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E Class (1926) CC

The E Class (1926) cruisers were designed as a counter to cruisers believed to be under construction in Germany in 1917.  However the German ships did not materialise.

They were to be of high speed and have one more 6in gun than the Danae Class (1918).But to achieve the extra speed, installed power was doubled and length increased by 100ft. Displacement increased by 3,000 tons and cost by £500,000 per ship. To allow the greatest speed in bad weather they had a long and high forecastle with a prominent knuckle which deflected spray and gave increased lift. This became a common feature in later cruisers.

The power plants were to be 2 x Shakespeare Class destroyer sets.

Three ships were ordered in Mar-1918 but with the end of WW1 the third ship HMS Euphrates, was cancelled 26-Nov-1918. Construction of a larger number of ships was impossible due to material and labour shortages.

When each of the remaining two were launched they were towed to a Royal Dockyard for completion, but the work was of a low priority and took until 1926 to complete.

Various modifications were made during the finishing work, in 1928/29 and during WW2.

Both ships were scrapped shortly after WW2 ended.

 

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w. m.
This page last edited - 27 February, 2013.

Copyright © Ian M King, except where otherwise indicated.