Emerald 1939
| Name | No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Emerald | D66 | Armstrong, Elswick / Chatham DYd | 23/9/1918 | 19/5/1920 | 1/1926 | sold for BU 6/1948 |
| Enterprise | D52 | John Brown, Clydebank / Devonport DYd | 28/6/1918 | 23/12/1919 | 4/1926 | stricken 1/1946, sold for BU 4/1946 |
| 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 |
Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, 8 Yarrow boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
80000 |
|
Max speed, kn |
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 HA, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss, 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom, 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 HA, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss, 2 x 1 - 40/39 pompom, 4 x 3 - 533 TT |
|
Complement |
450 |
Ship 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 largely and having twice more engine power than D type cruisers, Å type had all on one 152mm gun more, all gain of displacement has gone on achieving of superfluous 4kts of speed. Doubled machinery of Shakespeare class leaders was used for acceleration of designing and building, its result was 4-shaft scheme. For the first time in British practice these ships had en echelon the scheme of machinery arrangement.
Laid down shortly before the First World War termination, Emerald and Enterprise have not got nearly under post-war reduction of fleet, but after some doubts the Admiralty has decided them to complete, but they have become operational with the big delay. Even in completion Enterprise has received a 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 pompom
1941 - 1942, both: - 2 x 4 - 533 TT
10/1942, Enterprise: + 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon
4/1943, Emerald: - 1 x 1 - 152/45, 2 x 1 - 40/39, 4 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 2 x 4 - 40/39 pompom, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, type 273, 281, 2x 282, 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 pompom, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, type 272, 281, 2x 282, 284, 285 radars
2/1944, Enterprise: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 4 x 1 -20/70 Oerlikon
3/1944, Enterprise: + type 650 jammer; full displacement rose to 10220t
4/1944, Emerald: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon; full displacement rose to 10350t
Naval service: Emerald was sunk as target 24/10/1947 but later salvaged and BU.
Enterprise late 1930s
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-09