NAVYPEDIA

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Bellona (RNZN 1948 - 1956)	63, 1948- C63	679	Fairfield, Govan	30.11.1939	29.9.1942	29.10.1943	to New Zealand 1948 - 1956, sold for BU 2.1958
Black Prince (RNZN 1946)	81, 1948- C81	1049	Harland & Wolff, Belfast	2.11.1939	27.8.1942	20.11.1943	to New Zealand 1946, stricken 11.1961
Diadem	84, 1948- C84	624	Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn	15.12.1939	26.8.1942	6.1.1944	to Pakistan 2.1956 (Babur)
Royalist (RNZN 7.1956)	89, 1948- C89	585	Scotts, Greenock	21.3.1940	30.5.1942	10.9.1943	to New Zealand 7.1956, sold for BU 11.1967
Spartan	95	767	Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow	21.12.1939	27.8.1942	10.8.1943	sunk 29.1.1944

Technical data

Max speed, kts, kn	32
Displacement standard, t	5950
Displacement full, t	7350 - 7410
Length, m	147.8 pp 156.1 oa
Breadth, m	15.4
Draught, m	5.41 - 5.46
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)	5100(15)
Armour, mm	belt: 76, bulkheads: 25, turrets: 13, deck: 51 - 25
Armament	4 x 2 - 133/50 QF Mk I, 3 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 3 - 533 TT Royalist: 4 x 2 - 133/50 QF Mk I, 3 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 2 x 3 - 533 TT
Electronic equipment	type 272, type 281, 3x type 282, type 284, 2x type 285 radars
Complement	530

Standard scale images

Project history

A little revised design of Dido class with number of 133mm mounts moderated to four and third quadruple pom-pom. They had vertical funnels and masts without a rack. Royalist right after completion was converted to command ship.

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 76-mm sides. Armoured deck was 25-mm thick over machinery and steering gear and 51-mm over magazines.

Modernizations 6.

1944, Black Prince: + 2 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk I/III, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 10 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

4/1945, Bellona: + 8 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

4/1945, Diadem: + 2 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

1945, Black Prince: - 2 x 1 - 20/70; + 6 x 1 - 40/56 Bofors Mk III

1.1946, Bellona: 4 x 2 - 133/50 RP.10 Mk II, 3 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 8 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 272, type 281, 3x type 282, type 284, 2x type 285 radars

1.1946, Black Prince: 4 x 2 - 133/50 RP.10 Mk II, 8 x 1 - 40/60 Mk III, 3 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 8 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 8 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 272, type 281, 3x type 282, type 284, 2x type 285 radars

1.1946, Diadem: 4 x 2 - 133/50 RP.10 Mk II, 3 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 8 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 6 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 272, type 281, 3x type 282, type 284, 2x type 285 radars

1.1946, Royalist: 4 x 2 - 133/50 RP.10 Mk II, 3 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 2 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 3 - 533 TT, type 272, type 281, 3x type 282, type 284, 2x type 285 radars

Naval service

Spartan was sunk 29.1.1944 by German Hs 293 gliding bomb launched from Do 217 bomber off Anzio (Italy). Diadem was damaged by German torpedo 12.8.1944 and repaired till the end of war.

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