Danae class light cruiser

HMS Danae after its refit in August 1943.

The Danae or D-class was a class of light cruiser built for the Royal Navy at the end of World War I and that survived to see service in World War II. During the Second World War, the Danae-class would undergo conversions to anti-aircraft cruisers starting with HMS Delhi.

Specifications

Original Configuration

• Type: Light Cruiser
• Service Period: 1918-1946
• Characteristics:
  • Length: 472 feet 6 inches (144.02 meters)
  • Beam: 47 feet (14.33 meters)
  • Draft: 15 feet 6 inches (4.72 meters)
  • Displacement: 4,775 tons (Standard); 5,832 tons (Full Load)
• Crew: 470
• Propulsion: 6 x Yarrow-type water-tube boilers, Parsons (Brown-Curtis in Dauntless, Diomede) geared steam turbines, 2 x shafts, 40,000 shp
• Range: 2,300 nautical miles (4,260 kilometers) at 27 knots (50 km/h)
• Speed: 29 knots (53.71 km/h)
• Armament:
  • 6 x BL 6"/45-caliber Mk.XII naval guns (6x1)
  • 2 x QF 3 inch 20 cwt anti-aircraft guns (2x1)
  • 2 x QF 2 pdr anti-aircraft guns (2x1)
  • 4 x 21" triple torpedo tubes
• Armour:
  • Belt:
    • Forward: 2.25-inches (57.15 mm)
    • Amidships: 3-inches (76.2 mm)
    • Aft: 2.25-inches (57.15 mm)
  • Deck: 1-inch (25.4 mm)
  • Gunshields: 1-inch (25.4 mm)

1939 Refit Configuration

• Type: Anti-aircraft Light Cruiser
• Service Period: 1942-1948
• Characteristics:
  • Length: 472 feet 6 inches (144.02 meters)
  • Beam: 47 feet (14.33 meters)
  • Draught: 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 meters)
  • Displacement: 4,775 tons (Standard); 5,832 tons (Full Load)
• Crew: 470
• Propulsion: 2 x Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 x Parsons geared steam turbines, 2 x shafts, 50,000 shp (37,500 kW)
• Range: 7,200 nautical miles (13,334 kilometers) at 15 knots (27.78 km/h)
• Speed: 31.5 knots (58.34 km/h)
• Sensor Suite:
  • Type 291 Air Warning RDF
  • Type 293 Target Indication RDF
  • Type 285 Anti-Aircraft Fire Control RDF
• Armament:
  • 8 x QF 4.5"/45-caliber Mk.IV dual purpose naval guns (4x2)
  • 20 x Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns (3x4, 8x2)
• Armour:
  • Belt: 3-inches (76.2 mm)
  • Deck: 1-inch (25.4 mm)
  • Magazines: 3-inches (76.2 mm)

Unit Run

1916 War Emergency Program

• HMS Danae
• HMS Dauntless
• HMS Dragon

1917 War Emergency Program

• HMS Delhi
• HMS Dunedin
• HMS Durban

1918 War Emergency Program

• HMS Despatch
• HMS Diomede
• HMS Daedalus
• HMS Darter
• HMS Desperate
• HMS Dryad