The bell of the naval agreement in Washington blasted through Britain as well. More precisely, according to the budget of the "Lady of the Seas", and blasted no worse than the armor-piercing shells of German battleships and cruisers in the Battle of Jutland.
Having agreed with the rest of the participants, Britain began to build its own heavy cruisers, and … it became clear that this was a very expensive business. The Hawkins turned out to be ships, how to put it mildly, a little awkward, so the Admiralty quickly got rid of them and began the history of the ships of the "County" type.
In general, these were three subtypes of ships, but the differences in the projects were so minimal that it could be considered almost wholesale. And it turned out that all 13 heavy cruisers (type "Kent" - 7, type "London" - 4, type "Dorsetshire" - 2), although they were built, cost such an amount that it became clear: for protection and protection the trade communications of the colonies and the metropolis need something cheaper. Otherwise, the game will not be worth the candle.
So there were two "light-heavy" cruisers of the "York" class, and then the British at a shock socialist pace began to build a flotilla of light cruisers. In what, I must say, unlike the Germans, they were very successful, and at the beginning of World War II, Britain had 15 heavy and 49 light cruisers.
Solid, right? In general, the concept of the British fleet included 20 heavy and 70 light cruisers. This is just for information.
We return to our heroes. "County" became a direct continuation of the "Hawkins" family, their tasks were approximately the same: search and capture of enemy cruisers and enlighten them with the help of the main battery. And for auxiliary cruisers and other little things, there was an auxiliary caliber.
Naturally, raiding was not forbidden to British ships.
If we compare the "County" with contemporaries, then you can see that in terms of speed, armor and air defense, these were not the best ships. But just a huge cruising range, powerful artillery weapons and excellent living conditions for the crews made these ships the best in their class precisely for solving the tasks that were originally announced.
And if you do not pay attention to the rather old-fashioned look, which turned out thanks to three tall and thin chimneys and a very high side, then, in fact, the ships turned out to be what you need. Even beautiful.
And when it became clear that the seaworthiness is also quite, it is not surprising that the bulk of the service of these ships took place in northern and polar waters, accompanied by Arctic convoys.
But at the time of the beginning of construction, being in some confusion from what had been done (all these naval agreements and treaties), the British suddenly felt themselves defenseless against a possible threat to their transport communications.
And after the commander of "Raleigh" ditched the heavy cruiser entrusted to him on the rocks, the number of sane heavy cruisers of the "Hawkins" class was reduced to four. And the light cruisers left over from the First World War clearly did not meet modern requirements in terms of range and speed.
And the British rushed to build the Washington cruisers.
Naturally, these were supposed to be ships with a displacement of 10,000 tons, armed with 203 mm main caliber guns, 102 mm anti-aircraft guns and 40 mm Vickers automatic cannons ("pom-pom").
Most of the debate was caused by the question of the number of guns in the turrets of the main battery. One, two or three? Single-gun turrets took up too much space, which made it difficult to place enough guns on ships, and it was difficult to use them all at once. This was well demonstrated by the operation of the Hawkins. The three-gun turrets had not yet been completed constructively, therefore, the placement of the main caliber in the two-gun turrets became the golden mean.
Thus, each cruiser had to carry eight 203 mm guns in four turrets. In total, four projects were proposed for the judgment of the Admiralty Commission, which differed from each other only in booking. There were boules, designed to protect the ship from torpedoes and shells falling below the waterline.
However, in reality, the booking turned out to be insufficient. It was especially worth worrying about the sides in the area of the engine and boiler rooms, where the ship could easily be pierced even by destroyer guns. The horizontal booking was also not very good, since the armor above the same compartments and shell magazines did not protect them from shells of calibers 203 and 152 mm. There were also doubts that the armor was capable of withstanding a hit from medium-caliber bombs (it could not stand it).
Therefore, the project "D" was recognized as the winner, which had relatively good protection of the cellars, capable of withstanding the hit of a 203 mm projectile falling at an angle of 140 ° from a distance of about 10 miles. Otherwise, the armor could be criticized in accordance with the points listed above. The total mass of the armor of the Project D cruiser was 745 tons.
But the project "D" was not accepted, but under the designation "X" was sent to the next competition, where other projects were presented. For example, one of the projects ("Y") intended to remove one of the aft towers, leaving only six main battery guns, but to arm the ships with aviation. That is, instead of a tower, mount a catapult and place at least two seaplanes on board. At the same time, increase the ammunition capacity from 130 to 150 shells per gun.
In general, if you look, then the "light heavy" "York" and "Exeter" were just made for this project.
The Admiralty did not like all three proposed projects. One still had insufficient booking, the second did not have the proper firepower, so the project was accepted for construction, which was developed by Sir Estache Tennyson d'Eincourt, one of the creators of the battle cruiser Hood.
Sir Eustache, who was unambiguously aware of the ships, suggested a very original thing: leave almost everything as it is, but change the following parameters:
- to increase the power of machines by 5000 hp;
- lengthen the body by 100 cm;
- narrow the body by 20 cm;
- Reduce the ammunition load of each gun by 20 shells.
A ship with such parameters definitely became faster by 1, 5-2 knots. And the released weight could be used to strengthen the armor.
Moreover, Sir Eustache also dealt with the armor very progressively.
Having reasoned that it still does not save from large caliber projectiles, the thickness of the side armor in the area of the boiler rooms was reduced by half, making it impenetrable for 120-130 mm projectiles.
But the horizontal armor over the boiler rooms and engine rooms (by 7 mm) and the vertical armor of the artillery cellars (by 25 mm) were increased.
The design speed of the ships was estimated as 31.5 knots at standard displacement and 30.5 knots at full displacement.
This is how all the relevant signatures were put on the project. The first ship of the series was named "Kent", and the whole type was named after it, as was customary. Naturally, these ships were considered Washington-class heavy cruisers.
The Admiralty immediately expressed a desire to order at least 17 such cruisers. But the admirals had to be doused with cold water from the Thames, that is, to limit the budget.
So instead of 17 ships, five were ordered, and then the Australians also came, who liked the ship, and ordered two more cruisers for themselves. In total, seven.
Kent, Berwick, Suffolk, Cornwall, Cumberland, Australia and Canberra. The last two are, of course, Australian.
The new cruisers were smooth-deck high-sided ships with three tall chimneys and two masts. Their standard displacement was varied in the range of 13425-13630 tons. Normally, as I said, everything was chemically treated.
The ships were of the following dimensions:
- maximum length: 192, 02–192, 47 m;
- length between perpendiculars: 179, 79-179, 83 m;
- width: 18.6 m;
- draft at standard displacement: 4, 72-4, 92 m;
- draft at full displacement: 6, 47-6, 55 m.
Initially, they wanted to install tripod masts on the ships, but for reasons of weight saving, they were replaced with lighter masts.
"Kent" was the only cruiser of this type to receive a stern gallery, like the battleships of that time. The gallery slightly increased the length of the ship, but after a while it was dismantled altogether.
In peacetime, the crews of the cruisers were 679-685 people, the flagship - 710-716 people.
These cruisers, with excellent seaworthiness, enjoyed considerable popularity among both officers and sailors of the Royal Navy. The ships were considered "dry" and comfortable for the crew, having very spacious and well-arranged rooms.
Well, for the command, the seaworthiness of the cruisers became a big plus, which suddenly turned out to be very stable artillery platforms.
The armor remained not the strongest side. The final version of the booking of engine rooms, turrets of the main caliber and ammunition storage was as follows:
- armoring of sides in the area of engine rooms - 25 mm;
- armored deck over engine rooms - 35 mm;
- armored deck above the steering gear - 38 mm;
- armored bulkheads in the area of engine rooms - 25 mm;
- side armor and roof of the main battery towers - 25 mm;
- armored floors of the main battery towers - 19 mm;
- barbets of main buildings towers - 25 mm;
- traverse of the cellars of the towers "B" and "X" - 76 mm;
- lateral traverses of the cellars of the towers "B" and "X" - 111 mm;
- traverse of the cellars of the towers "A" and "Y" - 25 mm;
- lateral traverses of the cellars of 102 mm guns - 86 mm.
In general, as you can see, so-so. It is not for nothing that these cruisers were universally called "tin cans" or simply "cans".
The power plants of the cruisers were different. The ships had four steam turbines with a capacity of 80,000 liters. with., rotating four screws. Cornwall, Cumberland, Kent and Suffolk received Parsons turbines, the rest Brown-Curtis.
The turbines were powered by steam from eight boilers fueled by crude oil. The smoke from the oil burning in the boilers of the first boiler room was diverted to the front and middle chimneys, and the second - to the middle and rear.
The pipes had to undergo many improvements. When it turned out during tests that smoke from low pipes completely obscured the battery of 102-mm anti-aircraft guns and the stern fire control post, they decided to lengthen the pipes. First, on the "Cumberland" they threw a meter, when they were convinced that it did not help, it was decided to lengthen the two front pipes to 4, 6 m, and then all three. On Australian cruisers, they were lengthened even more - up to 5.5 m.
During sea trials, the cruisers of the series showed very good results. On average, the maximum design speed of 31.5 knots at standard displacement and 30.5 knots at full displacement turned out to be a whole knot more.
Later, during operation, the maximum speed briefly reached 31.5 knots, constant - 30.9 knots.
The oil reserve (3425 - 3460 tons) made it possible to make transitions to 13 300 - 13 700 miles with an economic course of 12 knots. At a speed of 14 knots, the cruising range was reduced to 10,400 miles, at full speed (30, 9 knots) - 3,100 - 3,300 miles, at 31, 5 knots - 2,300 miles.
For that time - an excellent indicator.
Armament
The main battery artillery consisted of eight 203 mm Vickers Mk VIII guns of the 1923 model, housed in four hydraulically driven Mk I twin-gun turrets.
Due to the achievement of the maximum elevation angle of the guns of 70 ° (instead of the specified 45 °), the main caliber of the cruisers could also conduct anti-aircraft fire. Conditionally, since a rate of fire was required for normal anti-aircraft fire. And she did not shine.4 rounds per minute. Great for normal naval combat and nothing in terms of anti-aircraft barrage.
The cruiser's guns pierced 150 mm armor at a distance of 10,000 m, and 80 mm at a distance of 20,000 m. Ammunition for each gun in peacetime was 100 shells, in wartime - from 125 to 150.
Not far from the midships was the main anti-aircraft artillery platform with four Vickers Mk V 102-mm guns on Mk III machines.
The first pair of these guns was placed on both sides of the third chimney, the second a few meters further to the stern. Ammunition for one gun was 200 shells. In 1933, on the cruiser "Kent", on both sides of the first chimney, a third pair of the same guns was additionally installed.
The planned armament of the cruisers with eight-barreled anti-aircraft machine guns "pom-pom" did not take place, so it was necessary to get by with the installation of four 40 mm Vickers Mk II anti-aircraft guns. They were also placed in pairs on both sides on platforms between the first and second pipes. Their ammunition capacity was 1000 rounds per gun.
The cruisers' armament also included four 47-mm (3-pound) Hotchkiss Mk II L40 salute guns and 8-12 Lewis 7.62 mm machine guns.
There was also torpedo armament, traditionally strong for British ships. Eight 533-mm torpedo tubes in two QRII four-tube rotary mounts, first used on such large ships, were located on the main deck on both sides under the platform of the main anti-aircraft artillery.
The armament consisted of Mk. V torpedoes, which, at a speed of 25 knots, had a range of 12,800 m and a warhead weight of 227 kg. For Australian cruisers, more modern torpedoes Mk. VII were used, which at a speed of 35 knots had a range of 15 300 m and 340 kg of explosives.
The project provided for equipment for reloading TA, but in fact it was not installed on any of the cruisers. That is, the ammunition consisted of eight torpedoes.
Aviation
In the end, they still pushed me in. And all cruisers received a light rotary catapult of the SIIL type (Slider MkII Light), behind the third chimney.
The seaplanes were first Fairey "Flycatcher", and then they were replaced by the Hawker "Osprey".
Cranes located on the starboard side served to lift the aircraft from the water and install it on the catapult.
Of course, throughout the entire service of the ships, the weapons underwent various upgrades. This was especially true of anti-aircraft weapons. By the beginning of World War II, the old automatic Vickers guns had been replaced by eight-barrel pom-poms, placed on platforms on either side of the first chimney.
And on the roofs of the seaplane hangars were registered quad 12, 7-mm Vickers machine guns MkIII / MkI.
Torpedo tubes were eventually dismantled on all ships.
The Vickers heavy machine guns were removed in 1942-1943 (only Cornwall and Canberra retained them), and back in 1941, the cruisers were armed with single-barreled 20-mm Oerlikon MkIV anti-aircraft guns. Since 1943, the same anti-aircraft guns were installed, but in a paired version, and in 1945 the number of "Oerlikons" on ships already reached 12-18.
True, in the realities of that war, this was still not enough. And after the Japanese pilots had playfully dealt with the "Cornwall" and "Dorsetshire", the armament of the ships with small-caliber anti-aircraft weapons was still considered unsatisfactory. The British began to dismantle useless airborne armament, while increasing the number of anti-aircraft guns.
By the middle of 1943, only the cranes, which were now used to lift lifeboats and motor boats, remained of the aircraft equipment on the Kents.
Radars
The first Kent-class cruiser to be fitted with radar equipment was the Suffolk. At the beginning of 1941, a Type 279 airborne radar was mounted on it, the antennas of which were installed on the tops of the masts. This radar, which operates in the 7-meter range and entered service in 1940, paid for itself during the battle in the Danish Strait. It was the "Suffolk" with the help of the radar found the dragging "Bismarck" and pointed all the others at it.
The idea "came in", and the cruisers began to receive type 281, 273, 284 and 285 radars.
The combat use of Kent-class cruisers is worthy of a separate article, since our heroes were noted wherever possible. And the Atlantic, and polar waters, and, of course, the Pacific Ocean.
Speaking about whether the battle path of cruisers was successful or not, let's just say: not bad.
"Suffolk" was damaged by a direct hit from a 1000 kg bomb on 1940-17-04, repair - 10 months.
"Kent" 17.09.1940 received a German airborne attack on board, the repair lasted almost a year.
"Cornwall" was sunk by Japanese carrier-based aircraft south of Ceylon on 1942-05-04. The crew could not do anything with the Japanese bombers, even really dodge the bombs, of which as many as nine hit the cruiser.
"Canberra" was simply crushed by shells of Japanese cruisers in the battle at about. Savo 1942-09-08, the cruiser tried to save, but she sank after 7 hours.
But we will, I repeat, talk separately about the combat path of the British heavy cruisers of the "County" family, it's worth it.
As for the work within the framework of the Washington Agreements, I would like to say the following. We can say that "Kents" were the very first pancakes that often come out lumpy.
British designers and admirals really wanted to squeeze everything into 10,000 tons of displacement. Alas, many were brainwashed on this, and the British were no exception. Therefore, as a result of throwing and compromises, they got just such ships.
The British began to build heavy cruisers designed to protect ocean communications, since they did not really want to repeat the economic blockade of the First World War.
From this it turned out that speed, armor, and subsequently weapons were sacrificed for cruising range and seaworthiness.
Indeed, the County's seaworthiness was more than excellent. In terms of cruising range, they surpassed their many Japanese and American counterparts, not to mention the Italian and French ships designed to serve in the Mediterranean pool. And as a result, their escort service was quite successful. But the "County" and were sharpened under it.
But in other respects, the "County" was in many ways inferior to the Washington cruisers of other countries.
Their speed of 31.5 knots was standard for the British fleet, but noticeably inferior to the speed of early Italian, French and Japanese cruisers, reaching 34.5 (French "Tourville" and Japanese "Aoba") and even 35.5 knots (Japanese "Myoko "And the Italian" Trento ").
Armor is generally life for a ship. The 25-mm armor of the sides and towers of the cruisers was penetrated not only by 152-mm shells from light cruisers, but also by 120-127-mm shells from destroyers. Well, really frivolous.
The Kent anti-aircraft armament was frankly weak. Anti-aircraft artillery, initially insufficient, was repeatedly changed and supplemented in the process of service and modernization, but the cruisers did not receive a sufficient number of barrels. This was confirmed by the Japanese, having drowned two heavy cruisers "Dorsetshire" and "Cornwall" virtually without loss (3 aircraft - this is laughter).
In general, the idea of ocean defenders capable of operating on sea lanes for a long time was a success. Cruisers capable of protecting and guarding convoys of transports and simply routes from enemy encroachments, the British turned out.
The sinking of the German raider Penguin by Cornwall is another confirmation of this.
But this turned out to be very highly specialized ships, and the British designers realized this very quickly. Subsequent subtypes of "County" became a kind of work on errors. How much it worked out at all - we will analyze next time.
