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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
UNITED KINGDOM
CRUISERS
DIDO light AA cruisers (11, 1940 - 1942)


Photo



Sirius 1947

Ships


Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate Modification
Dido 37, 1948- C37 1033 Cammell Laird, Birkenhead 20.10.1937 18.7.1939 30.9.1940 sold for BU 7.1957 1st group
Argonaut 61, 1948- C61 1047 Cammell Laird, Birkenhead 21.11.1939 6.9.1941 8.8.1942 sold for BU 11.1955 1st group
Bonaventure 31 575 Scotts, Greenock 30.8.1937 19.4.1939 24.5.1940 sunk 31.3.1941 1st group
Cleopatra 33, 1948- C33 621 Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn 5.1.1939 27.3.1940 5.12.1941 stricken 2.1953 1st group
Euryalus 42, 1948- C42   Chatham DYd 21.10.1937 6.6.1939 30.6.1941 stricken 9.1954 1st group
Hermione 74 560 A. Stephens, Linthouse 6.10.1937 18.5.1939 25.3.1941 sunk 16.6.1942 1st group
Naiad 93 613 Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn 26.8.1937 3.2.1939 24.7.1940 sunk 11.3.1942 1st group
Phoebe 43, 1948- C43 666 Fairfield, Govan 2.9.1937 25.3.1939 30.9.1940 sold for BU 8.1956 1st group
Sirius 82, 1948- C82   Portsmouth DYd 6.4.1938 18.9.1940 6.5.1942 stricken 1949 1st group
Charybdis 88 1041 Cammell Laird, Birkenhead 9.11.1938 17.9.1940 3.12.1941 sunk 23.10.1943 2nd group
Scylla 98 580 Scotts, Greenock 19.4.1939 24.7.1940 12.6.1942 badly damaged 23.6.1944, never repaired, sold for BU 1950 2nd group


Technical data


Max speed, kts, kn

32.2

Displacement standard, t

5600

Displacement full, t

6850 (later 7210 - 7515)

Charybdis, Scylla: 6975

Length, m

147.8 pp 156.1 oa

Breadth, m

15.4

Draught, m

5.11 deep load (later 5.33 - 5.54)

Charybdis, Scylla: 5.18

No of shafts

4

Machinery

4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 4 Admiralty 3-drum boilers

Power, h. p.

62000

Fuel, t

oil 1042 - 1100

Endurance, nm(kts)5560(15)
Armour, mm

belt: 76, bulkheads: 25, turrets: up to 13, deck: 51 - 25

Armament

Bonaventure, Dido, Phoebe: 4 x 2 - 133/50 QF Mk I, 1 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 x 3 - 533 TT

Naiad, Euryalus, Hermione: 5 x 2 - 133/50 QF Mk I, 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62, 2 x 3 - 533 TT

Sirius: 5 x 2 - 133/50 QF Mk I, 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 5 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 3 - 533 TT

Cleopatra: 5 x 2 - 133/50 QF Mk I, 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 2 x 3 - 533 TT

Argonaut: 5 x 2 - 133/50 QF Mk I, 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 3 - 533 TT

Charybdis: 4 x 2 - 114/45 QF Mk III, 1 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 3 - 533 TT

Scylla: 4 x 2 - 114/45 QF Mk III, 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 8 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 3 - 533 TT

Electronic equipment

Bonaventure, Naiad, Phoebe: type 279 radar

Dido: type 279, type 281 radars

Euryalus: type 279, type 284 radars

Hermione: type 281, type 284, type 285 radars

Sirius, Argonaut: type 272, type 281, type 284, type 285 radars

Cleopatra, Charybdis, Scylla: type 281, type 285 radars

Complement

480 - 530



Standard scale images


<i>Scylla</i> 1942
Scylla 1942
<i>Dido</i> 1945
Dido 1945


Graphics


<i>Sirius</i> 1947
Sirius 1947


Project history

Dido class cruisers have been intended for service with squadrons as AA cruisers for escort of new battleships of King George V class and aircraft carriers of Illustrious class. The design was based on a basis of earlier cruisers of Arethusa class with new armament consisting of ten 133mm guns in five dual-purpose mounts (3 fwd and 2 aft), unified with the same on King George V class, and two quadruple pom-poms. Cruisers were not intended for independent operations on enemy sea communications (Arethusa was put also this task) and a fuel stock in comparison with a prototype was decreased. The design has appeared successful, and under 1936, 1937 and 1938 Estimates 10 ships have been ordered. 6 more ships (including 5 under revised design) were ordered under the War Emergency program. Production of twin 133mm mounts lagged behind from hulls building, and part of cruisers were completed with 8 such guns (Dido, Bonaventure and Phoebe) or with 4 twin 114mm mounts (Charybdis and Scylla). Fwd superstructure of latter pair had increased because of non-standard artillery: 114mm mounts demanded additional shifting room. Usage of heavy unitary 114mm cartridge did service of artillerymen on Charybdis and Scylla especially hard.

Protection

Armoured belt protected machinery spaces and extended up to upper deck level abreast boiler rooms and fore engine room and to main deck level abreast aft engine room. Magazines had 76mm sides. Armoured deck was 25mm thick over machinery and steering gear and 51mm over magazines.

Modernizations 9.

1941, Naiad, Euryalus; 11.1941, Hermione: - 2 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 5 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

9/1941, Dido: - 1 x 1 - 102/45; + 1 x 2 - 133/50 QF Mk I

12/1941, Dido: - 2 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 5 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

4/1942, Phoebe: - 1 x 1 - 102/45, 2 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 3 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 11 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 281, type 284, type 285 radars

mid-1942, Cleopatra: - 2 x 1 - 40/39; + 5 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 272 radar

9/1942, Euryalus: + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

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

1943, Charybdis: - 1 x 1 - 102/45, 2 x 1 - 40/39; + 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 272 radar

4/1943, Euryalus: - 2 x 1 - 20/70, type 279 radar; + 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 272, type 281, type 282, type 285 radars

5/1943, Dido: - 3 x 1 - 20/70; + 4 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 272, type 282, type 284, type 285 radars

5/1943, Sirius: + 2 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

7/1943, Phoebe: - 3 x 4 - 40/39, 7 x 1 - 20/70; + 3 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors Mk 1.2, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 272 radar

2/1943, Argonaut: - 4 x 1 - 20/70; + 7 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 277, type 282, type 293 radars

early 1944, Scylla: + 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

2/1944, Sirius: - 1 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III

7/1944, Euryalus: - 1 x 2 - 133/50 ("Q"), type 272 radar; + 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV; + type 277, type 293 radars

11/1944, Cleopatra: - 1 x 2 - 133/50 ("Q"), 2 x 4 - 40/39, 5 x 1 - 20/70, type 272, type 281 radars; + 3 x 4 - 40/56 Bofors Mk 1.2, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 277, type 281B, type 293 radars

late 1944, Argonaut: - type 272, type 281 radars + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 277, type 281B, type 293 radars

4/1945, Sirius: - 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III

8/1945, Argonaut: - 1 x 2 - 133/50 ("Q"), 7 x 2 - 20/70; + 7 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk III, 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII

1/1946, Argonaut: 4 x 2 - 133/50 Mk II, 7 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 3 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 6 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 272, type 277, type 281, type 282, type 284, type 285, type 293 radars

1.1946, Cleopatra: 4 x 2 - 133/50 Mk II, 3 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 1 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 277, type 281B, type 285, type 293 radars

1.1946, Dido: 5 x 2 - 133/50 Mk II, 2 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 4 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 2 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 272, type 279, type 281, type 282, type 284, type 285 radars

1.1946, Euryalus: 4 x 2 - 133/50 Mk II, 3 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 5 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 277, type 281, type 282, type 284, type 285, type 293 radars

1.1946, Phoebe: 4 x 2 - 133/50 Mk II, 3 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 2 x 4 - 40/39 VII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 272, type 279, type 281, type 284, type 285 radars

1.1946, Sirius: 5 x 2 - 133/50 Mk II, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 2 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 272, type 281, type 284, type 285 radars

Naval service

Bonaventure was sunk by two torpedoes from Italian submarine Ambra 31.3.1941 SW of Crete. Argonaut was damaged by two torpedoes 14.2.1943 and repaired till December, 1943. Naiad was sunk by a torpedo of German submarine U565 off Egyptian coast 11.3.1942. Hermione was sunk by a torpedo from German submarine U205 15.6.1942 SE of Crete. Charybdis was sunk by two torpedoes from german torpedo boats Т23 and Т27 in La Manche 23.10.1943. Scylla was badly damaged by a ground mine 23.6.1944 and never repaired. Phoebe was repaired till April, 1942 after being damaged by an aircraft torpedo 27.8.1941, she was again damaged by submarine torpedo 23.10.1942 and repaired till July, 1943. Cleopatra was damaged by torpedo from Italian submarine Dandolo 16.7.1943 and repaired till March, 1945. Sirius was damaged by German aircraft (bomb) 7.10.1943 and repaired till February, 1944. Dido was badly damaged by German air bombs 29.5.1941 and repaired till the end of a year. 

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