Danae-class cruiser

HMS Delhi; note 5"/38 caliber guns fitted after refit
Class overview
Name:	Danae class
Operators:	Royal Navy  Polish Navy
Preceded by:	C class
Succeeded by:	Emerald class
In commission:	1918 - 1946
Planned:	12
Completed:	8
Cancelled:	4
Lost:	3
General characteristics
Type:	Light cruiser
Displacement:	4,850 tons standard 5,925 tons full
Length:	445 ft (135.6 m) (p/p) 472.5 ft (144.0 m) (o/a)
Beam:	46.5 ft (14.2 m) (47 ft (14 m) in Despatch and Diomede)
Draught:	14.5 ft (4.4 m) (16.5 ft (5.0 m) full)
Propulsion:	Six Yarrow-type water-tube boilers Parsons (Brown-Curtis in Dauntless, Diomede) geared steam turbines Two shafts 40,000 shp (30,000 kW)
Speed:	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph) (27 knots full)
Range:	2,300 nmi (4,260 km) at 27 knots (50.0 km/h)
Complement:	450 / 469 war
Armament:	6 × BL 6-inch (152.4 mm) L/45 Mark XII guns on single mountings CP Mark XIV (Diomede 1 × mount CP Mk.XVI) 2 × QF 3 inch 20 cwt L/45 Mk.I on mounts HA Mk.II 2 × QF 2-pounder L/39 Mk.II on mounts HA Mk.II 4 × triple tubes for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes
Armour:	Main belt: 1.5–2.25 in (38–57 mm) forward 3 in (76 mm) amidships 2.25–2 in (57–51 mm) aft Upper deck:1 in (25 mm) over machinery Main deck: 1 in over steering gear Gunshields: 1 in

The Danae or D class was a class of light cruiser built for the Royal Navy at the end of World War I which also saw service in World War II.

The Danaes were based on the design of the preceding C class series, but were lengthened by 20 feet (6 m) to allow a sixth 6-inch (152 mm) gun to be worked in between the bridge and the forefunnel. This gave an 'A', 'B', 'P', 'Q', 'X', 'Y' arrangement. Additionally, the twin torpedo tubes in the C class were replaced by triples, giving the Danaes a total of twelve tubes, the heaviest torpedo armament for a cruiser at the time. Machinery and general layout was otherwise the same as the Ceres group of C-class cruisers. However, Danae, Dauntless and Dragon were ordered before the Capetown group, and therefore did not incorporate the improved bow design of the latter; the C class were very wet forwards, and in the Capetowns sheer was increased forwards into a knuckled "trawler bow". Such was the success of the knuckled bow that it was incorporated into all subsequent British cruisers (except Birmingham of 1935 which was completed without). Despatch and Diomede had their beam increased by ½ foot to increase stability and Dragon and Dauntless were completed with a hangar for a floatplane built into the bridge, the compass platform being on top. Delhi, Dunedin, Durban, Despatch and Diomede were provided with flying-off platforms for a wheeled aircraft aft. Despatch and Diomede were completed with 4 inch anti-aircraft (A/A) guns vis 12 pounder (3 inch) guns in their sisters and Diomede had 'A' gun shipped in a weatherproof housing CP Mark XVI, an encouraging development for gun crews hitherto exposed to the worst of the elements on the fo'c'sle.

The lessons of the Battle of Jutland were applied and protection was improved in detail. Additional torpedo tubes were installed and depth charge throwers were also included. The Mk XII 6-inch (152 mm) gun was retained but, in Diomede, a new prototype gun house (allowing greater elevation) was used and found to be most satisfactory.