Emerald 1939
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Enterprise | 52, D52 | 484 | John Brown, Clydebank / Devonport DYd | 28.6.1918 | 23.12.1919 | 4.1926 | stricken 1.1946, sold for BU 4.1946 |
| Emerald | 66, D66 | 956 | Armstrong, Elswick / Chatham DYd | 23.9.1918 | 19.5.1920 | 1.1926 | sold for BU 6.1948 |
| Euphrates | Fairfield, Govan | 1918 | --- | --- | cancelled 26.11.1918 |
|
Displacement light, t |
7300 |
|
Displacement full, t |
9450 |
|
Length, m |
173.7 |
|
Breadth, m |
16.6 |
|
Draught, m |
5.60 |
|
No of shafts |
4 |
|
Machinery |
4 sets Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, 8 Yarrow boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
80000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
33 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 1600 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 8000(15) |
| Armour, mm |
belt: 76 - 38, deck: 25 - 13, CT: 76, gun shields: 25 |
|
Armament |
Emerald: 7 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 3 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II, 4 x 3 - 533 TT Enterprise: 1 x 2 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 5 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 3 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II, 4 x 3 - 533 TT |
|
Complement |
450 |
Project history: The British answer on fast German cruisers-minelayers of Bremse class. The armament and endurance were victims of speed. Being in one and a half time more large and having twice more engine power than D type cruisers, Å type had only one 152mm gun more, all additional displacement was spent on achieving of extra 4kts of speed. Doubled machinery of Shakespeare class leaders was used for boost of designing and building, as result there was 4-shaft scheme. For the first time in British practice these ships had machinery arranged en echelon.
Laid down shortly before the Armisticce, Emerald and Enterprise have not got nearly under post-war navy reduction, but after some doubts the Admiralty has decided them to complete, but they have become operational with the long delay. Even during outfitting Enterprise received an experimental twin turret instead of two fwd single 152mm guns. It was a prototype of turrets of Leander, Perth and Arethusa classes.
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 57mm (38mm armour on 19mm 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. There was an additional 25mm lower deck over engine spaces. Magazines had additional 13mm box-shaped protection.
Modernizations: 1929, both: - 4 x 3 - 533 TT; + 4 x 4 - 533 TT
1934, Emerald: + 1 catapult S-II-L with 1 seaplane
1936, Enterprise: + 1 catapult S-III-L with 1 seaplane
1939, Emerald: + 4 x 4 - 12.7/62
3/1941, Enterprise: - 2 x 1 - 152/45; + 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII
1941 - 1942, both: - 2 x 4 - 533 TT
10/1942, Enterprise: + 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV
4/1943, Emerald: - 1 x 1 - 152/45, 2 x 1 - 40/39, 4 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 273, type 281, 2x type 282, type 285 radars
10/1943, Enterprise: - 2 x 1 - 40/39, 4 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 272, type 281, 2x type 282, type 284, type 285 radars
2/1944, Enterprise: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 4 x 1 -20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV
3/1944, Enterprise: + type 650 jammer; full displacement rose to 10220t
4/1944, Emerald: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV; full displacement was 10350t
1/1946, Enterprise: 1 x 2 - 152/45 Mk XVII, 5 x 1 - 152/45 CP Mk XIV, 3 x 1 - 102/45 HA Mk III, 2 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, type 272, type 281, 2x type 282, type 284, type 285 radars
1.1946, Emerald: 6 x 1 - 152/45 CP Mk XIV, 3 x 1 - 102/45 HA Mk III, 2 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 6 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, type 273, type 281, 2x type 282, type 285 radars
Naval service: Emerald was sunk as target 24.10.1947 but later salvaged and BU.
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
Enterprise late 1930s
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-15