SYDNEY light cruisers (1935, 1936/1938-1939)
Sydney 1939
Sydney 1939
Hobart 1940
Perth 1941
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Sydney (ex-Phaeton) | Swan Hunter, Wallsend, UK | 8.7.1933 | 22.9.1934 | 24.9.1935 | sunk 19.11.1941 | ||
| Hobart (ex-Apollo) | C02 | Devonport DYd, UK | 15.8.1933 | 9.10.1934 | 13.1.1936 // 29.9.1938 | stricken 2.1960 | |
| Perth (ex-Amphion) | Portsmouth DYd, UK | 26.6.1933 | 27.7.1934 | 6.7.1936 // 25.7.1939 | sunk 1.3.1942 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
6830 - 7105 |
|
Displacement full, t |
8850 - 9150 (Hobart later 9420) |
|
Length, m |
159.1 pp 171.4 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
17.3 |
|
Draught, m |
5.64 - 5.79 deep load (later 5.97) |
|
No of shafts |
4 |
|
Machinery |
4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
72000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
32.5 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 1765 - 1837 (Hobart later 1553) |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 7000(14) |
| Armour, mm |
box protection to magazines: 89 - 25, belt: 76 on 25mm plating, bulkheads: 38, barbettes: 25, turrets: 25, deck: 51 - 25 |
|
Armament |
Sydney: 4 x 2 - 152/50 BL Mk XXIII, 4 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss Mk I, 3 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 õ 4 - 533 TT, 1 aircraft (Osprey, Seal, Shark, Seagull, Walrus), 1 catapult E-II-H Hobart: 4 x 2 - 152/50 BL Mk XXIII, 4 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss Mk I, 3 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 õ 4 - 533 TT, 1 aircraft (Seagull), 1 catapult E-II-H Perth: 4 x 2 - 152/50 BL Mk XXIII, 4 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss Mk I, 3 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 õ 4 - 533 TT |
|
Complement |
570 |
Project history: Last three cruisers of Leander class had modified design. Arrangement of machinery en echelon became their basic difference from a prototype. Because of some increased length of the armoured belt covering machinery, it was necessary to increase a hull beam for keeping stability.
Protection: Armoured belt protected machinery spaces (51mm armour on 25mm plating) and extended to upper deck abreast boiler rooms and fore engine room and to main deck abreast aft engine room. Machinery also was protected by 32mm armoured deck. Magazines were covered by 89mm longitudinal and 76mm transverse bulkheads and 51mm crowns. Steering gear was protected by 32mm deck with 38mm slopes.
Modernizations: 1939, all: - 4 x 1 - 47/40
mid-1941, Sydney: + some x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV (m. b.)
4/1940, Perth: + 1 catapult E-II-H with Seagull seaplane
2/1941, Perth: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII
7/1941, Perth: - 1 x 4 - 40/39; + 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 1 catapult E-II-H with 1 Seagull seaplane
10/1942, Hobart: - 3 x 4 - 12.7/62, 1 catapult with seaplane; + 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 5 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 1 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 272, type 279, type 282, type 283, type 284, type 285 radars
1/1945, Hobart: - 4 x 2 - 20/70, type 272, type 279, type 284 radars; + 3 x 2 - 40/56 Bofors Mk 1.2, 5 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk 1.2, 1 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 276, type 277, type 281B, SG-1, Mk 3 Mod 1 radars
6/1946, Hobart: - 1 x 2 - 152/50 ("X"); + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors Mk 1.2
Naval service: Sydney has received heavy damages (a torpedo and many hits of 150mm shells) in Indian ocean 19.11.1941 in battle with German raider Kormoran and have blown up some hours later and sunk with all crew (raider was lost too). Perth was damaged by bombs 30.5.1941 off Crete, repaired 3 months. She was sunk by Japanese cruisers Mogami and Mikuma and destroyers 1.3.1942 during battle in Sunda straight (3 torpedoes and many 203mm shells hits). Hobart was badly damaged by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I11 20.7.1943 near New Georgia (Pacific ocean) and has failed for 17 months. She was converted in TS in 1956. In this role she did not carry AA guns and TTs.
© Ivan Gogin, 2015