County class cruiser
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 HMS Devonshire |
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| County class |  |
|---|---|
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | Around 10,000 tons standard 13,300 tons to 13,700 tons full |
| Length: | 630 ft (192 m) |
| Beam: | Kent class 68 ft (20.7 m) London and Norfolk classes 66 ft (20.1 m) |
| Draught: | 16.4 ft (5.0 m) |
| Propulsion: | Parsons or Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, 4 shafts, 8 boilers, 80,000 shp (60 MN) |
| Speed: | 32.5 knots (60.2 km/h) |
| Range: | |
| Protection: | sides: 76 mm decks: 50 mm turrets: 50 mm |
| Complement: | 657 |
| Armament: | Original configuration: 8 × 8 in (203 mm) guns 4 × 4 in (102 mm) guns 8 × 2 pounder (40 mm) guns (Twelve in London class, sixteen in Norfolk class 8 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes |
| Aircraft: | Supermarine Walrus (number varied by ship) (Removed during World War II) |
The County class were the first and last heavy cruisers of the Royal Navy. The ships were large, at 630ft (192m), though they had no side armour when built. The County class were built in three sub-classes, that became known as the Kent, London and Norfolk classes. They were built to the constraints of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922.
The design included a requirement for effective air defence, which led to problems in the main battery as the 8 inch guns were given 70° elevation, despite an initial lack of any form of fire control in the anti-aircaft role. Another requirement, for high cruising speed, led to large boiler capacity, high freeboard and a flush main deck, for 32 knots in a high sea. The vessels had a good cruising range.
Seventeen ships were planned, but the final two, Northumberland and Surrey were cancelled as the 10,000 ton, 8 inch cruiser fell out of favour with the Royal Navy due to rising costs.
Contents |
[edit] Sub-classes
[edit] Kent class
There were seven ships of the Kent class built for the Royal Navy (HMS Berwick, Cornwall, Cumberland, Dorsetshire, Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk) and two ships, HMAS Australia and Canberra, built for the Royal Australian Navy. All ships were commissioned in 1928. The Kents were heavily armed, having eight 8-inch (203mm) guns in four twin-turrets. Their secondary armament consisted of four 4 inch (102 mm) single guns and also had eight 2-pounder "pom-poms" for anti-aircraft defence.
The British Kents were reconstructed in the 1930s, with increases in armour and the number of 2 pounder guns increased from eight to sixteen in two octuple mounts. Their eight 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes were also removed, except for HMS Kent who retained them. Their secondary armament was increased with the addition of two twin 4 inch (102 mm) guns. One twin 8 inch (203 mm) turret was removed in 1941. Their aircraft hangar, which had been added before the war was removed during World War II.
[edit] London class
The second sub-class, the London class, also known as the Devonshire class, consisted of four ships (HMS Devonshire, London, Shropshire and Sussex) and were modified from the Kents. The Londons were virtually identical to the Kents, but differed in that their superstructure was altered slightly and internal bulges were added to give protection from torpedoes. Additionally the number of 2 pounder guns was increased from eight to twelve.
In the 1930s, the Londons underwent similar alterations as the Kents did, having their eight 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes removed, and one twin 8 inch (203 mm) turret removed, although London retained it. One ship, Shropshire, was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy in 1943 to replace Canberra. London was completely rebuilt just before, and during, World War II, giving her the appearance of a Crown Colony-class cruiser.
[edit] Norfolk class
The third sub-class, the Norfolk class, also known as the Dorsetshire class consisted of the two ships Norfolk and Dorsetshire. There would have been four ships but Northumberland and Surrey were cancelled. They were again similar to their predecessors, having only very slight differences, such as carrying the new lighter MkII turret for their 8 inch guns, small differences to the superstructure, and an increase in the number of 2 pounder guns from eight to sixteen. Like the previous two sub-classes, the Norfolks underwent a number of alterations in the 1930s, having their four 4 inch (102 mm) single guns replaced by twin-turrets. Their 2 pounder pom-pom armament was increased to twenty-four barrels during World War II.
[edit] Comparison of classes
As built or planned - not taking into account wartime modifications
| Class | Number built/planned | Built | Length | Beam | Displacement | Main armament | Anti-aircraft armament | Torpedo tubes |
| Kent | 7 of 7 | 1928 | 630 ft | 68 ft | 9,750+ t | 8 × 8 inch | 4 × 4 inch 8 × 2 pdr 8 × 0.5 inch MG |
16 |
| London | 4 of 4 | 1929 | 630 ft | 66 ft | 9850 t | 8 × 8 inch | 4 × 4 inch 8 × 2 pdr (except HMS London: 16) (HMS London: 8 × 0.5 inch MG) |
8 |
| Norfolk | 2 of 4 | 1930 | 630 ft | 66 ft | 9,925 t | 8 × 8 inch | 8 × 4 inch 16 × 2 pdr 8 × 0.5 inch MG |
8 |
| York | 2 of 5 | 1930/31 | 575 ft | 58 ft | 8,250 t | 6 × 8 inch | 4 × 4 inch 2 × 2 pdr |
6 |
[edit] World War II
The County class saw much service during the Second World War. HMS Norfolk and Suffolk were equipped with radar which was used to good advantage when they shadowed the Bismarck during the RN's attempts to hunt her down after the sinking of HMS Hood.
The class saw service in nearly every theatre of the war. A number of losses were suffered by the class, with Canberra, Cornwall and Dorsetshire all being destroyed.
The survivors were all decommissioned by the 1950s, except Cumberland which was an armaments trials ship testing the automatic 6 inch and 3 inch guns that would be fitted to the Tiger class. She was scrapped in 1959.
| County-class cruiser |
| Royal Navy |
| Kent class - Berwick | Cumberland | Cornwall | Kent | Suffolk |
| London class - Devonshire | London | Shropshire | Sussex |
| Dorsetshire class - Dorsetshire | Norfolk |
| Royal Australian Navy |
| Kent class - Australia | Canberra |
| London class - Shropshire (transferred) |
List of cruiser classes of the Royal Navy List of major warship classes of the Royal Australian Navy |
