HMS Gotland (cruiser)

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HMS Gotland
Flag Swedish Navy Ensign
Type Initially seaplane cruiser, converted to anti-aircraft cruiser
Class Gotland class cruiser (the only of her class)
Laid down 1930
Launched 14 September 1933
Commissioned 14 December 1934
Decommissioned 1956
Stricken 1960
Sold 1962
Status Scrapped in 1963
Displacement 4,600 t
Length 134.8 m
Beam 15.4 m
Draft 4.5 m
Crew 467 (ship) + 60 (aircraft)
Armament
  • Main battery: Six 152 mm in two twin turrets and two single turrets
  • AA: four 75 mm, four 25 mm; eight 40 mm added in 1944
  • Six 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • Mines
Propulsion and power Two shafts, steam turbines, four boilers
Speed 27.5 knots
Aircraft (before conversion) Six Hawker Osprey (had capacity for eight)

HMS Gotland was a seaplane cruiser of the Swedish Navy built by Götaverken.

During World War II Gotland sighted the German Battleship Bismarck in the Baltic sea, which led to its detection.

It was originally planned to be a conventional aircraft carrier with a flight deck, but the plans changed and it became a seaplane cruiser with one catapult.

Its aircraft complement consisted of six Hawker Osprey seaplanes. It had capacity for eight and attempts were made to purchase two more, unsuccessfully since they weren't manufactured anymore.

HMS Gotland was converted in 1944 to an anti-aircraft cruiser due to a lack of modern seaplanes.

After World War II it served as a training ship until it was decommissioned in 1956, stricken in 1960, sold in 1962 and finally scrapped in 1963.

S 9, Hawker Osprey, Ready for start on HSwMS Gotland
S 9, Hawker Osprey, Ready for start on HSwMS Gotland

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