Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Danae class |
Operators | |
Preceded by | C class |
Succeeded by | Emerald class |
In commission | 1918–1946 |
Planned | 12 |
Completed | 8 |
Cancelled | 4 |
Lost | 3 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Light cruiser |
Displacement |
|
Length | |
Beam | 46.5 ft (14.2 m) (47 ft (14 m) in Despatch and Diomede) |
Draught | 14.5 ft (4.4 m) (16.5 ft (5.0 m) full) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) (27 knots full) |
Range | 2,300 nmi (4,260 km) at 27 knots (50.0 km/h) |
Complement | 450 / 469 war |
Armament |
|
Armour |
|
The Danae or D class consisted of eight light cruisers built for the Royal Navy at the end of World War I which also saw service in World War II.
The Danaes were based on the design of the preceding C class series, but were lengthened by 20 feet (6 m) to allow a sixth 6-inch (152 mm) gun to be worked in between the bridge and the fore funnel. This gave an 'A', 'B', 'P', 'Q', 'X', 'Y' arrangement. Additionally, the twin torpedo tubes in the C class were replaced by triples, giving the Danaes a total of twelve tubes, the heaviest torpedo armament for a cruiser at the time. Machinery and general layout was otherwise the same as the Ceres group of C-class cruisers. However, Danae, Dauntless and Dragon were ordered before the Capetown group, and therefore did not incorporate the improved bow design of the latter; the C class were very wet forwards, and in the Capetowns sheer was increased forwards into a knuckled "trawler bow". Such was the success of the knuckled bow that it was incorporated into all subsequent British cruisers (except Birmingham of 1935 which was completed without). Despatch and Diomede had their beam increased by ½ foot to increase stability and Dragon and Dauntless were completed with a hangar for a floatplane built into the bridge, the compass platform being on top. Delhi, Dunedin, Durban, Despatch and Diomede were provided with flying-off platforms for a wheeled aircraft aft. Despatch and Diomede were completed with 4 inch anti-aircraft (A/A) guns vis 12 pounder (3 inch) guns in their sisters and Diomede had 'A' gun shipped in a weatherproof housing CP Mark XVI, an encouraging development for gun crews hitherto exposed to the worst of the elements on the fo'c'sle.
The lessons of the Battle of Jutland were applied and protection was improved in detail. Additional torpedo tubes were installed and depth charge throwers were also included. The Mk XII 6-inch (152 mm) gun was retained but, in Diomede, a new prototype gun house (allowing greater elevation) was used and found to be most satisfactory.
Inter-war, all ships had their anti-aircraft armament standardised as three QF 4 inch Mark V guns on mountings HA Mark III, with a QF 2 pdr Mk.II gun in each bridge wing. All aircraft equipment were removed and Dragon and Dauntless had their bridges rebuilt along the lines of the rest of the class.
Early modifications in World War II included the addition of Radar Type 286 air warning at the foremast head and, later, Type 273 centimetric target indication set on the searchlight platform amidships. Between 6 and 8 20 mm Oerlikon guns were generally added, replacing the old 2 pounder guns in the bridge wings, on either side of 'P' and 'Q' guns and on the quarterdeck. In 1942, Dauntless (and in 1943, Danae) had the aft 4 inch A/A gun replaced by a quadruple mounting Mark VII for the 2 pounder Mark VIII gun and in 1943, Danae and Dragon had 'P' gun and the forward pair of 4-inch (102 mm) guns replaced by two such mountings and their Radar Type 282 equipped directors. Dragon and Danae were taken in hand again in 1943 and had the aft 4 inch / 2 pounder mountings replaced by a twin Mounting Mark XIX for the QF 4 inch Mark XVI gun. Danae also received twin in lieu of single Oerlikon mounts and later received a pair of single Bofors 40 mm guns. Diomede landed her torpedo tubes in 1943 and received one twin mount "Hazemeyer" Mark IV and two single mounts Mark III for Bofors guns.
Between 1941 and 1942, Delhi was rebuilt in the United States as an anti-aircraft vessel. All armaments were removed, and five 5 inch L/38 Mark 12 guns in Mark 30 single mountings were added, controlled by a pair of Mark 37 Fire Control Systems. The guns were in all but the former 'P' position. She carried a new bridge and stepped light tripod masts fore and aft, carrying Type 291 air warning radar. A Type 273 target indication radar was added amidships and a Type 285 on the Mark 37 FCS for target ranging and bearings. The light armament consisted of two quadruple 2 pounder mounts Mark VII and their directors with Radar Type 282, a pair of twin Oerlikon mounts Mark V in the bridge wings and six single Mark III Oerlikon pedestal mounts.
Dragon and Durban were expended as breakwaters in support of the Normandy landings in June 1944, Dragon being replaced in Polish service by the Danae (as ORP Conrad) and Despatch was disarmed as a depot ship.
Three ships were ordered in Sep 1916 under the War Emergency Programme:
Ship name | Pennant no. | Builder | Ordered | Laid down | Launched | Completed | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Danae | 32 (Jul 18); 44 (Nov 19); I.44 (1936); D.44 (1940) [1] | Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth and Company, High Walker | Sep 1916 | 11 Dec 1916 | 26 Jan 1918 | 18 Jul 1918 | Transferred to the Polish Navy as ORP Conrad, 4 Oct 1944 – 28 Sep 1946; sold for breaking up, 22 Jan 1948 |
Dauntless | 71 (Nov 18); 45 (Nov 19); I.45 (1936); D.45 (1940) [2] | Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow | 3 Jan 1917 | 10 Apr 1918 | 2 Dec 1918 | Sold for breaking up, 13 Feb 1946 | |
Dragon | 19 (Sep 18); 46 (Nov 19); I.46 (1936); D.46 (1940) [3] | Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Greenock | 24 Jan 1917 | 29 Dec 1917 | 16 Aug 1918 | Transferred to Polish Navy, 15 Jan 1943; damaged by German Neger manned torpedo off Caen, 8 Jul 1944; written off and expended as breakwater off Normandy beaches, 20 Jul 1944 | |
Delhi | 6A (Nov 18); 74 (Nov 19); I.74 (1936); D.74 (1940) [4] | Armstrong Whitworth | Jul 1917 | 29 Oct 1917 | 23 Aug 1918 | 7 Jun 1919 | Sold for breaking up, 22 Jan 1948 |
Dunedin | 96 (Aug 19); 93 (Nov 19); I.93 (1936); D.93 (1940) [5] | Armstrong Whitworth | 5 Nov 1917 | 19 Nov 1918 | Oct 1919 by Devonport Royal Dockyard | Torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-124 off Saint Paul's Rock in the South Atlantic, 24 Nov 1941 | |
Durban | 99 (Aug 21); I.99 (1936); D.99 (1940) [6] | Scotts | 22 Jun 1918 | 29 May 1919 | 1 Sep 1921 by Devonport Royal Dockyard | Expended as breakwater off Normandy beaches, 9 Jun 1944 | |
Despatch | 10 (Jan 22); 30 (19??); I.30 (1936); D.30 (1940) [7] | Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan | Mar 1918 | 8 Jul 1918 | 24 Sep 1919 | 2 Jun 1922 by Chatham Royal Dockyard | Sold for breaking up, 5 Apr 1946 |
Diomede | 92 (Jun 22); I.92 (1936); D.92 (1940) [8] | Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness | 3 Jun 1918 | 29 Apr 1919 | 24 Feb 1922 by Portsmouth Royal Dockyard | Sold for breaking up, 5 Apr 1946 | |
Daedalus | — | Armstrong Whitworth | — | — | — | Cancelled 26 Nov 1918 | |
Daring | William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir | ||||||
Desperate | R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Hebburn on Tyne | ||||||
Dryad | Vickers |
HMS Cairo (D87) was a C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy, named after the Egyptian capital, Cairo. So far she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name. She was part of the Carlisle group of the C-class of cruisers.
HMS Dragon, also known in Polish service as ORP Dragon, was a D- or Danae-class cruiser built for the Royal Navy. She was launched in Glasgow, in December 1917, and scuttled in July 1944 off the Normandy beaches as part of the Arromanches Breakwater.
HMS Galatea was one of eight Arethusa-class light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the 1910s. She fought in the First World War, participating in the Battle of Jutland. Following the war, she was scrapped.
HMS Danae was the lead ship of the Danae-class cruisers, serving with the Royal Navy between the world wars and with the Polish Navy during the latter part of World War II as ORP Conrad.
HMS Diomede was a Danae-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. Constructed at Vickers Armstrong, Barrow, she was constructed too late to take part in World War I and was completed at the Royal Dockyard, Portsmouth. Between the wars, she served on the China Station, Pacific waters, East Indies Waters and from 1936 onwards, in reserve. In World War II she performed four years of arduous war duty, during which time she captured the crew of the German blockade runner Idarwald after she had chased that ship and when the crew scuttled Idarwald. Between 22 July 1942 and 24 September 1943 she was converted to a training ship at Rosyth Dockyard. In 1945 she was placed in reserve and scrapped a year later.
HMS Dunedin was a Danae-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy, pennant number D93. She was launched from the yards of Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle-on-Tyne on 19 November 1918 and commissioned on 13 September 1919. She has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Dunedin.
HMS Delhi was a Danae-class cruiser that served with the Royal Navy through the Second World War, from the Caribbean to eastern China. She was laid down in 1917, launched in 1918 and commissioned for service in 1919, serving until decommissioning in mid-1945 due to extensive battle damage, and was to be scrapped in 1948 after lengthy war and peacetime service around the world.
HMS Coventry was a C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy, named after the English city of Coventry. She was part of the Ceres group of the C-class of cruisers.
HMS Colombo was a C-class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was part of the Carlisle sub-class of the C class. She survived both world wars to be scrapped in 1948.
HMS Caledon was a C-class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was the name ship of the Caledon sub-class of the C class. She survived both world wars to be scrapped in 1948.
HMS Cambrian was a C-class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was the name ship of her sub-class of four ships. Assigned to the Grand Fleet upon completion in 1916, the ship played only a small role during the war. Cambrian was assigned to the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets during the 1920s and was sent to support British interests in Turkey during the Chanak Crisis of 1922–1923. The ship was placed in reserve in late 1929. She was sold for scrap in 1934.
HMS Conquest was a C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I. She was part of the Caroline group of the C class.
HMS Inconstant was one of eight Arethusa-class light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the 1910s. She fought in the First World War, participating in the Battle of Jutland. Following the war, she was scrapped.
HMS Phaeton was one of eight Arethusa-class light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the 1910s. She fought in the First World War, participating in the Battle of Jutland. Following the war, she was scrapped.
HMS Royalist was one of eight Arethusa-class light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the 1910s. She fought in the First World War, participating in the Battle of Jutland. Following the war, she was scrapped.
HMS Penelope was one of eight Arethusa-class light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the 1910s. She fought in the First World War, following the war, she was scrapped.
HMS Undaunted was one of eight Arethusa-class light cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the 1910s.
HMS Dauntless was a Danae-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company of Jarrow, launched on 10 April 1918 and commissioned on 22 November 1918.
HMS Despatch was a Danae-class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy during World War I. She was part of the Delhi sub-class of the Danae class.
HMS Durban was a Danae-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was launched from the yards of Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company on 29 May 1919 and commissioned on 1 November 1921.
This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations .(April 2009) |