Castor 1915
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Castor | C4, 33, 20 | 812 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | 28.10.1914 | 28.7.1915 | 11/1915 | sold for BU 7.1936 |
| Constance | C5, 49, 90 | 813 | Cammell Laird, Birkenhead | 25.1.1915 | 12.9.1915 | 1/1916 | sold for BU 1.1936 |
| Canterbury | 0A, 27, 59 | 435 | John Brown, Clydebank | 14.10.1914 | 21.12.1915 | 5/1916 | sold for BU 7.1934 |
| Cambrian | A3, 25, 30 | 255 | Pembroke DYd | 8.12.1914 | 3.3.1916 | 5/1916 | sold for BU 7.1934 |
|
Displacement normal, t |
4320 |
|
Displacement full, t |
4799 |
|
Length, m |
135.9 |
|
Breadth, m |
12.6 |
|
Draught, m |
4.50 |
|
No of shafts |
4 |
|
Machinery |
4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 6 Yarrow boilers Canterbury: 4 sets Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, 6 Yarrow boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
40000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
28.5 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 841 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 5900(10) |
| Armour, mm |
belt: 76 - 38, deck: 25, CT: 152, gun shields: 102 |
|
Armament |
Castor, Constance, Canterbury: 2 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 8 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 1 x 1 - 76/23 13pdr 6cwt QF Mk V, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 - 533 TT (beam) Cambrian: 3 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 6 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 1 x 1 - 76/23 13pdr 6cwt QF Mk V, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 - 533 TT (beam) |
|
Complement |
368 |
Project history: The light cruisers ordered under the 1914-15 Programme were repeats of the Calliope, with the same layout. Only the Cambrian, last to be completed, incorporated the improved layout of the earlier class: 1 152mm gun in place of the sided 2 102mm on the forecastle. The other three were brought up to the same standard in 1916-17, and among other improvements a tripod with light director replaced the pole foremast.
Protection: Armoured belt protected ship at full length, its thickness was 76mm abreast machinery spaces (51mm armour on 25mm plating), 51mm (38mm armour on 13mm plating) aft and 38mm (25mm armour on 13mm plating) fore. Belt was closed by aft 25mm bulkhead near stern. It extended to main deck (and to upper deck abreast machinery). Machinery and steering gear were covered by 25mm deck.
Modernizations: 1916 - 1917, Canterbury, Castor, Constance: - 2 x 1 - 102/45; + 1 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII
1917 - 1918, Cambrian: - 6 x 1 - 102/45, 1 x 1 - 76/23; + 1 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 1 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II
1917 - 1918, Canterbury: - 6 x 1 - 102/45, 1 x 1 - 76/23; + 1 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 2 x 1 - 76/45 20cwt QF Mk I, 4 x 2 - 533 TT
1917 - 1918, Castor, Constance: - 6 x 1 - 102/45, 1 x 1 - 76/23; + 1 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 2 x 1 - 76/45 20cwt QF Mk I
1920s, Castor: + 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II
1920s, Cambrian: - 1 x 1 - 102/45; + 2 x 1 - 76/45 20cwt QF Mk I
1920s, Canterbury: - 4 x 2 - 533 TT
Naval service: Castor was damaged at Jutland.
Castor mid-1920s
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
© Ivan Gogin, 2014