NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Concord 1928 Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Centaur	36, 34, 10	888	Vickers, Barrow	24.1.1915	6.1.1916	8.1916	sold for BU 2.1934
Concord	2A, 46, 15	889	Vickers, Barrow	1.2.1915	1.4.1916	12.1916	sold for BU 8.1935

Technical data

Displacement normal, t	4165
Displacement full, t	4870
Length, m	135.9
Breadth, m	12.8
Draught, m	4.10
No of shafts	4
Machinery	4 sets Parsons geared steam turbines, 6 Yarrow boilers
Power, h. p.	40000
Max speed, kts	29
Fuel, t	oil 824
Endurance, nm(kts)	2000(28)
Armour, mm	belt: 76 - 32, deck: 25, CT: 152, gun shields: 102
Armament	5 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 2 x 1 - 76/45 20cwt QF Mk I, 1 x 1 - 76/23 13pdr 6cwt QF Mk V, 2 - 533 TT (beam, sub)
Complement	437

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Although often described as ex-Turkish ships, the two Centaur class were additional units of the 1914-15 Programme to follow the Cambrian class. However to save time the builders were authorised to use two sets of machinery which had been ordered for a pair of Turkish scout cruisers, and out of this came the Centaur class. The opportunity was taken to incorporate all wartime lessons learned to date, principally the need for more 152mm guns and director control. They were given 5 152mm guns, one forward, one between foremast and fore funnel, one abaft the funnels and two superimposed aft, as in the Caroline class. They were also given a heavier tripod to take a large two-storey control top. Being the first light cruisers with an 'all-big gun armament' they were nicknamed 'Tyrwhitt's dreadnoughts' when they joined the Harwich Force. Distinguished from earlier two-funnelled cruisers by the gap between foremast and funnels.

Ship protection

Armoured belt protected ship at full length, its thickness was 76mm abreast machinery spaces (51mm armour on 25mm plating), 51mm (38mm armour on 13mm plating) aft and 38mm (25mm armour on 13mm plating) fore. Belt was closed by aft 25mm bulkhead near stern. It extended to main deck (and to upper deck abreast machinery). Machinery and steering gear were covered by 25mm deck.

Modernizations

1917 - 1918, both: - 1 x 1 - 76/23; + 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II

1925, Centaur: - 1 x 1 - 152/45

1929, Concord: - 2 x 1 - 152/45

1932, Concord: - 2 x 1 - 76/45

Naval service

Centaur was mined in June 1918, repaired till December. Concord was attached to Signal School from 11.1928.

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