NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Enterprise late 1930s

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Enterprise	52, D52	484	John Brown, Clydebank / Devonport DYd	28.6.1918	23.12.1919	4.1926	stricken 1.1946, sold for BU 4.1946
Emerald	66, D66	956	Armstrong, Elswick / Chatham DYd	23.9.1918	19.5.1920	1.1926	sold for BU 6.1948
Euphrates			Fairfield, Govan	1918	---	---	cancelled 26.11.1918

Technical data

Displacement light, t	7300
Displacement full, t	9450
Length, m	173.7
Breadth, m	16.6
Draught, m	5.60
No of shafts	4
Machinery	4 sets Brown-Curtis geared steam turbines, 8 Yarrow boilers
Power, h. p.	80000
Max speed, kts	33
Fuel, t	oil 1600
Endurance, nm(kts)	8000(15)
Armour, mm	belt: 76 - 38, deck: 25 - 13, CT: 76, gun shields: 25
Armament	Emerald: 7 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 3 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II, 4 x 3 - 533 TT Enterprise: 1 x 2 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 5 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 3 x 1 - 102/45 QF Mk V, 4 x 1 - 47/40 3pdr Hotchkiss Mk I, 2 x 1 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk II, 4 x 3 - 533 TT
Complement	450

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

The British answer on fast German cruisers-minelayers of Bremse class. The armament and endurance were victims of speed. Being in one and a half time more large and having twice more engine power than D type cruisers, Е type had only one 152mm gun more, all additional displacement was spent on achieving of extra 4kts of speed. Doubled machinery of Shakespeare class leaders was used for boost of designing and building, as result there was 4-shaft scheme. For the first time in British practice these ships had machinery arranged en echelon.

Laid down shortly before the Armisticce, Emerald and Enterprise have not got nearly under post-war navy reduction, but after some doubts the Admiralty has decided them to complete, but they have become operational with the long delay. Even during outfitting Enterprise received an experimental twin turret instead of two fwd single 152mm guns. It was a prototype of turrets of Leander, Perth and Arethusa classes.

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 57mm (38mm armour on 19mm 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. There was an additional 25mm lower deck over engine spaces. Magazines had additional 13mm box-shaped protection.

Modernizations

1929, both: - 4 x 3 - 533 TT; + 4 x 4 - 533 TT

1934, Emerald: + 1 catapult S-II-L with 1 seaplane

1936, Enterprise: + 1 catapult S-III-L with 1 seaplane

1939, Emerald: + 4 x 4 - 12.7/62

3/1941, Enterprise: - 2 x 1 - 152/45; + 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII

1941 - 1942, both: - 2 x 4 - 533 TT

10/1942, Enterprise: + 4 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

4/1943, Emerald: - 1 x 1 - 152/45, 2 x 1 - 40/39, 4 x 4 - 12.7/62; + 2 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 273, type 281, 2x type 282, type 285 radars

10/1943, Enterprise: - 2 x 1 - 40/39, 4 x 1 - 20/70; + 2 x 1 - 152/45 BL Mk XII, 1 x 4 - 40/39 2pdr QF Mk VIII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV, type 272, type 281, 2x type 282, type 284, type 285 radars

2/1944, Enterprise: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 4 x 1 -20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV

3/1944, Enterprise: + type 650 jammer; full displacement rose to 10220t

4/1944, Emerald: - 1 catapult with seaplane; + 6 x 1 - 20/70 Oerlikon Mk II/IV; full displacement was 10350t

1/1946, Enterprise: 1 x 2 - 152/45 Mk XVII, 5 x 1 - 152/45 CP Mk XIV, 3 x 1 - 102/45 HA Mk III, 2 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 4 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, type 272, type 281, 2x type 282, type 284, type 285 radars

1.1946, Emerald: 6 x 1 - 152/45 CP Mk XIV, 3 x 1 - 102/45 HA Mk III, 2 x 4 - 40/39 Mk VII, 6 x 2 - 20/70 Mk V, 6 x 1 - 20/70 Mk III, 2 x 4 - 533 TT, type 273, type 281, 2x type 282, type 285 radars

Naval service

Emerald was sunk as target 24.10.1947 but later salvaged and BU.

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