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Tre Kronor-class cruiser

Swedish light cruisers (1947–1984)


Swedish light cruisers (1947–1984)

FieldValue
section1{{Infobox ship/image
imageHMS Tre Kronor.jpg
image_captionHSwMS Tre Kronor
section2{{Infobox ship/class overview
nameTre Kronor class
operators*
built_range1943–1947
in_commission_range1947–1984
total_ships_planned2
total_ships_completed2
total_ships_retired2
section3{{Infobox ship/characteristics
header_caption
typeCruiser
displacement*7400 LT standard
length*174 m (pp)
*{{Convert182mftinabbron}} (oa)
beam16.45 m
draft5.94 m
propulsion*2 shaft geared turbines, 4× 4-drum boilers,
*{{convert100000shpkWlkinabbr=on}}
speed33 kn
range4350 nmi at 14 kn
complement618
armament*As built:
*7 × {{Convert152mmin0abbron}} guns
armour*Belt: 70 mm
*Deck: {{Convert30mminabbron}}upper, 30 mm main
*Turrets: {{Convert50-127mminabbron}}
*Conning tower: {{Convert20-25mminabbron}}
  • 9200 LT full load

  • 182 m (oa)

  • 100000 shp

  • 7 × Bofors 152 mm guns

  • 20 × Bofors 40mm m/36 guns

  • 7 × Bofors 20 mm m/40 guns

  • 6 × torpedo tubes

  • Göta Lejon, post 1958:

  • 7 × 152 mm guns

  • 4 × 57 mm Bofors

  • 11 × 40 mm guns

  • 6 × torpedo tubes

  • Deck: 30 mmupper, 30 mm main

  • Turrets: 50 -

  • Conning tower: 20 -

The Tre Kronor class (English: Three Crowns class) was a class of two cruisers built for the Swedish Navy during World War II, comprising and . Tre Kronor was discarded in 1968 and Göta Lejon was sold to Chile in 1971. Renamed Almirante Latorre, she remained in service until being discarded in 1986.

Design and development

The outbreak of World War II caused the Swedish Navy to change its naval strategy, with it being decided to base the fleet on two squadrons of destroyers, each of which would be led by a cruiser, instead of the existing organisation of slow coastal defence ships and small torpedo boats. In 1940, therefore, the Swedish government decided that two cruisers were to be built. The cruisers were designed by the Italian shipyard CRDA in 1940–1941.

The main armament was seven Bofors 152 mm guns, with one triple turret forward and two twin turrets aft. The guns were being built by Bofors for the s being built in the Netherlands for the Royal Netherlands Navy but were taken over by the Swedish government when the Netherlands surrendered to Germany in May 1940. They could fire a 101 lb shell to a range of 28000 yd at a rate of 12–15 rounds per minute, and could elevate to 70 degrees, being capable of both anti-surface and anti-aircraft use. Additional anti-aircraft armament was provided by 20 Bofors 40 mm guns in 10 twin turrets and seven 20 mm m/40 guns. Six 21 in torpedo tubes were fitted, and the ship could also carry 160 mines.

A political debate broke out about the cruisers, with this, together with rework of the design, ensured that work did not start until 1943. The ships were built by the Götaverken and Eriksberg shipyards in Gothenburg. was launched on 16 December 1944, and on 17 November 1945.

Service history

The delayed start to the ships and industrial action meant that World War II was long over when the ships were completed, with both ships entering service in 1947. They were refitted in the late 1940s and early 1950s, with a new bridge fitted, radar added and the 20 mm guns replaced by seven more 40 mm Bofors guns.

Göta Lejon had another major refit between 1957 and 1958, with new radar being fitted, and a revised secondary anti-aircraft armament of four Bofors 57 mm guns and eleven 40 mm Bofors guns. A similar upgrade for Tre Kronor was cancelled due to lack of funds.

Tre Kronor went into reserve in 1958, was stricken on 1 January 1964 and sold for scrap in 1968, being used to build a pontoon bridge. The more modern Göta Lejon was not stricken until 1 July 1970, and was sold to Chile in July 1971, being commissioned into the Chilean Navy as Almirante Latorre on 18 September 1971. Latorre was stricken from the Chilean Navy in 1984, and was sold in August 1986, being scrapped in Taiwan in 1987.

Ships

BuilderLaid DownLaunchedCommissionedFate
{{HSwMSTre Kronor2}}Götaverken27 September 194316 December 1944
{{HSwMSGöta Lejon2}}Eriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstad27 September 194317 November 1945

Notes

References

  • Friedman, Norman. The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems 1997–1998. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1997. .
  • Moore, John. Jane's Fighting Ships 1985–86. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1985. .

References

  1. Whitley 1999, p. 225.
  2. Whitley 1999, pp. 225–226.
  3. Whitley 1999, pp. 197, 226.
  4. Friedman 1997, p. 449.
  5. Westerlund 1980, p. 371.
  6. Whitley 1999, p. 226.
  7. Moore 1985, p. 88.
  8. Westerlund & Chumbley 1995, p. 443
  9. Whitley 1999, p. 227
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