NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Birmingham early 1920s

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Nottingham	35	248	Pembroke DYd	13.6.1912	18.4.1913	4.1914	sunk 19.8.1916
Lowestoft	17, 83		Chatham DYd	29.7.1912	28.4.1913	4.1914	sold for BU 1.1931
Birmingham	45, 16, 28	851	Armstrong, Elswick	10.6.1912	7.5.1913	2.1914	sold for BU 2.1931
Adelaide (RAN)		44	Cockatoo DYd, Australia	20.11.1915	27.7.1922	31.7.1922	depot ship 5.1945, sold for BU 2.1949

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	RN ships: 5530 Adelaide: 5550
Displacement full, t	RN ships: 5920 - 6100 Adelaide: 6160
Length, m	RN ships: 139.3 Adelaide: 141.0
Breadth, m	15.2
Draught, m	4.90
No of shafts	4 Adelaide: 2
Machinery	4 Parsons steam turbines, 12 Yarrow boilers Adelaide: 2 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 12 Yarrow boilers
Power, h. p.	RN ships: 25000 Adelaide: 25500
Max speed, kts	25.5
Fuel, t	RN ships: coal 1165 + oil 235 Adelaide: coal 860 + oil 550
Endurance, nm(kts)	RN ships: 4140(16)
Armour, mm	belt: 51 on 25mm plating, deck: 38 - 10, CT: 102, gun shields: 102
Armament	RN ships: 9 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 - 533 TT (beam, sub) Adelaide: 9 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 1 x 1 - 76/45 20cwt QF Mk I, 1 x 1 - 76/40 12pdr 12cwt QF Mk I, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 - 533 TT (beam, sub)
Complement	480

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

For the 1912 Programme three near-repeats of the Chatham class were approved. The only alterations were to add a second 152mm on the forecastle, side by side to improve ahead fire, and additional flare on the forecastle to reduce spray. Also they received new 45cal 152mm guns. Like the Chatham class they proved highly successful in service and they were retained in the post-war Fleet. Lowestoft was completed with a tripod foremast carrying a spotting platform, and in December 1914 a new light pattern of director was fitted. Birmingham was similarly fitted in 1916-17.

Adelaide was the oldest cruiser (considering from the moment of the design approval and laid down date) of British Empire served in the Second World War. She was built in Australia for fleet of this dominion under the design of cruiser Birmingham of 1910 and became obsolete in days of the First World War, because of last circumstance completion was conducted very slowly.

Protection

Armoured belt protected ship at full length, its thickness was 76mm (summary) abreast machinery spaces and 51mm at ship ends. It extended to main deck (and to upper deck abreast machinery). Protective deck was 19mm thick over machinery and 38mm over steering gear. Its thickness over other ship parts was 10 mm.

Modernizations

1915, all completed: + 1 x 1 - 76/45 20cwt QF Mk I

1937, Adelaide: - 1 x 1 - 76/40

(Cockatoo, 1938 - 3.1939), Adelaide: Two boilers with their funnel were removed, other boilers were only oil-fired. Fuel stowage was 1420t of oil, engines power felt to 23500hp and maximal speed to 24.3kts; - 1 x 1 - 152/45, 2 - 533 TT; + 3 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V

7/1942, Adelaide: + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 271 radar

9/1943, Adelaide: - 1 x 1 - 152/45, 1 x 1 - 102/45; + 4 DCT, type 285, SC radars. Gun shields were changed to new more light ones.

Naval service

Birmingham rammed and sank German submarine U15 9.8.1914. Nottingham was torpedoed three times by German submarine U52 19.8.1916 in 120nm SE of Firth of Forth (38 dead).  

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