NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Dorsetshire	40		Portsmouth DYd	21.9.1927	29.1.1929	30.9.1930	sunk 5.4.1942
Norfolk	78, 1948- C78	628	Fairfield, Govan	8.7.1927	12.12.1928	30.4.1930	sold for BU 1.1950

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	9925 - 9975 (Norfolk finally about 10900)
Displacement full, t	13425 (Norfolk finally 14600)
Length, m	181.4 pp 192.9 - 193.7 oa
Breadth, m	20.1
Draught, m	6.37 deep load (Norfolk finally 6.91)
No of shafts	4
Machinery	4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 8 Admiralty 3-drum boilers
Power, h. p.	80000
Max speed, kts	32.3
Fuel, t	oil 3210 (later 3005)
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 BL Mk VIII, 4 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 4 x 1 - 47/40 Hotchkiss Mk I, 4 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II, 2 x 4 - 533 TT
Complement	710

Standard scale images

Project history

Ships of 1926 Programme repeated cruisers of London class but had new Mk II turrets.

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 had 38 - 25mm horizontal protection.

Modernizations

1931, both: + 1 Flycatcher seaplane (plane launched from water)

1932, both: + 1 catapult S-II-L (Flycatcher was replaced by Osprey 1934)

1933, both: + 2 x 4 - 12.7/62

1937, both: - 4 x 1 - 102/45, 4 x 1 - 40/39, 1 catapult with seaplane; + 4 x 2 - 102/45 QF Mk XVI, 2 x 8 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 1 catapult E-IV-H with 1 Walrus seaplane

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

6/1940, Norfolk: + 2 x 20 - 178 UP AA rockets projectors, type 286M radar

9/1941, Norfolk: - 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 x 20 - 178 UP; + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 273, type 281, type 284, type 285 radars

early 1942, Dorsetshire: + 9 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

10/1942, Norfolk: + 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

5/1943, Norfolk: - catapult with seaplane; + 3 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

11/1944, Norfolk: - 1 x 2 - 203/50 ("X"), 2 x 8 - 40/39, 2 x 1 - 20/70, type 273, type 281, type 284, type 286M radars; + 6 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 11 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 274, type 277, type 282, type 283, type 293 radars; displacement was 10900/14600t

9/1945, Norfolk: - 10 x 1 - 20/70; + 10 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III

1/1946, Norfolk: 3 x 2 - 203/50 Mk II, 4 x 2 - 102/45 Mk XIX, 10 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 6 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 11 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, type 274, type 277, type 282, type 283, type 285, type 293 radars

Naval service

Dorsetshire was sunk by Japanese carrier aircraft (D3A1 diving bombers from Akagi, Hiryu and Soryu) 5.4.1942 (she received up to 10 bombing hits in 8 minutes). Norfolk participated in battle with German battlecruiser Scharnhorst 26.12.1943, received 2 hits of 283mm shells, repair lasted 10 months.

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