat use
Southampton
At the beginning of the war, he took part in search operations in the Atlantic; together with the destroyers Jervis and Jersey, he sank the German steamer Melkenbur.
He took part in the Norwegian operation, covered the actions of destroyers, was hit by a 500-kg bomb, which did not cause any damage, and came under attack from a German submarine, but the torpedoes did not explode due to a defect.
He was transferred to the Mediterranean Sea, where he covered convoys to Africa and Malta. Participated in the battle of Spartivento. For a short time he was transferred to the anti-raid forces in the Indian Ocean. Then he returned to the Mediterranean Sea.
11 January 1941 Southampton as part of convoy ME6. 220 miles east of the coast of Sicily, the convoy was attacked by 12 Ju.87s. Six aircraft attacked the Southampton, scoring two hits with 500 kg bombs. Southampton was heavily damaged and fires raged on it, which immediately got out of control. It was decided to abandon the ship and scuttle it, which was done by the cruiser Orion.
"Newcastle"
At the beginning of the war he carried out missions in the Atlantic and North Sea. I was looking for German blockade runners and raiders.
In November 1940 he was transferred to the Mediterranean Sea and took part in the battle of Spartivento.
In December he operated in the South Atlantic, looking for German blockade runners and raiders. In 1942 he conducted convoys in the Indian Ocean.
In June 1942, while in the Mediterranean Sea, he was seriously damaged by a torpedo from a German torpedo boat. After repairs, in 1943, she was transferred to the Indian Ocean, where she operated against Japan until the end of the war.
"Sheffield"
Probably the most active of the British light cruisers. 12 stars for successful combat operations is an indication that the cruiser was good and the crew was a match for it.
Throughout 1939, the cruiser operated in the North Sea and Atlantic, searching for German raiders and transports.
He took part in landing operations in Norway, covered landings and evacuated troops.
He was transferred to the Mediterranean Sea, where he covered Maltese convoys as part of Compound N. Took part in the battle of Spartivento. He intercepted Vichy convoys and hunted for the Admiral Hipper, who was chasing British convoys in the Atlantic.
Participated in the search and battle with the battleship Bismarck. After the battle, while patrolling his sector, he discovered and sank the German submarine supply tanker Fredriche Breme.
Until November 1941, the cruiser operated in the North Atlantic, after which it was assigned to the covering forces of North Atlantic convoys. Until January 1943, he took part in escorting 11 convoys.
Participant in the "New Year's Battle" in the Barents Sea. It was the gunners of the Sheffiddle and Jamaica who sank the destroyer Friedrich Eckholdt and attacked Admiral Hipper in full.
In 1943, he was briefly transferred to the Mediterranean Sea, where he covered the landings of American troops in Sicily and in Italy itself.
Then he was again transferred to the North and took part in escorting convoys and the battle at the North Cape. Received a salvo from the Scharnhorst, which damaged the engines. But in the end, the Scharnhorst was sunk.
Then he carried out various tasks off the coast of Norway.
Few ships in the British Navy can boast of participating in such operations as the cruiser Sheffield. And escorting 13 convoys is a very significant help.
"Glasgow"
Not as rich in rewards as its predecessor, but 4 stars for successful operations is also not bad.
At the beginning of the war, until the end of 1939 he patrolled in the North Sea.
In 1940 he took part in the Norwegian operation. Covered the landing of troops, evacuated, took part of Norway's gold reserves to Great Britain, and evacuated the royal family of Norway.
In 1941 she was transferred to the Mediterranean Sea. Covered British aircraft carriers during the raid on Taranto. On December 3, she received two torpedoes from Italian aircraft and began repairs.
After repairs, she was transferred to the Indian Ocean, where she conducted convoys and hunted German raiders. Found the Admiral Scheer, which was piracy, but was unable to maintain contact due to lack of fuel.
He was transferred back to the metropolis. Took part in the battle in the Bay of Biscay on December 28, 1943. Two cruisers, Glasgow and Enterprise, fought with 5 German destroyers and 6 destroyers. As a result, 1 destroyer and 2 destroyers were sunk.
He took part in the landing of Allied troops in Normandy. It was damaged in a battle with German coastal batteries, and after repairs it operated in the Indian Ocean until the end of the war.
"Birmingham"
He met the beginning of the war in Singapore and until 1940 carried out missions in the Indian Ocean.
In 1940 he was transferred to participate in the Norwegian operation.
In 1941 he took part in operations in the Mediterranean Sea. He was again transferred to the Indian Ocean, where he performed various tasks until mid-1943.
On November 27, 1943, the cruiser arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean, and on November 28, off the coast of Cyrenaica, she received a torpedo from the German submarine U-407. As a result of the hit, 29 people were killed, the cruiser's bow cellars were flooded, the ship received a trim of 8 degrees, and its speed dropped to 20 knots. Repairs continued until April 1944.
In 1944, she took part in operations near Norway, after which she was again transferred to the Indian Ocean, where she met the end of the war.
The active and fruitful service of the Southampton-class cruisers as the workhorses of the British fleet shows that in reality they turned out to be very balanced, strong and tenacious ships. With very decent potential for further development.
Yes, these cruisers were light only in terms of armament, which did not at all prevent them from going out against opponents who were superior to them in all respects. The best example of this is the battle in the Bay of Biscay, where against 17 152 mm guns and 22 torpedo tubes of British cruisers there were 20 150 mm guns and 24 105 mm guns plus 64 torpedo tubes of German ships. Yes, the destroyers and destroyers could not withstand the shells of the British 152-mm guns, but both sides had chances.
The enormous distances that ships could travel made it possible to transfer them from one ocean to another to complete tasks.
In general, these turned out to be very good cruisers.
Cruiser
After the Washington Treaty of 1922, all great powers were prohibited from having cruisers with a displacement of more than 10,000 tons and weapons larger than 203 mm. And since the Germans were left with the most decrepit Kaiser ships, already in the mid-20s they had the right to replace them and began to create replacements for them. As a result, the creations of the gloomy Teutonic genius caused panic in the naval headquarters of the Entente before even leaving the drawing boards - with an official 10,000 tons of displacement, two three-gun turrets of 280-mm guns were shoved into them (despite the fact that the maximum for other countries, we recall, was 203- mm), sheathed them with 60 mm armor along the entire side between the turrets (“Washington” cruisers of the 20s often either had no side armor at all, or the belt was ridiculously low), installed diesel engines on them - as a result, at the same gas station they could sail from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok even through the Cape of Good Hope). In terms of speed (27-28 knots), they could outrun any battleship of that time (no more than 25 knots). As a result, in the late 20s, only three British (Hood, Repulse and Rinaun) and three Japanese (Kongo, Kirishima and Haruna) battlecruisers could respond adequately to them - the rest either could not catch up, or could not win. Let us emphasize once again - officially, pocket battleships were included in the list and were subject to the limit for battleships. The French press was covered in panic, scandals and lamentations that if something happened, the trio of “Deutschlands” would tear apart all French maritime communications and the Naval Headquarters began to flog a wild frenzy in its shipbuilding program - they urgently built a pair of weak sub-battleships of the “Dunkirk” type specifically for the hunt for “ Deutschlands" (they wanted three at all, killing almost a third of its permitted tonnage of battleships with this nonsense!). The English admirals also diligently stirred up scandals in the press in order to increase funding for the fleet, wringing their hands in speeches before parliament that they needed to send at least a battle cruiser against the Deutschlands, and it was they who came up with the nickname “pocket battleship”! But extra-limit money was spent on the construction of quite classic “trade defenders” cruisers with 6″ and 8″ guns. As history has shown, they were completely right - in December 1939, three English cruisers (total 6-203 mm, 16-152 mm) were able to engage the Graf Spee in battle and inflict sufficient damage on it so that its commander made the mistake of putting into port for repairs . And then the British spread a rumor that a battle cruiser (exactly the enemy from which the German could not escape and with which he could not fight) and an aircraft carrier had come to their aid, after which the commander of the "Count", who had not checked the information, sent a panicked telegram to Berlin, from where came an equally panicky response to scuttle the ship. And in fairness, it is worth noting that the British won “on points” - the “Count” suffered almost no damage in the battle and could well have escaped pursuit, while one of the “English” (and the strongest) was completely out of action and only miraculously made it to the Falklands.
Chapter 76 Revival of the armored cruiser, 1899-1904
The earliest British armored cruisers, such as the Shannon and Nelson, were classified as "class 2 battleships", which had neither artillery nor armor so heavy as to allow them to be included in the battle line, while lack of speed (they turned a blind eye to this for quite a long time) did not allow them to be used directly as cruisers. Subsequently, these ships were sent to serve far abroad, where their shortcomings did not matter much. "Imperuse" and "Warspite" (1886) turned out to be fruits of the same field, but from that moment on - not counting the "belt cruisers" of the "Australia" series (1889), which became real cruisers, albeit with a belt along the waterline of dubious value - appeared There was a very clear distinction between battle line ships, carrying heavy guns and thick armor, and cruisers, whose main qualities were high speed and medium-caliber artillery. The "White Era" was characterized by heavily armed 1st, 2nd and 3rd class cruisers designed for intelligence and trade protection duties. Their protection of buoyancy and stability was entrusted to underwater armored decks, coal pits of considerable width, and the division of the hull into small compartments.However, with the creation of the extravagant Dupuy de Loma (1891) in France, a completely new aspect was introduced into the design of the cruiser. Reproduced in a slightly modified form in the Bruy (1894) and its derivatives, a series of which later ended with the construction of the provocative but unsuccessful cruiser Joan of Arc (1899), this type of cruiser was well suited for operations on sea trade routes for independent operations that, according to the French “young school,” were capable of bringing England to its knees. A naval war [according to this doctrine] was won not by a decisive battle of the main forces of the opposing fleets, but by the destruction of the enemy’s merchant shipping, the suppression of its food supply and the paralysis of all imports and exports. The main blow to the merchant fleet pushed battleships into the background, and masses of fast and well-armed cruisers came to replace expensive and vulnerable battleships, locked in their bases by clouds of small destroyers.
However, Admiral Oba's successors did not share his theory as a guide to action, but continued the construction of battleships, at the same time giving a clear preference to armored cruisers, which also began to appear in increasing numbers in other fleets. Until 1898, the British Admiralty was limited only to the creation of armored cruisers. However, then, when Krupp's technology made it possible to add side armor strong enough to withstand a 6″ steel shell while maintaining the same dimensions and displacement, Britain also turned to the armored cruiser type. Thus, the Cressy series (1899-1901) were essentially “tiaras” with 9.2″ guns in the bow and stern instead of the previous 6-inch guns; they were followed by the 1st class cruisers Drake (1902) and 2nd class Kent (1903) and Devonshire (1905) - all of these ships were designed to counter specific French armored cruisers in the war on trade routes .(13*)
The end of the “White era” saw a change in views on the use of armored cruisers. In addition to performing direct cruising duties, with heavier armament and protection, they were supposed to be used as a high-speed wing as part of the battle fleet, oriented against the German “light battleships” of the Kaiser, Wittelsbach and Braunschweig classes. At this time, the traditional British confrontation with France and Russia was quickly giving way to a warming of relations in the face of a new threat posed by the rapidly growing German fleet and, although the new armored cruisers could be successfully used as protectors of trade, it was obvious that in the squadron they had only so much power. significant combat value that no commander would refuse such an addition to his battleships.
The situation as White ended his long tenure as master builder was clouded over. The growing hostile criticism of his designs, both in the Navy and in other circles, completely ignored the fact that the chief builder was not free to choose the fundamental emphasis of his designs, but was constrained by many specific tonnage restrictions and was obliged to comply with all the requirements of the Council in terms of armament, protection, speed, fuel capacity, stability, supplies and crew accommodation - all combined with the essential requirements of adequate structural strength and seaworthiness to Admiralty standards. In 1895, the Majestic was the best of all the ships then sailing, and already in 1902, the Queen did not arouse enthusiasm in comparison with the tabular characteristics of its foreign companions; “tiaras” and “kents” could add nothing to White’s reputation, which was also destined to suffer a severe blow in connection with the disaster of the royal yacht Victoria and Albert. The break from the long line of battleships built according to the “4 12” and 12 6″ gun design” that followed the “King Edward VII” series was greeted with satisfaction, but even in this case they expected more.
The new chief builder, Philip Watte, transferred from Elswick, was a proponent of large quantities of armament, so much was expected from the creator of the Esmeralda and O'Higgins. He was known as a supporter of the 9.2″ gun, which was truly an excellent example of naval artillery, notable for its high rate of fire and the great power of its 170 kg projectile, capable of penetrating most armored barriers at the then combat distances. Of course, a cruiser with a battery of similar guns and a speed of 23 knots (or so) could not count on battleship-level protection, but it was believed that armor against the fire of 6m guns would be quite suitable for it, so such a ship had every chance of looking good on against the background of their foreign opponents in terms of the total area protected by armor. So, as the “second line” of the Eduards, two cruisers of a completely new type were ordered, which, in accordance with established practice, had the same armament arrangement as their battleships.
Builder Laid out Launched Put into operation Cost, f. Art.*
Black Prince Thames Iron Works June 1903 November 1904 January 1906 1,201,687
Duke of Edinburgh Pembroke February 1903 14 June 1904 March 1906 1,193,414
* including guns
Dimensions
m 146.3 (154.1 full) x 22.4 x 7.22/8.23 (12590 t)
Displacement,
t Normally loaded – 13550, fully loaded – 13965
Armament
6 9.2745 10 6750 20 47 mm (3 pound) 3 457 mm underwater torpedo tubes
Armor,
mm Belt 152 (in the middle) – 102 (in the bow) – 76 (in the stern), battery 152, barbettes 152-76, towers 191-140-114, decks: upper 25, middle 25-18, lower 38-18, conning tower 254. (armor weight 3075 t)
Mechanisms
Machines and boilers were manufactured: Duke of Edinburgh - Hawthorne Leslie, Black Prince - Thames Iron Works, two sets of 4-cylinder triple expansion, power 23,000 hp, speed 22;84 knots (Duke of Edinburgh"), with forced blast - 23.65 kts ("Black Prince"), 20 Babcock/Wilcox boilers
Fuel reserve,
t 1000/2150 coal, 600 oil
Range,
miles 3250 21-knot, 8130 10-knot
Crew,
people 789
Constructor
E.N. Mooney
As a cruising version of the King Edward VII, these ships made a good impression on paper, but had many design flaws: the 6″ battery was located too low to be able to fire in all but calm weather.
Thus, in the “battle of the cruisers” during the maneuvers on June 29, 1906, the “Black Prince” in a storm, drawing water with its bow and stern, was easily “incapacitated” by the “Leviathan”. Looking back at this time, it seems incomprehensible how the established tradition [i.e. e. the location of the 6" guns under the upper deck. - Ed.] was able to have such a significant influence on the inspector's department that the most unsightly feature of White's projects ended up in the project of the new cruiser, despite all its long-known defects. When "Drake" and " Good Hop, Goshen's "mighty cruisers" from which much was expected, entered their first trials, their inability to use their low-mounted 6" guns causing many scathing comments. The Engineer magazine outright declared them a failure on this basis. However, However, the longer guns on the Duke of Edinburgh were mounted at exactly the same height and turned out to be even more inoperative. Armament
9 2" guns in installations on the central pin were equipped with both hydraulic and manual drive; the horizontal guidance sectors of the end guns had an angle 285° Onboard installations could conduct longitudinal fire, but due to the too sensitive effect of muzzle gases when firing in peacetime, they were not aimed within 30-degree sectors bow and stern. The rate of fire was about four rounds per minute. 6″ guns were equipped with electric ammunition supply and had a horizontal firing sector of 120°; for firing with stern guns, cuts were made along the stern in the sides.
Anti-mine artillery from antediluvian 47-mm cannons was obviously powerless against the then destroyers of 300-400 tons. It was located in two groups on the superstructures and on the roofs of the towers - this innovation provided the guns with wide sectors of fire and raised them to a height inaccessible to splashes.
In March 1916, both ships were laid up for significant alterations.
All gun ports on the middle deck were sealed, six 6″ guns were moved to the upper deck, and in May 1917 two more 6″ guns were added to the Duke of Edinburgh's forecastle. Unfortunately, all the drawings and photographs reflecting these alterations were lost during the Second World War, but the surviving drawing of the spar indicates the presence of a three-legged foremast, as well as embrasures in the superstructure, under which these 6″ guns were located (as on the battleships of the series "Iron Duke"), Reservation
The side along the waterline in the middle of the hull and the battery were armored with 152 mm plates;
The upper edge of this armor rose 4.42 m above the waterline, the lower edge fell 1.47 m below it. The ends of the citadel were covered with 6″ traverses perpendicular to the center plane. The guns in the battery were separated by short 51 mm bulkheads. The thickness of the belt along the waterline at the bow decreased to 102 mm, at the stern to 76 mm. The upper armored deck had a thickness of 18 mm within the citadel, and 25 mm at the ends; the lower one is 18 mm, with the exception of the area above the steering gear, where its thickness increased to 38 mm. The protection of the towers was 191-114 mm, the barbettes - 152-76 mm. The design of the ammunition supply shafts was adopted from the Cressy project: in general, they repeated a similar French device. General
In pursuance of the regulation on the utmost limitation of the height of the chimneys on both ships, they did not exceed the level of the roof of the chart room; only a few years later the pipes were increased by 1.8 m in order to avoid smoke from the bridges and deckhouses during tailwinds. "Black Prince" became one of the first cruisers that sprayed oil on top of a layer of burning coal to intensify the process of burning fuel - at such moments, it, like "Mars", as well as the destroyers "Surly" and "Spiteful", were destroyed There were huge clouds of smoke coming out of the chimneys, as if the ship was running on the best Japanese coal.
"Black Prince" Armor protection distribution diagram
It should be noted that the final project was able to fit into a displacement that was more than 1000 tons less than the officially approved and indicated in the Fleet List; similar achievements reached several hundred tons for some ships, but both “Dukes” remained record holders in this sense.
The Duke of Edinburgh underwent sea trials in rough weather and strong winds, achieving a speed of 22.89 knots.
"Black Prince" developed almost a knot more - (however, its runs were made in calm weather). "Black Prince"
Entered service in January 1906, included in the 2nd cruiser squadron of the Atlantic Fleet.
In 1908 he was transferred to the 1st cruising squadron of the Canal Fleet. In 1909, during a major reorganization of the fleets, he was transferred to the 5th cruiser squadron of the Atlantic Fleet, where he remained until 1912, when he was sent to the Mediterranean Sea. In August 1914, he took part in fruitless operations against Goeben and Breslau; in December he returned to the metropolis, where he was included in the 1st Grand Fleet cruiser squadron. Sunk the night after the Battle of Jutland, killing 857 people. "Duke of Edinburgh"
Entered service in March 1906, included in the 5th cruising squadron of the Home Fleet. In 1908 he was transferred to the 1st squadron of cruisers of the Canal Fleet. During the reorganization of 1909, he was included in the 5th cruiser squadron of the Atlantic Fleet, where he served until 1913, after which he was transferred to the Mediterranean. In August 1914, he took part in the search for Goeben and Breslau, then returned to domestic waters and was included in the 1st cruiser squadron of the Grand Fleet. He took part in the Battle of Jutland and suffered no losses. After the disbandment of the 1st cruiser squadron in June 1916, he was transferred to the 2nd squadron, which served until September 1917. Subsequently, he was involved in escorting Atlantic convoys. Removed from the navy lists in 1919.
"Black Prince"
Exterior view of the ship "Warrior"
(4 units, budget 1903-1904) According to the original plans, this series was to be built according to the "Black Prince" project, but when, based on the results of tests of the latter, all the inconveniences of the location of the battery on the middle deck finally became clear , the project was reworked in favor of replacing the battery's 10 6″ guns with four 7.5″ guns in single turrets along the sides in the middle of the hull on the upper deck. In all respects it was a successful replacement. The artillery could now fire in any weather, and all four classmates proved to be excellent seaworthy vessels, earning a reputation as the best cruisers ever built for the Royal Navy.
Builder Laid out Launched Put into operation Cost, f. Art.*
“Achilles” “Armstrong” [2[22] February 1904 17 June 1905 [2[22 April]907 1 191 103
"Cochran" "Fairfield" [2[24]art 1904 May 20, 1905 [1[18]Eur 1907 1,193,121
Natal Vickers [6[6]January 1904 [3[30]September 1905 [5[5 March]907 121 824
"Warrior" Pembroke [5[5] November 1903 [2[25] November 1905 [1[12 December]907 1,186,395
* including guns
Dimensions
m 146.3 (154.1 full) x 22.4 x 7.54/7.62 (13200-13350 t)
Displacement,
t According to the Fleet List - 13550, fully loaded - 14500
Armament
6 9.2745 4 7.5750 24 47 mm (3-gun), 1 76 mm anti-aircraft gun (installed subsequently) 3 457 mm underwater torpedo tubes (one in the stern)
Armor,
mm Belt 152 (in the middle) – 102 (in the bow) – 76 (in the stern), upper chord 152, barbettes 152-76, towers 191-140-114, decks: upper 25, middle 25-18, lower 51-38 -18.
Mechanisms
Machines and boilers were made: "Achilles" - "Hawthorne Leslie" "Cochran" - "Fairfydd" "Natal" - "Vickers" "Warrior" - "Wallsand" two sets of 4-cylinder triple expansion, power 23000 hp, speed stroke 23 knots 19 wide-tube boilers Yarrow + 6 cylindrical
Fuel reserve,
t 1000/2050 coal, 600 oil
Range,
miles 3140 21-knot, 7960 10-knot
Crew,
people 712
Constructor
E.N. Mooney
(Data in brackets [], not found in O. Parks, is given from the reference book: Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860-1905. London: Conway Maritime Press, 1979. p. 72)
"Warrior". Armor protection distribution diagram
All guns were equipped with both hydraulic and manual drives. The firing sectors were: end 9.2″ guns – 285°, side 9.2″ guns – 120°, 7.5″ guns – about 110°.
The upper side armor of 152 mm, which in the previous project was the protection of a battery of 6″ guns, was retained, taking on the function of protecting the side turrets. Otherwise, the booking distribution remains the same.
The engine installation was similar to the “Dyukov”, its weight was 2250 tons. The ships burned about 23.5 tons of coal per hour at full speed and 15 tons at a speed of 21 knots. The full power test results were as follows:
"Achilles" 23977 hp 23.50 knots
"Cochran" 23654 hp. 23.29 kts
"Natal" 23590 hp 23.30 kts
"Warrior" 23705 hp 22.59 knots (by lag)
Like the previous pair, the Achilles entered service with low chimneys, the smoke from which often enveloped the bridges. Later on the Warrior, the front pipe was raised above the level of the chart room - the cruiser became the first large ship with such an unsightly silhouette - subsequently the remaining pipes were raised to the same level, and then the other three ships were converted according to this model. Introduced into the fleet with pole-type masts and small topsails like the Britannia, Cochran and Warrior featured taller masts than the other two ships in the series. After the Battle of Jutland, the foremast became a tripod, and a control and rangefinder post was installed on the fore-mars.
Due to the additional weight on the upper deck and the corresponding reduction in metacentric height, the cruisers of this series proved to be stable gun platforms, usually demonstrating good results in firing. “Achilles” topped the list of the most accurate ships in 1907, and “Natal” in 1909 (then the cruiser set a new record, demonstrating 12 hits out of 13 shots fired within 105 seconds from a 7.5″ gun and 10 hits out of 11 shots from 9.2″ guns) and 1910.
"Cochran."
Appearance of the ship "Achilles"
Entered service in March 1907, included in the 5th cruising squadron of the Home Fleet.
After reorganization, he was transferred to the 2nd cruiser squadron, where he served until September 1917. He took part in the Battle of Jutland. Together with the armed steamship Dundee, he took part in the sinking of the raider Leopard on March 16, 1917, north of the Shetland Islands. She underwent repairs in February-December 1918 and was put into reserve at Chatham as a stokers' training ship. Sold for scrap in 1920. "Cochran"
Entered service in February 1907, included in the 5th cruising squadron of the Home Fleet.
After reorganization, he was transferred to the 2nd cruiser squadron, where he served until September 1917. He took part in the Battle of Jutland. She underwent repairs in February-December 1918. She died in a shipwreck at the mouth of the Mersey on November 14, 1918. "Natal"
Commissioned in 1907, included in the 5th cruising squadron of the Home Fleet.
After reorganization, he was transferred to the 2nd cruising squadron, where he served until his death from an internal explosion in Kromatrie Bay on December 30, 1915. “Warrior”
Entered service in 1907, included in the 5th cruising squadron of the Home Fleet.
After reorganization, he was transferred to the 2nd cruiser squadron, where he served until 1914. In 1914, he was transferred to the Mediterranean Sea, then enlisted in the 1st cruiser squadron of the Grand Fleet. Participated in the Battle of Jutland. sank due to damage received from enemy fire on May 31, 1916. "Minotaur"
(3 units, budget 1904-1905) The 1904-1905 program, according to which the "Lord Nelson" was built, also provided for the construction of three armored cruisers. They were destined to become the last cruisers with intermediate caliber artillery to enter the Royal Navy. Structurally, they were enlarged Warriors - 10 feet (3 m) longer and a foot wider, the draft was a foot less, and the L/B ratio remained the same, i.e. 6.5: 1. Shannon's hull was somewhat different from its two brothers - it was a foot wider than them and had another foot less draft: this, however, did not give any special advantages, and even affected the speed somewhat.
This trio can be considered a cruising version of the Lord Nelson, with the difference that the twin installations of 7.5″ guns for them were considered too large and the auxiliary caliber was placed in single turrets. Compared to the Warrior they had a broadside advantage of three 7.5″ guns, just as the Lord Nelson had three more 9.2″ guns on board than her predecessor the King Edward VII. The anti-mine battery of 16 76 mm guns represented a significant improvement over the previous series. These guns, originally mounted on the roof of the 9.2″ turrets, were subsequently moved to the superstructure.
Builder Laid out Launched Put into operation Cost, f. Art.
Defense Pembroke 22 February 1905 27 April 1907 April 1908 1,362,970
"Minotaur" Devonporg January 2, 1905 June 6, 1906 March 1908 1,410,356
"Shannon" Chatham 2 January 1905 20 September 1906 March 1908 1,415,135
Dimensions
m 149.4 (158.2 full) x 22.7 (“Shannon” 23.0) x 7.92 (“Shannon” 7.62)
Displacement,
t 14600, fully loaded – 16100
Armament
4 9.2750 10 7.5750 16 76 mm (12 pound), 5 457 mm underwater torpedo tubes
Armor,
mm Belt 152 (in the middle) – 102 (in the bow) – 76 (in the stern), barbettes 178, turrets 203-178 (9.2″ guns), 203-152-114 (7.5″ guns), decks: 25-38, conning tower 254
Mechanisms
Two sets of 4-cylinder triple expansion. Power 27,000 hp, 2 shafts, speed 23 knots Boilers: Yarrow or Babcock/Wilcox systems
Fuel reserve,
t 950 (Shannon), 1000 (Minotaur and Defense)/2060 coal, 750 oil
Range,
miles 2920 20.5-knot, 8150 10-knot
Crew,
people 755
Constructor
E.N...Mooney
The armor protection was similar to the Warrior, but without the 152 mm armor strip between the middle and upper decks, and the ammunition was supplied inside the 178 mm armor shafts (above the waist protection).
"Minotaur" received boilers of the Babcock/Wilcox system, and both of its brothers received Yarrow. By this time, opponents of water-tube boilers had completely lost their former influence, so compromise mixed installations of two types of boilers were abandoned in favor of exclusively water-tube boilers.
"Defense" 27570 hp 22.90 knots
"Minotaur" 27856 hp 23.01 kt
"Shannon" 28533 hp 22.49 kts
"Defense". Armor protection distribution diagram
With its different hull shape, the Shannon did not provide the expected increase in speed, missing half a knot in its calculated stroke. The initially installed low pipes were increased by 4.5 m in 1909, but the resulting additional thrust, although it gave an increase in power, had virtually no effect on speed.
On these ships, solid bulkheads were used for the first time in the engine rooms, which did not even have watertight doors.
In 1917, the pole foremast was replaced by a tripod with a control and rangefinder post; searchlight bridges were installed between the pipes, as well as at the base of the mainmast. "Minotaur" and "Defense" were included in the British naval forces in the Far East, as opposed to the German "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau", and in accordance with the unspoken "gentleman's agreement" it was decided that if they were ever destined to meet in battle, the “minotaurs” will not use one 7.5″ gun for a fair fight. "Defence"
Commissioned in 1908, included in the 5th cruising squadron of the Home Fleet, in 1909 transferred to the 1st cruising squadron.
In 1910-1912 was in Chinese custody in 1913-1914. on the Mediterranean. The flagship of the formation of the 1st cruiser squadron (Black Prince, Duke of Edinburgh, Warrior) during the hunt for the Goeben and Breslau in August 1914. Received orders to strengthen the formation of Admiral Cradock, but revoked; Instead, she was included in the formation at La Plata (Admiral Stoddart's flagship) during the search for von Spee's squadron. Since January 1915, as part of the 1st cruiser squadron of the Grand Fleet, replaced in May 1916 by the Warrior. The flagship of Admiral Arbuthnot at the Battle of Jutland, sunk by the artillery of German battleships. 893 people died. "Minotaur"
Entered service in March 1908, was assigned to the 5th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, and later transferred to the 1st Cruiser Squadron.
The flagship of the formation in Chinese waters in 1910-1914. After the German squadron left its home base, Jerome's formation patrolled in the waters of the Dutch East Indies, covered Australian convoys, and then became part of a group of ships near Cape Town (flagship Admiral King Hall). After the battle of the Falklands, she returned to the metropolis and underwent repairs. Included in the 2nd cruiser squadron of the Grand Fleet (June 1916 - December 1918, several times became the flagship for short periods of time). He took part in the Battle of Jutland and suffered no losses. Was in reserve until sold for scrap in 1920. "Shannon"
Entered service in March 1908, enlisted in the 5th Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, later transferred to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, in which it served in 1909-1911 gg. In 1912, he was included in the 5th cruising squadron of the Atlantic Fleet, then again in the 2nd squadron of the Home Fleet.
"Minotaur". Appearance of the ship
From January 1915 to December 1918 in the 2nd cruiser squadron of the Grand Fleet, he took part in the Battle of Jutland and suffered no losses. Flagship in January 1915 - June 1916 and in May 1918. In 1919 she escorted Atlantic convoys. In reserve at Shirnes until sold for scrap in 1920.
The construction of British armored cruisers with intermediate artillery ended with the “minotaurs” - by that time the design of the “Invincible” was already in full swing. 1905 was the last year of the beginning of the widespread construction of armored cruisers - “Washington” in the USA, “San Marco” in Italy, “Waldeck Russo” in France, “Rurik” and “Bayan” in Russia; in 1906, their last representatives were laid down - the German "Blücher" and the Japanese "Ibuki". A few years later it became clear that reconnaissance could be entrusted to large seaworthy destroyers, and the protection of British trade routes could be ensured, according to Fisher, by the complete blockade of the German fleet in the North Sea, provided by radio communications and a layered patrol system. The construction of light cruisers continued only in Germany, and only from 1909, with the laying of the Bristol class cruisers, the traditional British policy of meeting the needs of the empire in protecting trade routes, which required numerous high-speed light cruisers, was resumed.
Armored cruisers were just right for convoy duty, but as the high-speed wing of a battle fleet they were at mortal risk. In this field they were replaced by battlecruisers, and the brave attack of Arbuthnot's armored cruisers on May 31, 1916, which turned out to be fatal, clearly proved their absolute weakness for combat in the battle line.
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