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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY - UNITED KINGDOM

CRUISERS

LEANDER light cruisers (1933-1935)

Ajax 1939

Ajax 1943

Ajax 1943

Achilles 1945

 

Displacement standard, t	6985 - 7270
Displacement full, t	9000 - 9280 (later 9460 - 9740)
Length, m	159.1 pp 169.0 oa
Breadth, m	17.0 Leander: 16.8
Draught, m	5.79 - 5.99 deep load (later 6.07 - 6.22)
No of shafts	4
Machinery	4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 6 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Power, h. p.	72000
Max speed, kn	32.5
Fuel, t	oil 1680 - 1785
Endurance, nm(kts)	10300(14)
Armour, mm	box protection to magazines: 89 - 25, belt: 76 on 25mm plating, bulkheads: 38, barbettes: 25, turrets: 25, deck: 51 - 25
Armament	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 х 4 - 533 TT, 2 (later 1) aircraft (Fairey III, Osprey, Seal), 1 catapult D-I-L Leander: 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 х 4 - 533 TT, 2 (later 1) aircraft (Fairey III, Osprey, Seal), 1 catapult E-II-H
Complement	570

Project history: First British cruisers designed under terms of London conference of 1930, according to which Britain had the right to build till 1936 some cruisers of a 'B' category (no more than 10000t displacement , no more than 155mm main guns calibre) with the 91000t common displacement. It was supposed to build 14 6500t ships designed on a basis of Exeter with similar protection but with 8 152mm guns and less powerful machinery. The latter, together with some re-planning of boiler rooms, has allowed to deduce boiler uptakes to single funnel.

As well as on Kent class, basic thrust became not on achievement of a high speed or heavy armament, but on seaworthiness and endurance. Unlike cruisers with 203mm guns they not were so rigidly limited by limitations as a result their displacement significantly (almost on 1000t) exceeded the planned. It has compelled Admiralty to shrink number of ships of class to 8 (taking into account three "improved" ships of Amphion class).

Protection: Armoured belt protected machinery spaces (51mm armour on 25mm plating) and extended to upper deck abreast boiler rooms and to main deck abreast engine rooms. 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: 1936 - 1938, all but Achilles: - 4 x 1 - 102/45; + 4 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI

3/1936, Achilles: - 1 catapult D-I-L with Osprey seaplane; + 1 catapult E-II-H with 1 Walrus seaplane

1939, all: - 4 x 1 - 47/40

6/1940, Ajax: - 1 catapult D-I-L with Osprey seaplane; + 1 catapult E-II-H with Walrus seaplane, type 279 radar

2/1941, Orion: + type 286M radar

5/1941, Neptune: + 3 x 1 - 40/39 QF Mk II, 3 x 4 - 12.7/62, type 281, type 284, type 285 radars

5/1941, Ajax: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII

6/1941, Leander: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII

8/1941, Orion: - 1 catapult with seaplane

late 1941, Leander: - 3 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 5 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 1 catapult E-II-H with 1 Walrus seaplane

early 1942, Ajax: + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

2/1942, Orion: - 3 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 7 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

4/1942, Orion: - type 286M radar; + type 273, type 279, type 284, type 285 radars

1942, Achilles: - 4 x 1 - 102/45, 3 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 7 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

mid-1942, Leander: + type 284, type 291 radars

9/1942, Ajax: - 3 x 4 - 12.7/62, type 279 radar; + 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 272, type 281, type 283, type 284, type 285 radars

10/1942, Orion: + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

early 1943, Leander: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 273 radar

8/1943, Ajax: - 2 x 4 - 40/39, 4 x 1 - 20/70, type 284 radar; + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors Mk 1.2, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 282, Mk 4 radar

10/1943, Orion: - 2 x 4 - 40/39, 4 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors Mk 1.2, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

5/1944, Achilles: - 1 x 2 - 152/50 ("X"), 3 x 1 - 20/70, 1 catapult with seaplane; + 4 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 4 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 7 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 277, type 281B, 4x type 282, 2x type 285, type 293 radars

1944, Ajax: + 1 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

4/1945, Achilles: - 2 x 2 - 20/70; + 4 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk III, 1 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

mid-1945, Orion: + type 283 radar

8/1945, Leander: - 1 x 2 - 152/50 ("X"), 5 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors Mk 1.2, 3 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2x type 285 radars

9.1946, Achilles: 3 x 2 - 152/50 Mk XXI, 4 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 4 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 5 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 5 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 х 4 - 533 TT, type 277, type 281B, 4x type 282, 2x type 285, type 293 radars

1.1946, Ajax: 4 x 2 - 152/50 Mk XXI, 4 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 2 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 5 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 5 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 х 4 - 533 TT, type 272, type 281, type 282, type 283, type 285, Mk 4 radars

1.1946, Leander: 3 x 2 - 152/50 Mk XXI, 4 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 2 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 2 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 3 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 х 4 - 533 TT, type 273, type 284, 2x type 285, type 291 radars

1.1946, Orion: 4 x 2 - 152/50 Mk XXI, 4 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 2 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 5 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 х 4 - 533 TT, type 273, type 279, type 283, type 284, type 285 radars

Naval service: Achilles and Ajax were damaged 13.12.1939 in battle with German heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee, repair lasted 2 and 6 months respectively. Achilles was damaged by Japanese bomb at Guadalcanal 5.1.1943 and has failed almost on one and half year. Ajax was damaged 1.1.1943 by the 500kg bomb off Cape Bon (Mediterranean sea) and has failed for a year. Leander was damaged by Japanese 610mm torpedo 13.7.1943 in battle at Kolombangara (Solomon Islands) and was under repair till the end of war. Orion was damaged 29.5.1941 by German aircraft off Crete (2 bomb hits) and has failed for 9 months. Neptune was lost after being stricken by three or four Italian mines off Tripoli 19.12.1941.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.

Ajax 1935

© Ivan Gogin, 2008-15