The Emerald-class or E class was a class of three light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. Following the Cavendish-class, three ships of a new class were ordered in March 1918, towards the end of World War I, designed to emphasise high speed at the cost of other qualities, for use against rumoured new high speed German cruisers - like the Brummer-class - and particularly minelayers, in the North Sea.
Specifications[]
Original Configuration[]
- Type: Light Cruiser
- Service Period: 1926-1948
- Characteristics:
- Length: 573 feet (174.65 meters)
- Beam: 54 feet 6 inches (16.61 meters)
- Draught: 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 meters)
- Displacement: 7,580 tons (Standard); 9,435 tons (Full Load)
- Crew: 572
- Propulsion: 8 x Yarrow type boilers, 4 x Brown-Curtis single-reduction geared turbines, 4 x shafts, 80,000 shp (59,600 kW)
- Range: 8,000 nautical miles (14,816 kilometers) at 15 knots (27.78 km/h)
- Speed: 33 knots (61.12 km/h)
- Armament:
- 7 x BL 6"/45-caliber Mk.XII naval guns (7x1)
- 3 x QF 4"/45-caliber Mk.V anti-aircraft guns (4x1)
- 2 x QF 2-pdr Mk.II anti-aircraft guns (2x1)
- 9 x smaller guns
- 16 x 21" torpedo tubes (4x4)
- Armour:
- Belt: 3-inches (76.2 mm)
- Deck: 1-inch (25.4 mm)
- Aircraft Carried: 1 x aircraft (later removed)
- Aviation Facilities: 1 x catapult (later removed)
Refit Configuration[]
- Type: Light Cruiser
- Service Period: 1926-1948
- Characteristics:
- Length: 573 feet (174.65 meters)
- Beam: 54 feet 6 inches (16.61 meters)
- Draught: 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 meters)
- Displacement: 7,580 tons (Standard); 9,435 tons (Full Load)
- Crew: 572
- Propulsion: 8 x Yarrow type boilers, 4 x Brown-Curtis single-reduction geared turbines, 4 x shafts, 80,000 shp (59,600 kW)
- Range: 8,000 nautical miles (14,816 kilometers) at 15 knots (27.78 km/h)
- Speed: 33 knots (61.12 km/h)
- Sensor Suite:
- Type 272/273 Target Indication RDF
- Type 281 Air Warning RDF
- Type 282 Anti-aircraft Fire Control RDF
- Type 281/283/284 Fire Control RDF
- Type 285 HACS Ranging RDF
- Armament
- 8 x BL 6"/45-caliber Mk.XXIII naval guns (4x2)
- 12 x QF 4"/45-caliber Mk.XVI dual purpose naval guns (6x2)
- 12 x Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns (4x3)
- 10 x Oerlikon 20mm anti-aircraft cannons (10x1)
- 8 x 21" torpedo tubes (2x4)
- Armour:
- Belt: 3-inches (76.2 mm)
- Deck: 1-inch (25.4 mm)
Unit Run[]
- HMS Emerald (C66)
- HMS Enterprise (C52)
- HMS Euphrates (C59)