Devonshire 1944
London 1942
| Name | No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Devonshire | 39 - C39 | Devonport DYd | 16/3/1926 | 22/10/1927 | 18/3/1929 | TS 1947, sold for BU 6/1954 |
| London | 69 - C69 | Portsmouth DYd | 23/2/1926 | 14/9/1927 | 31/1/1929 | sold for BU 1/1950 |
| Shropshire (RAN 25/6/1943) | 83 | Beardmore, Dalmuir | 24/2/1927 | 5/7/1928 | 12/9/1929 | sold for BU 7/1954 |
| Sussex | 96 | Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn | 1/2/1927 | 22/2/1928 | 19/3/1929 | sold for BU 1/1950 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
9830 - 9850 (10575 - 11015 finally) |
|
Displacement full, t |
13315 (14280 - 14580 finally) |
|
Length, m |
181.4 pp 192.0 - 192.9 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
20.1 |
|
Draught, m |
6.32 deep load (6.78 - 6.91 finally) |
|
No of shafts |
4 |
|
Machinery |
Parsons geared steam turbines, 8 Admiralty 3-drum boilers |
|
Power, h. p. |
80000 |
|
Max speed, kn |
32.3 |
|
Fuel, t |
oil 3210 (later 3000 - 3043) |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | 12500(12) |
| Armour, mm |
box protection to magazines: 102 - 25, belt: 25, barbettes: 25, turrets: 25, deck: 38 - 25 |
|
Armament |
4 x 2 - 203/50 Mk VIII, 4 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V HA, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss, 4 x 1 - 40/39 pompom, 2 x 4 - 533 TT |
|
Complement |
700 |
Ship project history: Ships of the class were designed under 1925 program and repeated cruisers of Kent class but had more traditional hull form (without bulges) and a fwd superstructure moved towards a stern on 7.5 m for improvement of angles of horizontal aimimg of "B" turret.
London in 1939-1941 has passed the major modernization. She received narrow armored belt abreast machinery. Fwd superstructure was completely rebuilt, becoming similar on standing on King George V class battleships. Boiler uptakes were deduced now into 2 funnels. The longitudinal catapult and large hangar are fitted.
Protection: Magazines were protected by 111 (102mm armour on 9mm plating) - 25mm sides and 76 - 25mm platform deck. Machinery was protected by 25mm bulkheads and 32mm deck. Steering gear has 38 - 25mm horizontal protection.
Modernizations: 1931 - 1932, all: + 1 catapult E-II-H, 1 Fairey IIIF seaplane (replaced by Osprey 1934 and Walrus 1937)
1934, Shropshire: + 1 x 4 - 40/39 pompom
1935, Shropshire: - 1 x 1 - 40/39
1936 - 1937, Devonshire, Shropshire, Sussex: - 4 x 1 - 40/39; + 4 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62
1937, London: - 4 x 1 - 40/39; + 4 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V
1939, all: - 4 x 1 - 47/40
mid-1940, Sussex: + 2 x 20 - 178 UP AA rockets projectors
(Chatham DYd, 3/1939 - 4/1941), London: New 89mm belt 2.4m in height protected machinery spaces. Superstructures were reconstructed, ship had from now only two funnels. - 8 x 1 - 102/45, catapult E-II-H; + 4 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 2 x 8 - 40/39 pompom, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, 1 catapult D-I-H with 2 Walrus seaplanes, type 279, 284, 285 radars. Displacement rose to 11015/14578t.
5/1941, Devonshire: + 2 x 8 - 40/39 pompom, type 281 radar
6/1941, Shropshire: + 2 x 8 - 40/39 pompom
9/1941, Devonshire: + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon
1/1942, London: - 4 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 8 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, type 273 radar
2/1942, Devonshire: + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, type 293 radar
2/1942, Shropshire: - 8 x 1 - 102/45; + 4 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 7 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, type 273, 281, 282, 285 radars
8/1942, Sussex: - 8 x 1 - 102/45, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 x 20 - 178 UP; + 4 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 2 x 8 - 40/39 pompom, 10 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, type 273, 281, 282, 285 radars
late 1942, Devonshire: - 8 x 1 - 102/45; + 4 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI
late 1942, Shropshire: + 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon
5/1943, London: - catapult with seaplanes; + 7 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon
mid-1943, Devonshire: - 6 x 1 - 20/70, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 2 x 8 - 40/39 pompom, 12 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon
6/1943, Shropshire: - 4 x 1 - 20/70, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, catapult with seaplanes; + 7 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon
12/1943, Sussex: - catapult and seaplanes; + 11 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon
2/1944, London: - 3 x 1 - 20/70; + 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon
3/1944, Devonshire: - 1 x 2 - 203/50 ("X"), 1 x 2 - 20/70, catapult with seaplanes, type 281 radar; + 2 x 8 - 40/39 pompom, 8 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, type 281B, 282, 283, 285 radars
3/1945, Sussex: - 1 x 2 - 203/50 ("X"), 15 x 1 - 20/70, type 281 radar; + 4 x 8 - 40/39 pompom, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon, type 273, 281B, 283, 293 radars
6/1945, London: - 8 x 1 - 20/70; + 4 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon
late 1945, Shropshire: - 7 x 2 - 20/70, 6 x 1 - 20/70; + 7 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors, type 277 radar
late 1945, London: - 8 x 2 - 20/70, 4 x 1 -20/70
4/1947, Devonshire as TS: New armament consisted of 1 x 2 - 203/50 Mk VIII ("B" position), 2 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 1 x 4 - 40/39 pompom, 1 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors, 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss. Only 4 boilers were operable, maximal speed felt to 21kts. New classification was "Oceangoing training cruiser".
Naval service: Sussex was sunk 18/9/1940 in dock of Clyde after 250kg bomb hit; she was salvaged and repaired for 21 month (recommissioned in June 1942). Devonshire served as TS 1947 - 1953.
Sussex 1929
London 1949
© Ivan Gogin, 2008-09