Allied Warships


Light cruisers

Cairo class

5 ships


The Cairo class light cruiser HMS Calcutta. She was lost on 1 Jun 1941.

Technical information

TypeLight cruiser
Displacement4290 BRT 
Length451.5 feet (oa) 
Complement400 men 
ArmamentAs designed;
5 6" guns (5x1)
2 3" AA (2x1)
2 2pdr AA (2x1)
8 21" torpedo tubes (4x2)

Cairo, Calcutta and Carlisle as rearmed;
8 4" AA guns (4x2),
4 2pdr AA (1x4)
8 .5" AA (2x4) 

Max speed29 knots
EnginesGeared turbines, 2 shafts 
Power40000 HP 
Notes on classRepeat of the Ceres-class but given trawler bows as a result of the previous classes being very "wet" forward.

Cairo and Calcutta were rearmed as Anti-Aircraft cruisers shortly before the war. Carlisle was undergoing this reconstruction when the war broke out. Colombo was reconstructed during 1942/1943 for her new armament see her page. 


All ships of the Cairo class:

Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

HMS Cairo (D 87) (lost 12 Aug 1942)
HMS Calcutta (D 82) (lost 1 Jun 1941)
HMS Capetown (D 88)
HMS Carlisle (D 67)
HMS Colombo (D 89)

2 light cruisers of the Cairo class lost.


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