Allied Warships

Light cruisers

Carlisle class

5 ships


The light cruiser HMS Cairo (D 87) of the Royal Navy. She was lost on 12 Aug 1942.

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 class

Repeat 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 Carlisle class


Royal Navy Royal Navy (more on Royal Navy)

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


5 Light cruisers of the Carlisle class. 2 of them were lost.

Full wartime service history on this vessel.

See all Light cruiser classes.


Books dealing with this subject include:



Return to the Allied Warships section